Ecosystem Basics
What are the living parts of an ecosystem called?
Biotic Factors
What is it called when one organism hunts another for food?
Predation
What organisms make their own food?
Producers
What is a factor that limits population growth called?
A limiting factor
What is biodiversity?
The variety of living things in an ecosystem
What are the nonliving parts of an ecosystem called?
Abiotic factors
What do we call the organism that is hunted?
Prey
Where does most energy in an ecosystem originally come from?
The Sun
Give one example of a limiting factor.
Food, water, space, predators, disease
Name one human activity that harms ecosystems.
Pollution, deforestation, overfishing, habitat destruction
What is all the organisms living in one area called?
A community
What is the relationship called when both organisms benefit?
Mutualism
What is a model that shows one pathway of energy transfer called?
A food chain
What is the largest population an environment can support called?
Carrying capacity
What is an invasive species?
A nonnative species that harms an ecosystem
What is the specific role an organism plays in its ecosystem called?
A niche
What is the relationship called when one organism benefits and the other is harmed?
Parasitism
Why do food webs show ecosystems better than food chains?
They show multiple feeding relationships.
What happens if a population exceeds carrying capacity?
The population decreases because resources run out.
Why is biodiversity important?
It helps ecosystems stay healthy and stable.
What is the difference between a population and a community?
A population is one species in an area; a community is all species in an area.
Give an example of competition in an ecosystem.
Two organisms competing for food, water, space, or shelter.
Why is there less energy available at higher trophic levels?
Energy is lost as heat at each level.
How can a drought affect population size?
Less water reduces resources, causing populations to decrease.
Name one way humans can protect biodiversity.
Conservation, reducing pollution, protecting habitats, restoring ecosystems