ECOSYSTEMS
What are biotic factors in an ecosystem?
Living things such as plants, animals, and bacteria
How much energy is transferred from one level to the next in a food chain?
About 10%
What is primary succession?
When life starts in an area with no soil or previous life (like bare rock)
What is monoculture?
When farmers grow only one type of crop
What is sustainable harvesting?
Leaving some plants or animals behind to reproduce
What are abiotic factors in an ecosystem?
Non-living things such as sunlight, water, temperature, and soil
What do producers do in an ecosystem?
Make their own food using sunlight through photosynthesis
What is secondary succession?
When an ecosystem regrows after being disturbed but still has soil (like after a forest fire)
What is crop rotation?
Growing different crops each year to restore soil nutrients
Name one sustainable farming practice.
Crop rotation, composting, or reducing pesticide use
What is an ecosystem’s carrying capacity?
The maximum number of organisms it can support
What is the role of decomposers?
Break down dead plants and animals, returning nutrients to the soil
Why is succession important?
It helps restore ecosystems and increase biodiversity
What are pesticides?
Chemicals used to kill insects that harm crops
List 3 impacts of overfishing.
Fewer fish species, disrupted food chains, and loss of marine biodiversity
What happens when organisms compete for the same resources?
It limits how many organisms can survive in an ecosystem
Give an example of a simple food chain.
Grass → Grasshopper → Frog → Snake → Hawk
What cycle includes photosynthesis and respiration?
The carbon cycle
What is overfishing?
Catching fish faster than they can reproduce
What are 3 solutions to overfishing?
Catch limits, protected marine areas, and sustainable fishing methods
Give 3 examples of abiotic factors that affect population size.
Sunlight, temperature, and water availability
Why does energy decrease at each level of a food chain?
Energy is used up by organisms for life processes and lost as heat
Name 2 other important cycles besides the carbon cycle.
Water cycle and nitrogen cycle
What is bycatch?
When fishing nets accidentally catch species like turtles or dolphins
What is one way humans can help restore ecosystems?
Replanting trees, cleaning polluted areas, or protecting wildlife habitats