Ecosystem Basics
What are the living and non-living parts of an ecosystem called?
Biotic and abiotic factors
What do we call organisms that make their own food through photosynthesis?
Producers
Which of the three Rs means using fewer resources and creating less waste in the first place?
Reduce
What process occurs when liquid water is heated and changes into water vapour?
Evaporation
What term describes a species that has completely disappeared from Earth, with no living individuals remaining anywhere?
Extinction / Extinct
Identify what symbiosis is happening in all 3 scenarios.
1. A bee gets nectar while pollinating a flower
2. A tick feeds on a deer
3. A bird makes a nest in a tree without harming it
1. Mutualism
2. Parasitism
3. Commensalism
What role do mushrooms usually play in an ecosystem?
Decomposer
A forestry company plants new trees to replace the trees it harvests and makes sure forests can regrow. What environmental principle is this an example of?
Sustainability.
Name the TWO processes:
(A) Water vapour cools and forms tiny water droplets in clouds.
(B) Plants release water vapour into the atmosphere through their leaves
A: Condensation
B: Transpiration
A wildfire destroys most plants in a forest, but the soil remains. Over time, new plants begin growing. What type of succession is occurring?
Secondary succession.
A snowshoe hare's fur changes colour from brown in summer to white in winter. Is this a physical or behavioural adaptation? MUST EXPLAIN WHY!
Physical - It involves a physical characteristic that helps the hare survive.
Explain the difference between a food chain and a food web.
A food chain shows one pathway of energy transfer. A food web shows multiple interconnected food chains.
What does the term ecological footprint describe?
The amount of land and resources needed to support a person or population's lifestyle and deal with its waste.
Explain TWO ways that cutting down and burning large numbers of trees can affect the carbon cycle.
Burning releases stored carbon as CO₂.
Fewer trees remain to absorb CO₂ through photosynthesis.
I will accept other answers if they make sense
Why are frogs and other amphibians often considered good indicator species when scientists monitor ecosystems?
They are sensitive to changes in their environment, including pollution, so changes in their health or population may signal ecosystem problems.
Name FOUR basic needs all living animals need.
1. Food/energy
2.Water
3. Gas exchange / Air
4.Habitat / Place to live
Why is there usually less energy available to organisms at the top of a food pyramid than at the bottom?
Because of the 10% rule. Only around 10% of the energy goes from one level to the next. The rest is lost as heat energy and other forms of energy.
What is an invasive species? Explain ONE way it can negatively affect an ecosystem.
An introduced species that spreads and causes harm, such as outcompeting native species for food or habitat.
Acid Rain. It can make water and soil more acidic, harming organisms and disrupting ecosystems.
Bonus: Nitrogen and Sulphur
A newly formed volcanic island has only bare rock. Lichens begin growing, followed by mosses, grasses, and eventually trees. What type of succession is occurring, and how do lichens help?
Primary succession. Lichens help break down rock and contribute to soil formation, making it possible for other plants to grow.
A woodpecker eats insects inside trees, nests in tree cavities, and is sometimes hunted by hawks. What term describes its overall role and interactions within its ecosystem?
Niche
In an ecosystem, grass is eaten by rabbits and mice. Foxes eat rabbits, while owls eat mice. A severe drought kills most of the grass. Explain how this could affect all FOUR animal populations.
Rabbits and mice decline because they lose their food source. Foxes and owls then decline because their prey becomes less available.
Farmers release ladybugs to eat insects that are destroying their crops instead of spraying chemical pesticides. What is this method called?
Biological control.
A small fish gradually builds up mercury in its body. A larger fish eats many contaminated small fish and ends up with an even higher mercury concentration. What is this process called?
Bioaccumulation: a pollutant builds up within an organism over time.
Biomagnification: pollutant concentrations increase at higher levels of a food chain.
Scientists are monitoring a lake. They measure:
(A) the water's pH, (B) its temperature, and (C) the number of frogs present.
Identify which measurement represents chemical, physical, and biological monitoring. What do we call the original measurements used for future comparisons?
A: Chemical. B: Physical. C: Biological. The original measurements are baseline data