Biotic Interactions
What are symbiotic relationships?
When two or more different species live together in a close association.
Name three abiotic characteristics.
water, oxygen, light, nutrients, soil
What is carrying capacity?
Carrying capacity is the size of a population that can be supported indefinitely by the available resources and services of an ecosystem.
What are three types of symbiosis?
commensalism, mutualism, parasitism
Describe an example of parasitism. Explain why this is parasitism.
Wood ticks and humans, hookworms and dogs or fungi and trees, etc.
Parasitism is a symbiotic relationship in which one species benefits and another is Harmed. Usually parasites are smaller than the Host and live inside or on the host.
How do humans increase the carrying capacity of some ecosystems? Provide an example.
The removal of wolves by human hunters will increase the carrying capacity of the ecosystem for moose.
What are the parts of an ecosystem?
biotic and abiotic parts
Competition is a harmful interaction between two or more organisms that can occur when organisms compete for the same resource (food, shelter, mates, territory).
Describe how the abiotic characteristic, water can effect sustainability of an ecosystem?
Both natural processes and human activities can affect the amount and quality of water in an ecosystem. Specifically, chemicals from industries can contaminate water, etc.
What is the difference between density-dependent limiting factors and density-independent limiting factors?
What are examples of each.
What is a niche?
A Niche is the role that an organism plays in an ecosystem.
- All of the physical, chemical, and biological interactions required for a species to survive, grow, and reproduce are parts of an organism’s NICHE.
Describe an example of mutualism. Why is it considered mutualism?
Bees and flowers
Flowers provide bees with carbohydrates (nectar for energy) and protein (pollen for larvae). Bees possess specialized hairs and "pollen baskets" on their legs, allowing them to effectively collect and transport pollen from one flower's anther to another's stigma (pollination).
A J-shaped curve represents what kind of growth?
Exponential growth
What is a community?
A Community is all of the populations of different species that interact in a specific area or ecosystem
What is commensalism?
Commensalism is a symbiotic relationship in which one species benefits and the other species is not affected. Often for shelter or transportation.
Describe how soil can affect the sustainbility of an ecosystem.
The top layers of soil, which contain the most nutrients can be washed away if there is heavy rain or if too many trees have been cut down.
What is one way we can reduce urban sprawl?
•Intensification is a policy that is designed to reduce urban sprawl.
•The policy requires that a large percentage of new development occur within the boundaries of a city.
•An example of this policy in practice would be the adding of additional floors to an existing building instead of constructing a new structure on another piece of land.
What is a sustainable ecosystem?
A sustainable ecosystem is one that is capable of withstanding pressure and giving support to a variety of organisms over a long period of time.