Key Concepts
What happens to a population if there are equal births and deaths?
The population size will be stable.
What is a "population"?
A group of the same type of organism living in the same area.
What is an indirect effect?
The result of one cause leading to an effect that causes one or more other effects.
What is one reason for the decrease in the orange-bellied parrot population?
Changes in resource availability or increased competition.
What is a stable system?
A system that remains mostly the same over time despite changes.
Define "ecosystem".
All the living and nonliving things interacting in a particular area.
How can a change in one population affect another?
Changes in one population can impact the availability of resources for another population.
How can resource availability affect population changes?
Limited resources can lead to population decline, while abundant resources can support growth.
How can competition affect population size?
Competition can lead to resource shortage, affecting survival and reproduction.
What does "energy" mean?
The ability to make things move or change.
How does energy storage impact organisms?
More energy storage allows for more reproduction and growth.
What role do ecologists play?
Ecologists study the interactions of organisms with each other and their environment.
What do organisms need to reproduce?
Organisms need to release energy from energy storage molecules to reproduce.
What is a "consumer population"?
A population that eats organisms from another population.
What is "stability" in an ecosystem?
When the ecosystem remains mostly unchanged over time.
What is a food web?
A model that shows what eats what in an ecosystem.
How does the size of a resource population affect consumer populations?
A larger resource population provides more energy storage molecules, allowing consumer populations to grow.
What is "reproduction"?
The process of creating offspring.
Describe "competition".
When two or more populations use the same resource.
How can birth rates and death rates impact ecosystems?
Imbalances can lead to population increase or decrease, affecting the entire ecosystem.