Ecology Basics
This type of factor includes things like temperature, rainfall, and soil type.
Abiotic
In a food chain, the arrows point in this direction.
Direction of energy flow (lower trophic level --> higher trophic level)
In this relationship, both organisms benefit.
Mutualism
The number of individuals per unit area.
What is population density?
This cycle moves water between the atmosphere, land, and oceans.
Water
An organism’s “role” in its ecosystem, including how it gets energy and interacts with others.
Ecological Niche
Approximately what percentage of energy is passed from one trophic level to the next?
10%
A barnacle attaches to a whale, gaining transport, while the whale is unaffected. What type of relationship is this?
Commensalism
When a population grows rapidly without limits, it follows this growth curve with this shape.
Exponential - J shaped
Bacteria in the soil play a major role in making this element usable to plants.
This term describes all the different species living together in one area.
Community
In a grass → rabbit → fox food chain, the rabbit is this type of consumer.
Primary Consumer
A tapeworm living in a dog’s intestines represents this relationship.
Parasitism
The maximum number of individuals an environment can support.
Carrying Capacity
This process releases carbon back into the atmosphere when organisms break down glucose.
Respiration
This level of ecological organization includes the community plus all the abiotic factors.
Ecosystem
In what way are herbivores and carnivores alike?
Both heterotrophs (get energy by eating other organisms)
This term describes the act of one organism killing and eating another.
Predation
Give an example of clumped distribution
A school of fish swimming together in the ocean... etc.
What is one way humans disrupt the nitrogen cycle?
Overuse of fertilizers, causing eutrophication (runoff) in water systems
Name all levels of ecological organization from simplest/smallest to most complex/largest
Energy FLOWS
Nutrients are RECYCLED
How is parasitism different from commensalism?
One organism is harmed in parasitism and no organisms are harmed in commensalism.
Factors like disease, competition, and predation are examples of these kinds of limiting factors.
Density Dependent
Explain the nitrogen cycle
nitrogen fixation, (nitrification), assimilation, and denitrification