Definitions
Define "Biome"
A broad area of similar or linked ecosystems with similar soils, climate, and vegetation groups.
What is biodiversity?
A measure of the number of different living species in a given area.
What is photosynthesis?
The process by which plants synthesize glucose using carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight.
What is a producer?
Organisms that capture energy from the environment to produce food, such as plants and algae.
What shapes all environments on Earth?
The interactions within and between the living and physical environments.
What is an ecosystem?
A community of living organisms interacting with each other and their physical environment.
How does competition affect biodiversity?
It can reduce the number of species by causing some to be excluded from certain niches.
What does chlorophyll do?
It absorbs light energy and converts it into chemical energy during photosynthesis.
Define primary consumer.
Organisms that eat producers; typically, herbivores.
What is the purpose of environmental management strategies?
To protect and maintain the balance of ecosystems.
What is a population?
All individuals of the same species living in the same place and time.
Name a threat to biodiversity.
Habitat destruction, pollution, or climate change.
What is the law of conservation of energy?
Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only converted from one form to another.
What is a trophic level?
A feeding level in a food chain or food web.
Name the two types of environmental pressures.
Human activities and natural influences.
Define "niche"
An organism’s role in its ecosystem, including its interactions with predators and prey.
How can grazing affect biodiversity?
It can reduce plant populations and alter habitats, impacting species that rely on those plants.
What limits photosynthesis?
Factors like light, water, and nutrients can limit plant growth and photosynthesis.
Explain the "Rule of 10.
Only about 10% of energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next.
How can human activities impact ecosystems?
They can create challenges and put pressure on local and global environments.
What is the difference between biotic and abiotic factors?
Biotic factors are living components, while abiotic factors are non-living components of an ecosystem.
Describe a remedy for biodiversity decline.
Implementing conservation efforts or restoring habitats.
Explain the role of phytoplankton in the carbon cycle.
Phytoplankton absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen through photosynthesis, playing a crucial role in carbon cycling.
What is a food web?
A complex network of feeding relationships among organisms in an ecosystem.
Explain the relationship between local and global actions.
Actions at a local level can have local, regional, and global impacts.