Interactions & Ecosystems
What is an ecosystem?
The interactions between living and non-living things in a specific environment.
What is a producer?
An organism that makes its own energy (like plants).
What is the main purpose of the water cycle?
To move water around Earth in different forms.
What does “reduce” mean in “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”?
Use fewer products and create less waste.
What is succession?
A gradual change in an ecosystem over time.
What is the difference between biotic and abiotic?
Biotic = living things; Abiotic = non-living things.
What are the three types of consumers?
Herbivores, carnivores, omnivores.
What are two ways water can go from liquid to gas?
Evaporation AND transpiration.
What is sustainability?
When resources can be replaced as quickly as they are used.
What are two causes of succession?
Climate change, new organisms, or adding new plants/animals.
What are the 4 basic needs of life?
Food, water, habitat (place to live), air.
What is a niche?
The role an organism plays in its environment (what it eats, where it lives, how it interacts).
What is the main gas needed for photosynthesis?
Carbon dioxide.
What is an ecological footprint?
The total impact you have on the environment (land, water, energy, waste).
What is primary succession?
Slow process that begins with bare rock and no soil.
What is ecology?
The study of the relationships between living organisms and their environment.
What is the difference between a food chain and a food web?
A food chain shows one energy path; a food web shows many interconnected chains.
What is bioaccumulation?
The buildup of contaminants in an organism over time.
Give one example of how humans changed their relationship with the environment over time.
Technology, farms, importing food, modern housing, etc.
What is a pioneer species? Give an example.
First organisms to grow in an area (ex: lichens, moss).
Give an example of how a beaver impacts its ecosystem.
Beaver dams change water flow, create ponds, and change which animals can live there.
Describe the 10% rule of energy transfer.
Only about 10% of energy moves up to the next level in the food chain.
What is the difference between bioaccumulation and biomagnification?
Bioaccumulation = buildup in one organism; Biomagnification = increased concentration up the food chain.
Why do forest wardens sometimes start fires on purpose?
Clearing debris and allowing new plants to grow and it helps animals with food sources.
Give 3 examples of causes of secondary succession.
Forest fire, flood, logging, and volcano on an established ecosystem.