Ecology Midterm Review

ecology flashcards for the biology midterm.

Ecology

The study of the relationship of living organisms and their environments.

Food web

net work of complex interactions formed by the feeding relationships among the various organisms in an ecosystem.

Trophic Level

A step in a food web or chain

4 trophic levels

Primary producer, primary consumer, secondary consumer, tertiary consumer

Tertiary Consumer

Top consumer. AKA apex predator

Autotroph

Makes its own food

Heterotroph

Eats other organisms for food.

Herbivore

Only eats plants

Carnviore

Only eats meat

Ominvore

eats meat and plants

Conservation ecology

The study of nature and Earth’s biodiversity.

Biome

a large geographical area characterized by climate, vegetation, and animals.

How do biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) factors influence organisms in a biome

The biotic factors and abiotic factors determine and effect which organisms can live in a certain biome.

Keystone species

organisms that other species in an ecosystem may rely on

Invasive species

Organisms that cause harm to an environment it’s not native to and increases rapidly.

Ecosystem engineers

Create new habitats or modify existing ones.

Quadrant Sampling

Sessile (not moving)

Mark and Recapture

Motile (moving)

Density

# of organisms

———————

area

Percent Error

|experimental - actual|

—————————— x 100

actual

Mutualism

both benefit

Parasitism

One benefits and one is harmed

Intraspecific competition

Competition between 2 organisms of the same species

Interspecific competition

Competition between 2 different species