Ecology

What makes a non-native species invasive?

A non-native species becomes an invasive species when it causes harm.

Impacts of deforestation:

• Soil erosion

• Climate change

• Loss of biodiveristy

In biomagnification, what organisms have the highest concentration of pesticides?

Organisms higher up the food chain.

Eutrophication:

Too many nutrients enter a body of water causing the organisms to die.

What human activities lead to acid rain?

• Power plants

• Cars

Greenhouse effect:

Trapping of heat due to the sun that causes the earth to stay warm

Number the categories in order from smallest to largest: biome, community, biosphere, population, ecosystem

1) Population

2) Community

3) Ecosystem

4) Biome

5) Biosphere

Does a population include one species or many species?

One species

Does a community involve one species or many species?

Many species

Autotroph:

An organism that makes its own food. ex: plants making glucose through photosynthesis.

What are the 4 types of heterotrophs and define each:

Herbivores: plant eating

Carnivores: meat eating

Omnivores: both plant and meat eating

Decomposers: eat dead matter by breaking it down (this release CO2 in the air)

Why is only 10% of energy transferred from one trophic level to the next?

• Heat can be loss

• Not all food is consumed

What happens in a predator/prey relationship?

Prey decreases as predator increases

Symbiosis and explain the 3 types:

Symbiosis: a close relationship of organisms

Mutualism: both organisms benefit

Parasitism: one organism benefits while one is harmed

Commensalism: neither cares

3 factors that affect population size:

• Birth rate

• Death rate

• Migration

What is the role of plants in the carbon cycle?

Plants absorb CO2 to produce oxygen

How does burning of fossil fuels impact the carbon cycle?

It releases CO2

What is the role of bacteria in the nitrogen cycle?

• Soil bacteria break down nitrates

• Nitrogen is converted to ammonia through nitrogen-fixing bacteria

Carrying capacity:

The max number of organisms an environment can support.