apes unit 1 the living world: ecosystems

("What is an individual in an ecosystem?"

"A single organism.")

("What defines a population in ecology?"

"A group of individuals of the same species living in an area.")

("What is a community in ecological terms?"

"All the living organisms (populations) in an area.")

("What is an ecosystem?"

"A community of organisms plus abiotic (non-living) factors like climate

("What is a biome?"

"A large region with a distinct climate

("What is the biosphere?"

"The global sum of all ecosystems supporting life on Earth.")

("What is symbiosis?"

"A close and long-term interaction between two different organisms.")

("What is competition in symbiosis?"

"A (-/-) relationship where both species are harmed due to resource use.")

("What is predation?"

"A (+/-) relationship where one organism benefits by eating another.")

("What is parasitism?"

"A (+/-) relationship where one organism benefits and the other is harmed but not usually killed.")

("What is parasitoidism?"

"A (+/-) relationship where larvae consume and kill the host.")

("What is mutualism?"

"A (+/+) relationship where both organisms benefit.")

("What is commensalism?"

"A (+/0) relationship where one benefits and the other is unaffected.")

("What is resource partitioning?"

"When species divide resources to avoid competition.")

("What is temporal partitioning?"

"Species use the same resource at different times.")

("What is spatial partitioning?"

"Species use different areas of the shared resource.")

("What is morphological partitioning?"

"Species evolve different physical traits to use resources differently.")

("What determines the distribution of terrestrial biomes?"

"Latitude

("Where are tropical biomes typically found?"

"Near the equator.")

("Where are temperate biomes typically found?"

"In mid-latitudes.")

("Where are boreal biomes typically found?"

"In higher latitudes.")

("Where are tundras typically located?"

"In polar regions.")

("How are desert plants adapted?"

"They store water

("How do grassland plants survive fires?"

"They store energy in roots to quickly regrow.")

("How do tundra animals adapt?"

"They have thick fur and antifreeze proteins.")

("Why is soil nutrient availability low in tundras?"

"Because permafrost prevents decomposition.")

("Why is nutrient availability low in tropical rainforests?"

"Because rapid decomposition and high competition deplete nutrients quickly.")

("What factors affect aquatic biomes?"

"Salinity

("What is the primary feature of rivers?"

"Flowing water with high oxygen and nutrient-rich sediments.")

("What zone in a lake supports emergent plant growth?"

"The littoral zone.")

("Which lake zone has no sunlight?"

"The profundal zone.")

("What makes wetlands productive ecosystems?"

"They store water

("What is an estuary?"

"A mix of freshwater and saltwater with high productivity.")

("Where are mangrove swamps found?"

"In tropical regions with trees that stabilize coastlines.")

("What are the major carbon reservoirs?"

"Atmosphere

("What process removes CO2 from the atmosphere?"

"Photosynthesis.")

("What process releases CO2 into the atmosphere?"

"Cellular respiration and combustion.")

("What is the difference between the fast and slow carbon cycles?"

"Fast includes biological processes; slow includes sedimentation and fossil fuel formation.")

("What are carbon sinks?"

"Reservoirs that absorb more carbon than they release.")

("What is nitrogen fixation?"

"Conversion of N2 to NH3 or NO3- by bacteria or lightning.")

("What is nitrification?"

"Conversion of NH4+ to NO2- and then to NO3- by bacteria.")

("What is assimilation in the nitrogen cycle?"

"Absorption of nitrogen by plants.")

("What is denitrification?"

"Conversion of NO3- to N2 by bacteria in anaerobic conditions.")

("Where is most phosphorus stored?"

"In rocks and sediments.")

("Why is the phosphorus cycle slow?"

"Because it lacks a gaseous phase and depends on rock weathering.")

("Why is phosphorus a limiting nutrient?"

"Because of its slow cycle and essential role in DNA and ATP.")

("What drives the water cycle?"

"The Sun’s energy.")

("What is transpiration?"

"Water movement from plant roots to leaves and into the atmosphere.")

("What is infiltration?"

"Water soaking into the ground to recharge groundwater.")

("What is Gross Primary Productivity (GPP)?"

"Total solar energy captured by producers.")

("What is Net Primary Productivity (NPP)?"

"GPP minus respiration loss; energy available to consumers.")

("Which biomes have the highest NPP?"

"Swamps

("What is the 10% rule?"

"Only 10% of energy is transferred to the next trophic level.")

("What are primary consumers?"

"Organisms that eat producers

("What are tertiary consumers?"

"Top predators that eat secondary consumers.")

("What does a food web show?"

"Interconnected energy pathways between species.")

("What is a trophic cascade?"

"A ripple effect caused by the removal or addition of a top predator.")