Chapter 22 - The Basics of Ecology

Decomposers

\________ and detritivores both play key roles in nutrient cycling in ecosystems.

Ectotherms

\________ lack internal processes for maintaining body temperature and therefore rely on their surroundings for heat.

Female

\________ insects emit compounds that male insects of the same species can detect.

Detritivores

\________ are creatures that get their energy from the organic waste of deceased plants and animals.

top predators

Crocodiles would consume some of the creatures that graze on seeds and plants on rain forest islands with \________, decreasing the population of these animals and protecting the number of plant species in these locations.

Zooplankton

\________ consume phytoplankton, and sea stars, fish, and even whales consume \________.

animal populations

Plant- eating \________ expanded rapidly in the absence of crocodiles, lowering the quantity of plants in these places.

Access

\________ to energy is critical to an organism's health.

Energy

\________ is used by organisms to grow, reproduce, and maintain their order.

Endotherms

\________ utilise thermal energy created by their metabolism to keep their bodies warm.

sea slug

When the \________ is unable to obtain food, it moves into the sunshine.

Skunks

\________ expel stinky compounds to frighten away possible predators.

Pheromones

\________ are chemical signals that some plants and animals emit in order to elicit a reaction from other species.

Photoautotrophs

\________ are plants.

body temperature

If a lizard's \________ falls, it will crawl to a heated rock or into the sunlight to warm up.

stimulus

A(n) \________ is a change in the environment that causes a response.

Herbicide runoff

\________ can contaminate the water, lowering the amount of phytoplankton.

Behavioral

\________ or physiological strategies can be used by organisms to respond to environmental changes.

Heterotrophs

\________ can derive energy from carbohydrates, lipids, or proteins by using hydrolysis processes to break down these macromolecules.

Individuals

\________ and groups can benefit from cooperative activities.

Dam building

\________ produced isolated rain forest islands, some of which housed top predators such as crocodiles, while others were left without top predators.

Animals

\________ at higher trophic levels may aid in population control at lower levels.

Birds

\________ utilize audio signals to communicate with other birds and to attract mates.

Kleptoplasty

\________ is shown by a few number of species.

Organisms

\________ are continually consuming energy in order to exist, and they get energy from the food they consume (or the carbon- containing molecules they produce if the \________ is photosynthetic)

Chemoautotrophs

\________ derive their energy from tiny inorganic compounds in their surroundings.

Natural selection

\________ will favor signals and reactions that enhance the likelihood of survival and successful reproduction.

majority of chemoautotrophs

The \________ are bacteria found in harsh conditions such as deep- sea thermal vents or geothermal geysers.

trophic levels

The quantity of biomass in the lower trophic levels of a food chain grows as you proceed down the \________, with the producers having the most biomass.

Decomposers

\________ decompose dead organic matter, allowing nutrients from deceased species to be recycled through ecosystems.

Kleptoplasty

\________ occurs when a heterotroph consumes an autotroph for nourishment while removing the chloroplasts from the autotroph's cells and incorporating them into its own cells.

Heterotrophs

\________ obtain their energy from carbon molecules produced by other species.

body temperatures

Adaptations for maintaining energy levels and \________ differ between animals.

sea slug

The \________ Elysia crispata feeds on algae and integrates chloroplasts (from the algae it eats) into its own cells.