Chapter 22 - The basics of Ecology

Decomposers

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.