Ecology unit test

The study of the interaction of organisms and their environment

Ecology

All the living and non-living parts of the environment

Ecosystem

A group of ecosystems with similar climate and organisms

Biome

All the individuals of a species living in an area at a specific time

Population

All the different organisms living in an area

Community

The day to day temperature, precipitation, etc.

Weather

The portion of the Earth where all life exists

Biosphere

Non-living parts of the ecosystem

Abiotic

Living parts of the ecosystem

Biotic

Where an organism lives

Habitat

The role an organism has in the ecosystem

Niche

Average weather conditions in a region over a few years

Climate

Only ___ species can occupy a particular niche at a time. If two species occupy the same niche, then they will ____ for resources, only one species will survive.

One, compete

Name the four things that affect growth rate of a population

Birth + immigration - death - emigration

An ecological community in which populations of plants or animals remain stable and exist in balance with each other and their environment

Climax community

The maximum number of individuals that an ecosystem can support

Carrying capacity

What determines carrying capacity?

Availability of abiotic factors (food, water, shelter, space)

Have greater effects on larger populations (competition, stress from overcrowding, parasitism & disease, predation)

Dependent limiting factors

Affect all populations regardless of size or density (hurricanes, floods, droughts, wildfires)

Independent limiting factors

Greenhouse gases, released by the burning of fossil fuels, which trap heat

Carbon dioxide, methane

Occurs when two organisms try to obtain the same resources at the same time

Competition

Competition between two individuals of the same species

Intraspecies

Competition between two individuals of different species

Interspecies

When one organism hunts another

Predator-prey

When two organisms live in close association with each other

Symbiosis

When two organisms live in close association that benefits both

Mutualism

A relationship in which one organism benefits but the other is harmed

Parasitism

A relationship in which one organism benefits but the other is unaffected

Commensalism

Is used up or lost as heat as it flows through the ecosystem

Energy

Is recycled as organisms grow, die and decompose

Matter

What type of consumer is it?

Rabbits eat dandelions and berries

Herbivore

Bacteria break down organic matter

Decomposer/Detritivore

Otters eat fish they catch

Carnivore

Turkey vultures eat dead animals

Scavenger

Raccoons eat both vegetation and meat

Omnivore

Compare how matter and nutrients (atoms) move through an ecosystem

What is the difference between primary and secondary succession?

Primary: Founding of a new community in environments with no topsoil

Secondary: Caused by a natural disturbance

What is a pioneer species?

First organisms to populate an area

Most autotrophs use energy from the ____ and CO2 to make sugars through the process of _______. Some autotrophs use energy from sulfur compounds found in hot springs or ocean volcanic vents. This process is called _________

Sun, photosynthesis, ___

______ is a term that refers to the number of different species living in an ecosystem.

Biodiversity?

What are some processes that add CO2 to our atmosphere?

Human activity has greatly affected our world. Human activity is the greatest source of pollution. Burning ________ has added ____ to the atmosphere and caused ___________.