Ecology test

Earth Systems

• Atmosphere = air

• Biosphere = living things

• Cryosphere = ice

• D (Hydrosphere) = water

👉 Trick: “Air, Bodies, Cold, Drink”

Biotic vs Abiotic

• Biotic = alive (plants, animals)

• Abiotic = not alive (water, sunlight, soil)

Natural vs Artificial Ecosystems

• Natural = forest, ocean

• Artificial = farm, aquarium

👉 Trick: Artificial = made by humans

Population vs Community

• Population = same species

• Community = different species

Sustainability

• Using resources so they don’t run out

👉 Think: “Use it, don’t lose it”

Photosynthesis vs Respiration

• Photosynthesis (plants):
  Sun + CO₂ → Sugar + O₂

• Respiration (cells):
  Sugar + O₂ → Energy

👉 Trick:

• Photo = makes food

• Respiration = releases energy

Niche

• An organism’s job/role

👉 Example: bees = pollinators

Food Chains & Energy

• Plants → herbivores → carnivores

• Energy decreases as you go up

👉 Trick: Top = less energy

Ecological Pyramids

• Energy pyramid (most important)

• Also: numbers, biomass

👉 Always: big bottom, small top

Cycles of Matter

• Water cycle

• Carbon cycle

• Nitrogen cycle

👉 Trick: “Water, Air, Soil = cycles”

Limiting Factors

• Things that stop growth
  (food, water, space)

👉 Tolerance range:

• Too little ❌

• Just right ✅

• Too much ❌

Interactions

• Competition = fight for resources

• Predation = eat others

• Mutualism = both benefit

👉 Trick:

• Mutual = “both win”

Carrying Capacity

Max population an ecosystem can hold

4 Major Biomes of Canada

• Tundra = cold, no trees

• Boreal Forest = lots of pine trees

• Temperate Forest = seasons, mixed trees

• Grassland = lots of grass, few trees

👉 Trick: Cold → Trees → Seasons → Grass

Aquatic Ecosystems

• Freshwater = lakes, rivers

• Marine = ocean

• Intertidal = where ocean meets land

QUICK STUDY HACK

👉 “Living + Nonliving interact, energy flows, matter cycles, and populations have limits.”

That basically = ecology.