Biology 1 Honors Ecology and Relationships Study Guide

Flashcards based on key concepts from the Unit 9 Biology 1 Honors lecture notes focusing on ecology and relationships.

A group of organisms of the same species is called population__.

Population.

A single organism is referred to as __.

An individual.

All of the organisms of all species in a particular area is known as __.

Community.

The combination of all organisms and the environmental factors in a particular area is called __.

Ecosystem.

The term used to describe similar types of ecosystems is __.

Biome.

A factor in the environment that is non-living is called an __ factor.

Abiotic.

Some examples of abiotic factors include and .

water, temperature.

A biotic factor refers to __ factors in an environment.

living.

Some examples of biotic factors include and .

plants, animals.

The term ‘habitat’ refers to __.

the natural home or environment of an organism.

In biology, a ‘niche’ refers to __.

the role or function of an organism or species within an ecosystem.

Competition in ecology describes __.

the struggle between organisms for the same resources.

Mutualism is a type of symbiotic relationship where __.

both species benefit.

Commensalism is a symbiotic relationship where __.

one species benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed.

Parasitism is where __.

one organism benefits at the expense of another.

A keystone species is important because __.

it has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance.

Humans have affected ecology by __.

pollution, habitat destruction, and introducing invasive species.

Invasive species are organisms that __.

are not native to a specific location and can cause harm to the ecosystem.

The basic processes in the Carbon Cycle include __.

photosynthesis and respiration.

Eutrophication is a problem because __.

it leads to excessive nutrients in water bodies, causing algal blooms.

A limiting factor is __.

any condition that restricts the growth of a population.

Examples of limiting factors include and .

food availability, predation.

The type of growth shown in logistic growth is characterized by __.

a leveling off of population size as it reaches carrying capacity.

Logistic growth is considered more realistic to real life compared to __ growth.

exponential.

Carrying capacity refers to __.

the maximum population size that an environment can sustain.

To find carrying capacity on a graph, look for __.

the point where the population stabilizes.

The difference between a food chain and a food web is that a food chain is __, while a food web is __.

linear, complex and interconnected.

A producer is an organism that __.

creates its own food, typically through photosynthesis.

A consumer is an organism that __.

feeds on other organisms.

A decomposer is an organism that __.

breaks down dead organic matter.

An herbivore is a type of consumer that __.

eats only plants.

An omnivore is a consumer that __.

eats both plants and animals.

A carnivore is a type of consumer that __.

eats only meat.

A scavenger is an organism that __.

feeds on dead organisms.

A detritivore is a consumer that __.

feeds on decomposing organic matter.

Approximately __% of energy is passed onto the next trophic level in a food chain.

10.

Energy is lost in a food chain primarily through __.

heat.

Succession is the process of __.

change in the composition of an ecosystem over time.

Pioneer species are the first organisms to __.

colonize a barren environment.

In a climax community of a deciduous forest, one would expect to find __.

diverse mature species.

The key difference between primary and secondary succession is that primary succession occurs __, while secondary succession occurs __.

on lifeless ground, following a disturbance.

Ways humans have impacted ecosystems include and .

urban development, pollution.