topic 4a: organism in the environment

What is ecology?

Ecology is the branch of biology that studies relationships between living organisms and their environment.

Define ecosystem.

An ecosystem is all of the biotic organisms in an area and all the abiotic conditions.

What is a habitat?

A habitat is the place where an organism lives.

How is a population defined in ecology?

A population is all the organisms of one species in a habitat.

What constitutes a community in ecological terms?

A community is all the different species in a habitat.

What are biotic factors?

Biotic factors are the living components that affect population sizes and distribution.

List some examples of abiotic factors.

Sunlight, temperature, pH, water, minerals, soil type, salinity, and wind

Why might investigating population sizes be challenging for ecologists?

Due to the complexity of ecosystems and the need for accurate data.

What method do scientists commonly use to estimate population sizes?

Scientists use sampling techniques, such as quadrats, to estimate population sizes more quickly.

What is a quadrat?

A quadrat is a square metal frame, usually one meter in length, used by ecologists to take samples.