Enviromental Science: Chapter 4 study guide

All the organisms living in an area together

Ecosystem

The nonliving parts of an ecosystem are known as…..

Abiotic Factors

What are two examples of biotic factors?

Plants and animals

The primary source of energy for ecosystems is…..

The sun

In order to survive, ecosystems need 5 basic components….

Energy, Minerals/Nutrients, Water, Oxygen, and Living organisms

Living things that can carry out life processes independently…..

Organisms

Groups of organisms that are closely related can mate and produce offspring……

Species

How does a population differ from a species?

A population is a group of organisms of the same species that live in a specific area at the same time.

Groups of various species that live in the same habitat and interact with eachother

Community

What is the difference between a community and an ecosystem?

A community consists of ONLY biotic factors, while an ecosystem consists of both biotic and abiotic factors.

A place where an organism usually lives….

Habitat

Why might organisms not be able to survive away from their natural habitat for long?

Because they tend to be very well suited to their natural habitat.

In the 1995 gypsy moth study, what was the effect of removing mice from forest plots?

gypsy moths increased dramatically because the predator was gone.

in the 1995 gypsy moth study, what was the effect of adding acorns to forest plots?

the mice increased because they a food source, leading them to also eat the gypsy moth eggs causing the gypsy moths to decrease.

How does an acorn in an oak forest lead to an increase in Lyme disease in humans?

The acorns attract deer carrying ticks, which in return infect the mice that are responsible for carrying the Lyme disease.

The process by which individuals have favored traits and are better adapted to their environment survive and reproduce, (hopefully) passing down that favored trait to their offspring

Natural Selection

a change in the characteristics of a population from one generation to the next

Evolution

the process of becoming adapted to an environment is called….

Adaption

the process of two species evolving in response to long-term interactions with each other is called….

Coevolution

What is an example of Coevolution?

the Hawaiian honey creeper (has a long, curved beak) and the long, curved lobeila flower.

Selective breeding of organisms, by humans, for specific, desirable characteristics is….

Artificial Selection

An example of a modern animal that is a result of artificial selection….

Chihuahua

the ability of an organism to tolerate chemical or disease-causing agents is….

Resistance

How can a population of insects become resistendent to pesticide?

the insect that survived has a gene that makes it immune to the pesticide, so when it reproduces, that gene will be passed down, causing the offspring to be immune.

How can insects or bacteria develop a quicker resistance rather than a more larger mammal?

Due to insects and bacteria being able to reproduce at a much quicker rate than larger mammals.

The six kingdoms used by scientists to classify organisms are….

Archaebacteria, Eubacteria, Fungi, Protists, Plants, and Animals.

How do bacteria differ from all the other kingdoms of life?

Bacteria lack a cell neclei.

Where are Archaebacteria usually found?

In harsh environments

What is the role of fungi and bacteria in an environment?

to break down dead organisms and give nutrients to soil.

How does fungi obtain its food?

by absorbing their food through their body surface.

What is the productive structure of a fungus?

A mushroom

Algae are plantlike that belong to which kingdom?

Protists

Why are phytoplanktons considered the most important Protists?

They’re the initial food source in ocean and freshwater ecosystems

What is the function of vascular tissues in plants?

it’s a system that carries the food and water throughout the plant

Woody vascular sea plants whos seeds are not enclosed by an ovary or fruit

Gymnosperms

Flowering plants that produce seeds within fruits

Angiosperms

What group of plants produce the food humans eat? (ex: fruits, rice, and wheat)

Angiosperms

Animals that do not have backbones are called……

Invertabrates

What are the 3 reasons insects are successful?

They have a waterproof skeleton, can move and reproduce quickly, and can fly.

Animals that have a backbone (ex: mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish)

Vertebrates

Which 2 vertebrates are warm-blooded, which allows them to survive in cold areas?

Birds and Mammals.

Why do plants and insects depend on each other for survival?

Insects pollinate plants that helps them reproduce, and plants give nectar/pollen to insects.

What structural component do bactiera, fungi, and plants all share?

a cell wall

Why is nitrogen important to living organisms?

it is the the main component of protein and genetic material.

In Charles Dawins study of the finches, what physical trait changed due to the 1977 drought?

the finches beak size increased.

The “understory vegetation” in the context of monarch butterflies habitat is what?

Bushlike vegetation that grows beneath the taller fir trees.

At what temperature range do monarch butterflies lose their ability to fly?

between −1∘C and 4∘C (30∘F to 4∘F).

How does the understory vegetation help monarch butterflies survive freezing temperatures?

allows them to climb off the cold forest floor up to slightly warmer air above.

During natural selection, what must be true about the variations in traits for evolution to occur?

the variations must be hereditary.

Soil is considered a mix of biotic and abiotic factors due to organisms breaking down dead matter and rocks…..

the ‘Geofact’ on Soil

What determines what organisms live in a specific land community?

the dominant species of said land community.

what is the relationship between cell size and substance exchange in the environment?

larger cells exchange substances more slowly due to their surface area being smaller then their volume.

What kingdom contains organisms that live in animal intestines and help digest food?

Eubacteria (E.coli)

Why were the first land plants (mosses) unable to grow large?

they lacked vascular tissue and required water for reproduction

what is the advantage of a waterproof external skeleton for an insect?

it prevents the insect from drying out.