ECOLOGY

Here’s a complete, no-fluff flashcard-style review of EVERYTHING you need to know for the Ecology unit on the Living Environment Regents. This covers all major topics, exactly how they test it.

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ECOLOGY – LIVING ENVIRONMENT FLASHCARDS

1. What is ecology?

The study of how living things interact with each other and their environment.

2. What is a population?

All members of one species living in the same area.

3. What is a community?

All the different species living in one area.

4. What is an ecosystem?

All the living (biotic) and nonliving (abiotic) things in an area.

5. What is a biome?

A large region with a specific climate and types of organisms (e.g., desert, rainforest, tundra).

6. What are biotic and abiotic factors?

• Biotic: Living (plants, animals, bacteria)

• Abiotic: Nonliving (sunlight, water, temperature, soil)

7. What is a niche?

The role an organism plays in its ecosystem (what it eats, where it lives, etc.)

8. What is a food chain?

A diagram that shows one path of energy flow.

9. What is a food web?

A diagram showing many interconnected food chains.

10. What do the arrows in a food chain show?

The direction of energy flow, from food to eater.

11. What are producers and consumers?

• Producers (autotrophs): Make their own food (plants)

• Consumers (heterotrophs): Eat other organisms

12. What are the types of consumers?

• Herbivore – eats only plants

• Carnivore – eats only animals

• Omnivore – eats both

• Decomposer – breaks down dead things (fungi, bacteria)

• Scavenger – eats dead animals (vultures)

13. What is a trophic level?

A level in a food chain/web (producer, primary consumer, etc.)

14. What happens to energy as it moves up trophic levels?

It decreases — only about 10% of energy is passed on.

15. What is the energy pyramid?

A diagram showing that energy decreases at each level.

Base = producers (most energy), top = top predators (least energy).

16. What is carrying capacity?

The maximum population an environment can support.

17. What are limiting factors?

Things that limit population growth — like food, water, space, predators.

18. What is ecological succession?

Natural changes in ecosystems over time (e.g., forest regrowing after fire).

19. What is biodiversity?

The variety of life in an area.

More biodiversity = more stable ecosystem

20. What is a stable ecosystem?

One with high biodiversity and balanced populations.

21. What are invasive species?

Non-native organisms that disrupt ecosystems by outcompeting natives.

22. What are human activities that harm the environment?

• Pollution

• Deforestation

• Habitat destruction

• Burning fossil fuels (climate change)

• Overhunting

• Introducing invasive species

23. What is global warming caused by?

Too much CO₂ from burning fossil fuels → traps heat (greenhouse effect)

24. What are renewable vs nonrenewable resources?

• Renewable: Can be replaced (solar, wind, water)

• Nonrenewable: Limited (coal, oil, gas)

25. How can humans help the environment?

• Recycle

• Conserve energy

• Plant trees

• Use clean energy

• Protect endangered species

• Reduce pollution

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