4.1 species, communities, and ecosystems

Question 1

species

Answer 1

groups of organisms that can potentially interbreed to produce fertile offspring

Question 2

population

Answer 2

Reproductively isolated members of a specie

Question 3

community

Answer 3

formed by populations of different species living together and interacting with each other

Question 4

ecosystem

Answer 4

Interactions of the community with the abiotic (non-living) environment

Question 5

2 types of species

Answer 5

autotrophs and heterotrophs

Question 6

autotrophs

Answer 6

aka: Producers
Take inorganic compounds from the environment and synthesize organic compounds (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins).

ex: chemoautotrophs and photoautotrophs

Question 7

photoautotrophs

Answer 7

Photoautotrophs, such as plants, convert carbon dioxide and water into carbon compounds in the presence of light energy.

Question 8

chemoautotrophs

Answer 8

Chemoautotrophs (some bacteria and archaea) can convert inorganic molecules, such as hydrogen sulfide, into organic compounds in the presence of heat energy

Question 9

heterotrophs

Answer 9

aka: Consumers
Obtain organic carbon compounds from ingestion of autotrophs or other heterotrophs
- includes detritovores and sapotrophs

Question 10

detritovores

Answer 10

obtain organic compounds from internally digesting detritus (decomposing plant/animal parts, feces)
Ex: Earthworms, millipedes, slugs, sea cucumbers

Question 11

sapotrophs

Answer 11

obtain organic compounds from externally digesting dead organisms
-Ex: Fungi & Soil bacteria

-Complex organic molecules are broken into smaller components (enzyme-catalyzed reaction)
-Then, smaller organic molecules are taken in via active transport (endocytosis)
-Requires: moisture, neutral-acidic pH, oxygen, warm temperature (1-35C)

Question 12

nutrient cycling

Answer 12

1. Autotrophs obtain inorganic nutrients from the air, water and soil and convert them into organic compounds
2. Heterotrophs ingest these organic compounds and use them for growth and respiration, releasing inorganic byproducts
3. When organisms die, saprotrophs decompose the remains and free inorganic materials into the soil
4. The return of inorganic nutrients to the soil ensures the continual supply of raw materials for the autotrophs