6.3.1 - ECOSYSTEMS

Question 1

What is an ecosystem?

Answer 1

A community of living organisms and their physical environment interacting as a system.

Question 2

What are the two main components of an ecosystem?

Answer 2

Biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components.

Question 3

Give an example of a biotic factor in an ecosystem.

Answer 3

Plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms.

Question 4

Give an example of an abiotic factor in an ecosystem.

Answer 4

Temperature, water, soil, and sunlight.

Question 5

True or False: Ecosystems can be small, like a pond, or large, like a forest.

Answer 5

True.

Question 6

What is biodiversity?

Answer 6

The variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

Question 7

What is the role of producers in an ecosystem?

Answer 7

Producers convert sunlight into energy through photosynthesis.

Question 8

What are primary consumers?

Answer 8

Organisms that eat producers, such as herbivores.

Question 9

Fill in the blank: Decomposers break down dead organic matter and return _____ to the environment.

Answer 9

Nutrients.

Question 10

What is a food chain?

Answer 10

A linear sequence of organisms through which nutrients and energy pass as one organism eats another.

Question 11

What is a food web?

Answer 11

A complex network of feeding relationships among organisms in an ecosystem.

Question 12

What does the term ‘trophic level’ refer to?

Answer 12

The position an organism occupies in a food chain.

Question 13

What is the primary source of energy for most ecosystems?

Answer 13

The sun.

Question 14

True or False: Energy is recycled in ecosystems.

Answer 14

False; energy flows in one direction and is not recycled.

Question 15

What is a niche?

Answer 15

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

Question 16

Define carrying capacity.

Answer 16

The maximum number of individuals of a species that an environment can support sustainably.

Question 17

What is a keystone species?

Answer 17

A species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance.

Question 18

What is succession in ecology?

Answer 18

The process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time.

Question 19

What are the two types of ecological succession?

Answer 19

Primary succession and secondary succession.

Question 20

Fill in the blank: Primary succession occurs on _____ surfaces.

Answer 20

Bare.

Question 21

What is an example of primary succession?

Answer 21

Lichen colonizing bare rock after a volcanic eruption.

Question 22

What is secondary succession?

Answer 22

The process of change that occurs after a disturbance in an ecosystem that leaves the soil intact.

Question 23

True or False: In a climax community, species composition remains stable.

Answer 23

True.

Question 24

What is the role of a top predator in an ecosystem?

Answer 24

To control the population of herbivores and maintain ecosystem balance.

Question 25

What is biomagnification?

Answer 25

The process by which the concentration of toxic substances increases in each successive trophic level.

Question 26

What is ecological efficiency?

Answer 26

The percentage of energy transferred from one trophic level to the next.

Question 27

Fill in the blank: The average ecological efficiency is about _____.

Answer 27

10%.

Question 28

What is a habitat?

Answer 28

The natural home or environment of an organism.

Question 29

What is the difference between a habitat and a niche?

Answer 29

A habitat is where an organism lives, while a niche is its role in that environment.

Question 30

What is an ecosystem service?

Answer 30

The benefits that humans gain from ecosystems, such as clean water and pollination.

Question 31

True or False: Ecosystem services can be classified into provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting services.

Answer 31

True.

Question 32

What is the significance of the carbon cycle?

Answer 32

It regulates the Earth's climate and supports life by cycling carbon through ecosystems.

Question 33

What are the main processes of the carbon cycle?

Answer 33

Photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, and combustion.

Question 34

What is nitrogen fixation?

Answer 34

The process of converting atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form for plants.

Question 35

What organisms are primarily responsible for nitrogen fixation?

Answer 35

Certain bacteria, including those in root nodules of legumes.

Question 36

Fill in the blank: The process of denitrification converts nitrates back into _____ gas.

Answer 36

Nitrogen.

Question 37

What is the significance of the water cycle?

Answer 37

It is essential for all forms of life and helps regulate climate patterns.

Question 38

What are the stages of the water cycle?

Answer 38

Evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection.

Question 39

True or False: Eutrophication is caused by the excessive enrichment of water bodies with nutrients.

Answer 39

True.

Question 40

What is the primary cause of habitat destruction?

Answer 40

Human activities such as deforestation, urbanization, and pollution.

Question 41

What is climate change?

Answer 41

Long-term alteration of temperature and typical weather patterns in a place.

Question 42

What impact does climate change have on ecosystems?

Answer 42

It can lead to shifts in species distribution, altered food webs, and loss of biodiversity.

Question 43

What is an invasive species?

Answer 43

A non-native species that spreads widely and causes harm to the environment, economy, or human health.

Question 44

Give an example of an ecosystem that is particularly vulnerable to climate change.

Answer 44

Coral reefs.

Question 45

What is conservation biology?

Answer 45

The scientific study aimed at understanding and preserving biodiversity.

Question 46

What is the purpose of protected areas?

Answer 46

To conserve biodiversity and provide a refuge for endangered species.

Question 47

Fill in the blank: The IUCN Red List categorizes species based on their risk of _____ extinction.

Answer 47

Global.

Question 48

What is sustainable development?

Answer 48

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Question 49

What is the role of education in ecosystem conservation?

Answer 49

To raise awareness and promote sustainable practices among individuals and communities.

Question 50

True or False: Ecosystems are static and do not change over time.

Answer 50

False; ecosystems are dynamic and constantly changing.

Question 51

What is an ecological footprint?

Answer 51

A measure of the environmental impact of an individual or community based on their consumption of resources.

Question 52

What does it mean when an ecosystem is described as resilient?

Answer 52

It has the ability to recover from disturbances and maintain its functions and structure.

Question 53

What is the significance of pollinators in ecosystems?

Answer 53

They facilitate the reproduction of many plants, which is essential for food production and biodiversity.

Question 54

What are some threats to pollinators?

Answer 54

Habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change.

Question 55

Fill in the blank: A biodiversity hotspot is a region that is both a significant reservoir of _____ and is threatened by habitat loss.

Answer 55

Biodiversity.

Question 56

What is the main goal of restoration ecology?

Answer 56

To restore degraded ecosystems to a stable and healthy state.

Question 57

What is the importance of genetic diversity in ecosystems?

Answer 57

It increases resilience to environmental changes and diseases.