Biology Short Answers UNIT TEST Flashcards
(12 cards)
List examples of Biotic and Abiotic Factors of our Environment.
Biotic Factors (Living): plants, animals, bacteria, fungi, algae
Abiotic Factors (Non-Living): sunlight, temperature, water, soil, air
What are the 4 types of Species Interactions and Define them.
Mutualism: Both species benefit (e.g., bees pollinating flowers)
Parasitism: One benefits, the other is harmed (e.g., tapeworm in a dog)
Predation: One organism hunts another (e.g., fox eating a rabbit)
Competition: Organisms compete for the same resource (e.g., birds competing for food
List the 4 components of all Ecosystems
The 4 Spheres
1. Biosphere: The regions of Earth where living organisms exist.
2. Lithosphere: The solid portion of Earth (crust and upper mantle)
3. Hydrosphere: All water on Earth (liquid, vapor, ice).
4. Atmosphere: Layer of gases surrounding Earth.
Compare Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystems.
Terrestrial (Biotic): mammals, birds, insects; Abiotic – soil, temperature, sunlight
Aquatic (Biotic): fish, algae, plankton; Abiotic – water depth, temperature, pH
List activities that are Sustainable and ones that are Non-Sustainable for Ecosystems.
Sustainable: walking, recycling, composting, using renewable energy
Non-sustainable: driving fossil-fuel cars, deforestation, overfishing
Why are Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration considered Complementary? (How are they related?)
The products of photosynthesis (oxygen and glucose) are the reactants of cellular respiration, and vice versa. They form a cycle that transfers energy through an ecosystem
How much of the Producer’s Energy gets Passed on to the Primary Consumer?
10%
Explain the Process of Eutrophication?
Nutrients like phosphates and nutrients enter water bodies, leading to algal blooms. These block sunlight, plants die, and decomposers use up oxygen, resulting in dead zone
What is Acid Precipitation?
Precipitation that is acidic due to sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides reacting with water in the atmosphere.
Describe the difference between Density-Dependent and Density-Independent limiting factors.
Density-Dependent: impact increases with population size (e.g., disease, competition)
Density-Independent: affect populations regardless of size (e.g., natural disasters, temperature)
What is Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification?
Bioaccumulation: build-up of toxins in an organism over time
Biomagnification: increase in toxin concentration at higher trophic level
What is a Keystone Species, Dominant Species and Ecosystem Engineers?
Keystone Species: has large impact on ecosystem (e.g., sea otters)
Dominant Species: most abundant in biomass (e.g., spruce trees in a forest)
Ecosystem Engineers: change the environment (e.g., beavers build dam
