Ecology

Question 1

what is ecology

Answer 1

scientific study of the interactions between organisms and the environment

Question 2

etymology of ecology

Answer 2

Greek: oikos = home, logos = study

Question 3

types of ecology (6)

Answer 3

global, landscape, ecosystem, community, population, organismal

Question 4

what is global ecology

Answer 4

Studies how regional energy & material flow affect organism distribution across the biosphere

Question 5

what is Landscape Ecology

Answer 5

Examines energy, material, and organism exchange across ecosystems

Question 6

what is Ecosystem Ecology

Answer 6

Focuses on energy flow and nutrient cycling in ecosystems

Question 7

what is Community Ecology

Answer 7

Studies interactions between species in an area

Question 8

what is Population Ecology

Answer 8

Analyzes population size and changes over time

Question 9

what is Organismal Ecology

Answer 9

Explores how an organism adapts to environmental challenges

Question 10

levels of organisation (13)

Answer 10

biosphere > biome > ecosystem > community > population > organism > organ system > organ > tissue > cell > organelle > organelle > molecule > atom

Question 11

what is the biosphere

Answer 11

the sum of all the planet’s ecosystems and landscapes

Question 12

what is a biome

Answer 12

a large geographic area biotic unit with similar plants, animals, and environmental conditions

Question 13

what are biomes characterised by (3)

Answer 13

distinctive vegetation, climate, and animal life

Question 14

what is an ecosystem

Answer 14

community of organisms and their interactions with physical factors in the area

Question 15

examples of non-living factors (4)

Answer 15

pH, levels of dissolved oxygen, carbon dioxide, sunlight

Question 16

what is a community

Answer 16

a group of populations of different species in an area

Question 17

what is a population

Answer 17

group of individuals of the same species living in an area

Question 18

what happens in a population

Answer 18

members may compete with each other for food, water, mates, etc.

Question 19

what is an organism

Answer 19

an individual living entity that can carry out basic life functions

Question 20

types of environmental factors (2)

Answer 20

abiotic (non-living) and biotic (living)

Question 21

examples of abiotic factors (3)

Answer 21

climate, soil, and physical geography

Question 22

examples of biotic factors (3)

Answer 22

plants, animals, and microorganisms

Question 23

what is a tolerance curve

Answer 23

graph of performance plotted against environmental variables (e.g. temperature)

Question 24

what is acclimation

Answer 24

it’s when organisms adjust their tolerance to abiotic factors

Question 25

how is acclimation different from adaptation

Answer 25

occurs within the lifetime of an individual without affecting the evolution patterns of the species

Question 26

elements of environments that can change (4)

Answer 26

Temperature, light, moisture, salinity, etc.

Question 27

types of organisms that acclimate to changes and how they do it? (2)

Answer 27

conformers: change internal conditions with external environment regulators: use energy to maintain internal conditions

Question 28

strategies of escaping temporarily from unfavorable conditions? (2)

Answer 28

dormancy: state of reduced activity migration: move to more favorable habitat

Question 29

what is a niche

Answer 29

role of a species in an ecosystem, including how it gets energy, its habitat, interactions with other organisms, and responses to environment

Question 30

types of niches and their descriptions (2)

Answer 30

Fundamental niche: Potential range a species could occupy without competition or other interactions. Realized niche: Actual range occupied, limited by biotic and abiotic factors.

Question 31

what's a habitat

Answer 31

place an organism lives out its life

Question 32

types of ecological interactions (6)

Answer 32

Competition, Predation, Mutualism, Parasitism, Commensalism, Amensalism

Question 33

what is competition and types (2)

Answer 33

Interaction where individuals vie for limited resources Intraspecific: within same species Interspecific: between different species

Question 34

what is predation

Answer 34

consumption of prey by predator

Question 35

mutualism + example

Answer 35

symbiotic relationship where both participating species benefit ex: bee and flower

Question 36

parasitism

Answer 36

parasite benefits at the expense of host

Question 37

commensalism + example

Answer 37

one benefits while the other is unaffected ex: pilot fishes swim with shark to eat parasites and leftovers

Question 38

amensalism + example

Answer 38

one is negatively affected, the other is unaffected ex: fish and algal bloom

Question 39

ways organisms are divided based on how they obtain and use energy (2: 2, 3)

Answer 39

nutrition (obtain energy) - autotrophs - heterotrophs energy flow (use energy) - trophic levels - food chain & web - energy pyramids

Question 40

what are autotrophs (producers)

Answer 40

organisms that use sunlight or chemical energy to create energy-rich compounds through photosynthesis

Question 41

what are heterotrophs (consumers)

Answer 41

Organisms that cannot make their own food and feed on other organisms for nutrition

Question 42

types of heterotrophs (5)

Answer 42

herbivores: plants only carnivores: meat only omnivores: plants and animals scavengers: dead animals decomposers: chemically break down decaying matter

Question 43

what are trophic levels

Answer 43

Hierarchical levels showing position of an organism in a food chain, representing transfer of energy between organisms

Question 44

what are food chains and webs

Answer 44

Food chains show linear energy transfer from one organism to another Food webs are interconnected food chains showing multiple energy pathways in an ecosystem

Question 45

what are energy pyramids

Answer 45

they show that energy is lost at each trophic level due to metabolism, heat, and other factors

Question 46

why should we care about ecology (8)

Answer 46

1. Understanding Ecosystem: To understand the structure and function of ecosystems 2. Biodiversity Conservation: To identify ways to preserve and protect diverse ecosystems and species 3. Environmental Management: To make informed decisions about resource use, land management, and conservation strategies 4. Climate Change: To better predict and mitigate the effects of climate change on biodiversity and ecosystem services 5. Ecosystem Services: To appreciate the value of ecosystem services and work toward sustainability 6. Human Health: To understand the relationships between ecosystems, diseases, and environmental pollutants. 7. Sustainable Resource Management: To ensure that resources are used in ways that meet current needs without compromising future generations 8. Informed Decision-Making: To develop policies and practices promoting environmental sustainability

Question 47

ecosystem services (4)

Answer 47

1. provisioning: products obtained from nature 2. regulating: services provided by nature that regulate environment 3. cultural: nonmaterial benefits provided by nature that enrich lives 4. supporting: services that let other services function

Question 48

examples of each ecosystem service (8)

Answer 48

1. provisioning: food, timber 2. regulating: water, air cleaning services 3. cultural: recreation, learning 4. supporting: soil formation, nutrient recycling