Ecology

Question 1

What is an individual in ecology?

Answer 1

Single member of a species

Question 2

Define population in ecological terms.

Answer 2

Individuals of the same species in the same area at the same time

Question 3

What constitutes a community in ecology?

Answer 3

Multiple different populations (different species) living and interacting at the same time

Question 4

What is an ecosystem?

Answer 4

Interaction between a community and the non-living (abiotic) parts of the environment

Question 5

What does habitat refer to?

Answer 5

The place where an organism lives

Question 6

Define abundance in an ecological context.

Answer 6

The number of organisms in an ecosystem

Question 7

What is meant by distribution in ecology?

Answer 7

The spread of living organisms in an ecosystem

Question 8

Define biodiversity.

Answer 8

The amount of variation in the types of animals

Question 9

True or False: High biodiversity ecosystems are less stable than low biodiversity ecosystems.

Answer 9

False

Question 10

What is the core practical method for investigating the population size of an organism?

Answer 10

Using quadrats

Question 11

Fill in the blank: Measure the area you’re sampling in _______.

Answer 11

m²

Question 12

What is the purpose of placing a quadrat at randomly generated coordinates?

Answer 12

To avoid bias in measuring areas with lots or a little of the organisms

Question 13

How much of the total area should be sampled in the quadrat method?

Answer 13

5 - 10% of the total area

Question 14

What do you do after counting the number of organisms in each quadrat?

Answer 14

Find the average and multiply it by the total area

Question 15

What does measuring the abundance of the species help determine?

Answer 15

The population size of an organism in different areas

Question 16

What is the purpose of using quadrats in biodiversity measurement?

Answer 16

To investigate the distribution of organisms in their habitats and measure biodiversity.

Question 17

What should you do after placing the quadrat at regular intervals?

Answer 17

Count the amount of organisms in each quadrat to measure abundance.

Question 18

What types of factors affect the abundance and distribution of organisms in an ecosystem?

Answer 18

Abiotic factors and biotic factors.

Question 19

Define biotic factors in ecosystems.

Answer 19

Living factors that affect organisms, such as pollinating insects and competition.

Question 20

List three examples of biotic factors.

Answer 20

• Pollinating insects
• Parasitism
• Food availability

Question 21

How does food availability impact species in an ecosystem?

Answer 21

It could increase or decrease species and impact their food source.

Question 22

What is the impact of disease on species in an ecosystem?

Answer 22

It can decrease the number of a species.

Question 23

What is an example of a biotic factor related to predation?

Answer 23

Predation by other animals.

Question 24

Define abiotic factors in ecosystems.

Answer 24

Non-living factors that affect organisms, such as temperature and humidity.

Question 25

List three examples of abiotic factors.

Answer 25

* Pollution * Light intensity * pH

Question 26

How does light intensity specifically affect ecosystems?

Answer 26

It particularly affects plants.

Question 27

What is salinity?

Answer 27

How much salt there is in the environment.

Question 28

Fill in the blank: _____ can affect the number of organisms in an ecosystem.

Answer 28

[Abiotic and biotic factors]

Question 29

True or False: Humidity is considered a biotic factor.

Answer 29

False.

Question 30

What could be a consequence of competition among animals in an ecosystem?

Answer 30

It can lead to decreased availability of resources.

Question 31

What is nest site availability in the context of biotic factors?

Answer 31

The availability of suitable locations for organisms to build nests.

Question 32

How does temperature serve as an abiotic factor?

Answer 32

It influences the metabolic processes of organisms.

Question 33

What are the three main types of organisms in trophic levels?

Answer 33

Producers, Consumers, Decomposers ## Footnote Producers photosynthesize, consumers eat other organisms, and decomposers break down dead organisms.

Question 34

What is the role of producers in an ecosystem?

Answer 34

Organisms that photosynthesize ## Footnote Producers convert sunlight into energy, forming the base of the food chain.

Question 35

Define primary consumer.

Answer 35

First consumer in a food chain ## Footnote Primary consumers are typically herbivores that eat producers.

Question 36

What is an apex predator?

Answer 36

Top of the food chain, is nothing's prey ## Footnote Apex predators play a crucial role in maintaining the structure of an ecosystem.

Question 37

What is the function of decomposers?

Answer 37

Break down dead organisms ## Footnote Decomposers, like bacteria and fungi, recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem.

Question 38

What does the direction of the arrows in a food chain represent?

Answer 38

Energy transfer ## Footnote The arrows indicate the flow of energy from one organism to another.

Question 39

List two pros of food chains.

Answer 39

* Shows relationships between organisms * Predicts changes in ecosystem dynamics ## Footnote Understanding these relationships is crucial for ecological studies.

Question 40

List two cons of food chains.

Answer 40

* Oversimplification * Doesn't show the role of decomposers ## Footnote Food chains can miss important ecological interactions.

Question 41

What do pyramids of numbers show?

Answer 41

Numbers of each organism at each trophic level ## Footnote This helps visualize the population distribution within an ecosystem.

Question 42

What typically happens to the number of organisms at each trophic level due to energy wastage?

Answer 42

Numbers normally get smaller ## Footnote Energy loss occurs at each level, leading to fewer organisms as you move up the pyramid.

Question 43

What are pyramids of biomass used for?

Answer 43

To look more accurately at the amount of energy at each trophic level ## Footnote Biomass provides a better understanding of energy distribution in ecosystems.

Question 44

Fill in the blank: _______ are organisms that eat other organisms.

Answer 44

Consumers ## Footnote Consumers include herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores.

Question 45

What does the dry body mass of organisms refer to in ecological terms?

Answer 45

It uses the dry body mass of the organisms eaten.

Question 46

What shape do pyramids of biomass and numbers always look like?

Answer 46

Always look pyramids shaped.

Question 47

In drawing pyramids of biomass and numbers, what is important regarding the height of the bars?

Answer 47

The height of the bar isn't important, but keep them all the same height.

Question 48

How should the bars be arranged in a pyramid to show the trophic levels?

Answer 48

Stack the bars on top of each other to show the trophic levels.

Question 49

Which organisms are placed at the bottom of the trophic levels in a pyramid?

Answer 49

Producers go at the bottom, then primary consumers etc.

Question 50

What should be labeled on the x-axis for pyramids of numbers and organisms?

Answer 50

Label the axis either number of organisms or mass of organisms.

Question 51

Why is energy wasted at each trophic level?

Answer 51

Only about 10% of energy is transferred at each level.

Question 52

What is one reason energy is lost at each trophic level?

Answer 52

Not all the organism is eaten so some of the energy is lost there.

Question 53

What happens to energy after an animal has eaten?

Answer 53

It will excrete some energy which means when it is eaten it doesn't have as much energy in it.

Question 54

What is a factor that uses up energy before organisms are eaten?

Answer 54

Many of the organisms will be moving and respiring.

Question 55

True or False: When an organism eats another, it digests every bit of the organism.

Answer 55

False.

Question 56

Does the organism digest all of the other organism it eats?

Answer 56

No