Ecosystems

Question 1

How can you tell if organisms are interdependent?

Answer 1

If they affect each other’s survival.

Question 2

What is an example of interdependence?

Answer 2

Flagellates (tiny microbes) live inside the gut of termites and digest wood (giving nutrients to termites). The flagellates are given a warm, moist place to live

Question 3

What is an ecosystem?

Answer 3

A group of living things interacting with each other and their non-living surroundings

Question 4

What is an abiotic factor?

Answer 4

Non living factors that affect an organism’s survival

Question 5

What is a biotic factor?

Answer 5

Living factors that influence an organism’s survival

Question 6

What is a food web?

Answer 6

A group of organisms linked in order of the food they consume, from producers to consumers, prey to predators, scavengers and decomposers

Question 7

What are the roles of organisms in a food web?

Answer 7

The organisms continue the food chain and display how the producer can provide for others

Question 8

How does biomass decrease as it is passed along the trophic level?

Answer 8

Not all organisms are eaten at each trophic level.If they are eaten, some energy is passed out of the consumer as waste (urine/faeces). Not all the energy is absorbed. Energy is also used for cellular respiration