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Question 1

What is community ecology?

Answer 1

The study of how species interact in an area, affecting each other’s abundance and roles.

Question 2

What is a community?

Answer 2

A group of species living and interacting in the same area.

Question 3

What is species richness?

Answer 3

The number of different species present in a community.

Question 4

What is primary productivity?

Answer 4

The amount of energy produced by plants and other photosynthesizers.

Question 5

How do interactions among species influence communities?

Answer 5

They control how species live, compete, and evolve.

Question 6

What is an ecotone?

Answer 6

A place where two different environments meet, often with high species diversity.

Question 7

What is an ecological niche?

Answer 7

All the ways an organism uses its environment’s resources.

Question 8

What is a fundamental niche?

Answer 8

Where a species could live based on its abilities.

Question 9

What is a realized niche?

Answer 9

Where a species actually lives, affected by other species.

Question 10

What is intraspecific competition?

Answer 10

Competition between members of the same species.

Question 11

What is interspecific competition?

Answer 11

Competition between different species for the same resource.

Question 12

What is interference competition?

Answer 12

One species directly stops another from getting resources.

Question 13

What is exploitative competition?

Answer 13

Species compete by using up shared resources.

Question 14

What is the competitive exclusion principle?

Answer 14

If two species use the same resource, one will eventually outcompete the other.

Question 15

What was Gause’s Paramecium experiment?

Answer 15

It showed that when two species compete, one will eliminate the other.

Question 16

What is resource partitioning?

Answer 16

Species divide resources to avoid direct competition.

Question 17

What is character displacement?

Answer 17

Species evolve differences when living together to reduce competition.

Question 18

Besides competition, what other interactions affect niches?

Answer 18

Predation, parasitism, herbivory, and mutualism.

Question 19

What is predation?

Answer 19

When one organism eats another.

Question 20

What is herbivory?

Answer 20

When an animal eats plants.

Question 21

What is parasitism?

Answer 21

One organism feeds on another without usually killing it.

Question 22

What are ectoparasites?

Answer 22

Parasites that live on the outside of the host (e.g., ticks).

Question 23

What are endoparasites?

Answer 23

Parasites that live inside the host (e.g., tapeworms).

Question 24

How do prey respond to predators?

Answer 24

By evolving defenses like chemicals, camouflage, and warning colors.

Question 25

What are secondary compounds in plants?

Answer 25

Chemicals used to defend against herbivores.

Question 26

What is aposematic coloration?

Answer 26

Bright colors that warn predators an animal is toxic.

Question 27

What is camouflage (cryptic coloration)?

Answer 27

Blending in with surroundings to avoid predators.

Question 28

What is catalepsis?

Answer 28

Staying still to avoid being seen (like stick insects).

Question 29

What is Batesian mimicry?

Answer 29

A harmless species looks like a harmful one.

Question 30

What is Müllerian mimicry?

Answer 30

Many harmful species look alike for stronger protection.

Question 31

What is symbiosis?

Answer 31

A close, long-term relationship between different species.

Question 32

What is mutualism?

Answer 32

Both species benefit (+/+).

Question 33

What is commensalism?

Answer 33

One species benefits, the other is unaffected (+/0) — but true commensalism may be rare.

Question 34

What is parasitism (in symbiosis)?

Answer 34

One species benefits, the other is harmed (+/-).

Question 35

What is coevolution?

Answer 35

Two species evolving together because of their close interaction.

Question 36

How can predators shape competition?

Answer 36

By controlling which prey species thrive.

Question 37

What is apparent competition?

Answer 37

Two species seem to compete because of a shared predator.

Question 38

What is a keystone species?

Answer 38

A species that has a big effect on its community, even if not abundant.

Question 39

Give an example of a keystone species.

Answer 39

Beavers creating ponds, elephants shaping land.

Question 40

What is ecological succession?

Answer 40

The gradual change and replacement of species in a community.

Question 41

What is allogenic succession?

Answer 41

Change caused by outside forces (like climate).

Question 42

What is autogenic succession?

Answer 42

Change caused by the organisms themselves.

Question 43

What is primary succession?

Answer 43

Succession starting with no previous life (like after a volcanic eruption).

Question 44

What is secondary succession?

Answer 44

Succession after a disturbance that leaves some life behind (like after a fire).

Question 45

What are the three steps of succession?

Answer 45

Establishment, facilitation, inhibition.

Question 46

What is the intermediate disturbance hypothesis?

Answer 46

Moderate disturbance leads to the highest species diversity.

Question 47

Why are communities always changing?

Answer 47

Due to climate shifts, new species, and disturbances.

Question 48

Why is disturbance important?

Answer 48

It keeps ecosystems dynamic and diverse.