Introduction to Ecology

Question 1

What is ecology?

Answer 1

study of interactions between organisms and the environment

Question 2

What is the property of life: organization/order?

Answer 2

• smallest to largest unit of matter
• organelles - cells - tissue - organs - organ systems - organisms - population - community - ecosystem - biosphere

Question 3

What is the property of life: sensitivity/response to stimuli?

Answer 3

• positive response: towards a stimuli
• negative response: away from a stimuli
• chemotoxis: movement from chemicals
• phototoxis: movement related to light

Question 4

What is the property of life: reproduction?

Answer 4

• duplication of a single celled organism or multicellular formation of a zygote

Question 5

What is the property of life: adaption?

Answer 5

• an organisms fit in their environment as a result of natural selection

Question 6

What is the property of life: growth and development?

Answer 6

genes direct growth of organism and cell development

Question 7

What is the property of life: homeostasis?

Answer 7

ability to maintain stable internal conditions

Question 8

What is the property of life: energy processing?

Answer 8

all organism require a source of energy

Question 9

What is the property of life: evolution?

Answer 9

mutations over time to allow adaption

Question 10

what is biogeography?

Answer 10

spatial distribution and abiotic factors affecting organism distribution

Question 11

What are abiotic factors?

Answer 11

solar energy, water, soil, inorganic nutrients, temperature