Module 3 - Ecology, Humans, and the Environment

Question 1

Define environmental science.

Answer 1

the dynamic, interdisciplinary study of the interaction of living and non-living parts of the environment, with emphasis on the impact of humans on the environment

Question 2

Define an ecology

Answer 2

the study of how living things interact with each other and with their environment

Question 3

Define an ecosystem

Answer 3

a community of organisms and their non-living (abiotic) environment

Question 4

What is Biotic? What is Abiotic?

Answer 4

Biotic = living
Abiotic = non-living

Question 5

What is a group of organisms that are the same species?

Answer 5

Population

Question 6

What is a group of organisms that different species?

Answer 6

Community

Question 7

What is a group of many organisms that different species and their abiotic environment?

Answer 7

Ecosystem

Question 8

What is multiple ecosystems?

Answer 8

Biosphere

Question 9

T/F: There is a huge amount of diversity when looking at different ecosystems.

Answer 9

True

Question 10

What do Autotrophs do?

Answer 10

provide energy as producers/ able to produce energy

Question 11

T/F: Without Autotrophs, energy would not be available to other living organisms, and life would not be possible

Answer 11

TRUE

Question 12

Name two Autotrophs

Answer 12

Photoautotroph and Chemoautotroph

Question 13

What do Chemoautotroph do?

Answer 13

use inorganic molecules as an energy source

Question 14

What do Photoautotroph do?

Answer 14

use sunlight as an energy source, and chemosynthetic autotrophs

Question 15

What is matter? What is it composed of?

Answer 15

Matter is something that occupies space and has mass. All matter is composed of elements.
Matter cycles in ecosystems.

Question 16

How does energy move in an ecosystem?

Answer 16

Energy flows through ecosystems. Energy enters an ecosystem and will ultimately leave it.

Question 17

How much energy at one trophic level is actually passed up to the next higher trophic level?

Answer 17

10%

Question 18

How much energy is lost to heat at each
trophic level and is used by organisms at that
level for metabolism(generates heat), growth, and repair?

Answer 18

90%

Question 19

What is the study of populations called?

Answer 19

Demography

Question 20

What is a species distribution pattern?

Answer 20

the distribution of individuals within a habitat at a particular point in time

Question 21

What are 3 examples of species distributions?

Answer 21

Random, Clumped, and Uniform

Question 22

What is the carrying capacity?

Answer 22

the maximum population size that a particular environment can sustain over time

Question 23

What is community?

Answer 23

populations of organisms within a given
environment

Question 24

What is community ecology?

Answer 24

the study of how populations of organisms in a given environment interact

Question 25

Species interact through _____-____ ________.

Answer 25

predator-prey interactions

Question 26

How does camouflage help prey?

Answer 26

it allows them to avoid predators

Question 27

How does camouflage help predators?

Answer 27

it allows them to find prey

Question 28

T/F: There is Mechanical and chemical defenses against herbivory.

Answer 28

True

Question 29

What are the 3 different types of symbiosis?

Answer 29

Commensalism, Mutualism, and Parasitism

Question 30

What is Commensalism?

Answer 30

a symbiotic relationship where an individual from one species benefits while an individual from another is unaffected

Question 31

What is Mutualism?

Answer 31

a symbiotic relationship where individuals from both species benefit

Question 32

What is Parasitism?

Answer 32

a symbiotic relationship where an organism from one species (parasite) benefits while an organism from the other species (host) is harmed