Natural Ecosystems and Human Activities

Question 1

What is an ecosystem?

Answer 1

It is all things living and non-living in an area.

Question 2

What is a habitat?

Answer 2

A place in an ecosystem where an organism lives.

Question 3

What is a niche?

Answer 3

The role of a species within an ecosystem.

Question 4

Food chain:

Answer 4

Diagram showing the relationship between one producer, primary, secondary, and tertiary consumers.

Question 5

Food web:

Answer 5

Diagram showing the relationship between all(most) producers, primary, secondary, and tertiary consumers.

Question 6

Trophic level:

Answer 6

Feeding level within a food web or chain.

Question 7

Biotic:

Answer 7

Living.

Question 8

Abiotic:

Answer 8

Non-living.

Question 9

Biotic factors:

Answer 9

*producers.
*primary consumers.
*secondary consumers.
*tertiary consumers.
*decomposers.

Question 10

Abiotic factors:

Answer 10

*temperature.
*humidity.
*water.
*oxygen.
*salinity.
*light.
*pH.

Question 11

What is brackish water?

Answer 11

Water that is salty but not as salty as seawater.

Question 12

Photosynthesis:

Answer 12

Carbon Dioxide + Water–>Light+chlorophyll—-> Glucose + Oxygen + Water.

Question 12

What makes plants green?

Answer 12

Chlorophyll.

Question 13

Respiration:

Answer 13

Process where living things release energy from food to carry out the process of life.

Question 14

Predation:

Answer 14

One animal eats another.

Question 15

Process of pollination:

Answer 15

Pollinator(bee) is attracted to a flower and gets covered in pollen grains from the anther, then flies to another flower and fuses the ovule with the pollen.

Question 16

The carbon cycle includes:

Answer 16

*sunlight–> photosynthesis.
*animal respiration.
*plant respiration.
*root respiration.
*plant decay.
*animal decay.
*ocean uptake.
*organic carbon.
*auto/factory emissions.

Question 17

Importance of wetlands:

Answer 17

*shoreline protection.
*maintenance of water quality.
*flood control.
*habitats.
*refilling of aquifers.
*biological productivity.
*source of variety.

Question 18

Causes of habitat loss:

Answer 18

*wetland drainage.
*intensive agriculture.
*deforestation.
*loss of biodiversity.
*genetic depletion.

Question 19

Climax community:

Answer 19

Ecological community where populations of animals and plants remain stable with each other and the environment.

Question 20

Impacts of habitat loss:

Answer 20

*extinction.
*genetic depletion.
*biodiversity loss.

Question 21

Genetic depletion:

Answer 21

Loss of a species with potentially useful genes.

Question 22

Causes of deforestation:

Answer 22

*clearing land.
*timber.
*lumber.
*farming.
*rock/mineral extraction.

Question 23

Impacts of deforestation:

Answer 23

*climate change.
*desertification.
*soil erosion.
*habitat loss.
*rise in CO2
*greenhouse gas.
*loss of biodiversity.
*genetic depletion.

Question 24

Types of sampling:

Answer 24

*Random sampling: using random tables or random selection. *systematic sampling: using transects or pre-determined patterns.

Question 25

When to use the types of sampling:

Answer 25

*random: used to compare two areas. *systematic: used to check species change in a area in an environment.

Question 26

Quadrat:

Answer 26

A frame placed on a part of a site to be sampled.

Question 27

Transect:

Answer 27

A sampling method where sampling devices are laid out in a straight line across an area.

Question 28

Pitfall traps:

Answer 28

A small trap with a lid that traps small insects.

Question 29

Quadrat advantages:

Answer 29

*quick. *inexpensive. *portable.

Question 30

Quadrat disadvantages:

Answer 30

*not always accurate. *unintenionally biased.

Question 31

Transect advantages:

Answer 31

*quick. *inexpensive. *portable.

Question 32

Transect disadvantages:

Answer 32

*used in inappropriately.

Question 33

Pitfall trap advantages:

Answer 33

*inexpensive. *easy to set up and use.

Question 34

Pitfall trap disadvantages:

Answer 34

*oversampling/undersampling. *often kills organisms captured.

Question 35

National parks:

Answer 35

Area of land protected by the government to preserve an entire ecosystem.

Question 36

Wildlife corridor:

Answer 36

Link of wildlife(generally native) joining two wildlife habitats.

Question 37

Extractive reserves:

Answer 37

Area of land(generally state-owned) where access and use rights are allocated to local groups.

Question 38

Secondary metabolites:

Answer 38

Organic compounds produced by bacteria, fungi, or plants involved with normal growth, development, or reproduction of the organism.

Question 39

Sustainable forestry:

Answer 39

*selective logging. *agroforestry. *alley cropping.

Question 40

Agroforestry:

Answer 40

Land management system where crops are grown along trees.

Question 41

What is selective logging?

Answer 41

Removal of only mature trees of species that are vulnerable. Allowing forests to repair overtime.

Question 42

Biosphere reserves:

Answer 42

An ecosystem with plants and animals of unusual scientific and natural interest.

Question 42

What is alley cropping:

Answer 42

Planting rows of trees in wide spacings with companion crops grown in between the rows.

Question 43

Plan of biosphere reserves:

Answer 43

Plan to promote management, research, and education in ecosystem conservation.

Question 44

Advantages of biosphere reserves:

Answer 44

*recognised internationally. *attracts funding and support.

Question 45

Form of biosphere reserves:

Answer 45

*core area: ecosystems that need protection. *buffer zone: research along with tourism and education. *transition zone: local communities and conservation organisations work together to benefit the area.

Question 46

Seed banks:

Answer 46

Stores seeds to preserve genetic diversity where it's not possible to protect the area.

Question 47

Ways to reduce inbreeding:

Answer 47

*organisms aren't allowed to breed repeatedly with the same partner. *in-vitro fertilisation. *inter-zoo swapping of organisms. *using database to record breeding history.

Question 48

Roles of zoos and captive breeding:

Answer 48

*provides education. *involved in scientific research. *increases species numbers. *reduces extinction risk. *try maintaining genetic biodiversity.