Unit 4 Review

Question 1

Ecology

Answer 1

the study of interactions

Question 2

Ecosystem

Answer 2

the actual system of interactions between organisms and their environment

Question 3

Organism

Answer 3

a single individual living thing (e.g., a deer)

Question 4

Population

Answer 4

a group of the same species living in the same area (e.g., a herd of deer)

Question 5

Remove

Question 6

Biome

Answer 6

a community of living organisms plus the nonliving (abiotic) environment (e.g., forest + soil, water, sunlight)

Question 7

Biosphere

Answer 7

the entire part of Earth where life exists, including land, water, and atmosphere

Question 8

Abiotic factor

Answer 8

non-living physical and chemical components (sunlight, temperature, water, soil, air, rocks)

Question 9

Biotic factor

Answer 9

living or once-living organisms in an ecosystem (plants, animals, bacteria, fungi, humans)

Question 10

Adding invasive species

Answer 10

may outcompete native species, disrupt food chains, reduce biodiversity

Question 11

Adding water

Answer 11

can change a dry area into a wetland, attracting new species and altering habitat

Question 12

Adding nutrients

Answer 12

can cause overgrowth (e.g., algae blooms), oxygen loss, and harm to aquatic life

Question 13

Adding human structures

Answer 13

can block migration, change water flow, and fragment habitats

Question 14

Removing key species

Answer 14

can cause population imbalances or collapse of food webs

Question 15

Cutting down trees

Answer 15

leads to habitat loss, soil erosion, less carbon storage, and climate changes

Question 16

Removing water (drought)

Answer 16

dries up habitats, stresses plants/animals, and may cause desertification

Question 17

Removing soil nutrients

Answer 17

weakens plant growth, reducing food and shelter for other organisms

Question 18

Niche

Answer 18

the role or job of an organism in its environment (how it lives, gets food, interacts, contributes)

Question 19

Habitat

Answer 19

the place where an organism lives (physical environment like forest, desert, ocean)

Question 20

Niche partitioning

Answer 20

when species divide up resources or roles to avoid competition

Question 21

Weather

Answer 21

what the air is like now or soon; changes daily; rain, sun, wind, temperature

Question 22

Climate

Answer 22

how the weather usually is over many years; patterns like hot summers or cold winters

Question 23

Sun heating Earth

Answer 23

the Sun warms land, air, and water

Question 24

Sun creates hot and cold areas

Answer 24

hotter near the equator, colder near the poles

Question 25

Sun moves air

Answer 25

warm air rises, cold air sinks creating wind

Question 26

Sun moves water

Answer 26

warm water flows to cooler places (ocean currents)

Question 27

Sun starts water cycle

Answer 27

Sun causes evaporation, clouds, and rain (water cycle)

Question 28

Greenhouse gases

Answer 28

carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), water vapor (H2O)

Question 29

Greenhouse gases effect

Answer 29

trap heat from Earth’s surface, causing warming

Question 30

Equator warmer than poles

Answer 30

equator gets more solar energy making it warmer

Question 31

Unequal heating causes winds

Answer 31

warm air rises at equator and moves toward poles causing winds

Question 32

Unequal heating affects ocean currents

Answer 32

ocean water moves heat from warm to cold areas forming currents

Question 33

El Niño cause

Answer 33

weak trade winds

Question 34

El Niño effect

Answer 34

warm water stays near South America

Question 35

El Niño weather effect

Answer 35

more rain in Americas, drought in Asia and Australia

Question 36

La Niña cause

Answer 36

strong trade winds

Question 37

La Niña effect

Answer 37

warm water pushed to Asia; cold water rises near South America

Question 38

La Niña weather effect

Answer 38

drier Americas; more rain in Asia and Australia

Question 39

Different climates at same latitude

Answer 39

landforms like mountains block moist air causing different climates

Question 40

Windward side

Answer 40

side of mountain facing wind; gets rain and cooler

Question 41

Leeward side

Answer 41

side away from wind; drier and warmer (rain shadow)

Question 42

Elevation effect

Answer 42

higher places are cooler

Question 43

Relief effect

Answer 43

mountains block wind and rain creating wet and dry sides

Question 44

Nearness to water effect

Answer 44

near water areas have milder temperatures and more moisture

Question 45

Soil helps plants

Answer 45

provides nutrients and anchors roots for plants

Question 46

Soil helps heterotrophs

Answer 46

supports plants which are food for animals

Question 47

Soil helps humans

Answer 47

allows farming, building, and supports ecosystems

Question 48

Soil abiotic or biotic

Answer 48

both abiotic (minerals, water, air) and biotic (bacteria, fungi, insects)

Question 49

Decomposers help soil

Answer 49

bacteria and fungi break down dead matter recycling nutrients

Question 50

Soil filters water

Answer 50

filters pollutants from rainwater before groundwater

Question 51

Composting

Answer 51

organic waste decomposes enriching soil (composting)

Question 52

Food chain

Answer 52

shows one path of energy flow from organism to organism

Question 53

Food web

Answer 53

shows many connected food chains in an ecosystem

Question 54

Producers

Answer 54

producers make food (plants)

Question 55

Primary consumers

Answer 55

primary consumers eat plants

Question 56

Secondary consumers

Answer 56

secondary consumers eat primary consumers

Question 57

Tertiary consumers

Answer 57

tertiary consumers eat secondary consumers

Question 58

Rule of 10s

Answer 58

only 10% energy passes to next level

Question 59

Energy loss in food chain

Answer 59

90% energy lost as heat and life processes

Question 60

Trophic cascade

Answer 60

when changes in one trophic level affect others

Question 61

Top-down control

Answer 61

predators control populations below them

Question 62

Bottom-up control

Answer 62

plants and resources control levels above

Question 63

Keystone species

Answer 63

important species with big effects on ecosystems

Question 64

Decomposers

Answer 64

break down dead organisms returning nutrients

Question 65

Decomposers importance

Answer 65

recycle nutrients, enabling energy flow through ecosystems

Question 66

Arctic biotic factors

Answer 66

polar bears, seals, algae

Question 67

Arctic abiotic factors

Answer 67

ice, cold temperatures, sunlight

Question 68

Arctic trophic chain

Answer 68

algae → small fish → seals → polar bears

Question 69

Arctic challenge

Answer 69

melting ice, climate change

Question 70

Grasslands biotic factors

Answer 70

grasses, bison, lions

Question 71

Grasslands abiotic factors

Answer 71

soil, rain, temperature

Question 72

Grasslands trophic chain

Answer 72

grass → herbivores (bison) → carnivores

Question 73

Grasslands challenge

Answer 73

overgrazing, habitat loss

Question 74

Deserts biotic factors

Answer 74

cacti, lizards, scorpions

Question 75

Deserts abiotic factors

Answer 75

sand, heat, little water

Question 76

Desert trophic chain

Answer 76

plants → insects → lizards

Question 77

Desert challenge

Answer 77

water scarcity, desertification

Question 78

Oceans biotic factors

Answer 78

fish, plankton, sharks

Question 79

Oceans abiotic factors

Answer 79

saltwater, currents, sunlight

Question 80

Ocean trophic chain

Answer 80

phytoplankton → small fish → sharks

Question 81

Ocean challenge

Answer 81

pollution, overfishing