1. Define ecology. Study of the relationship between living and nonliving things 2. Define abiotic and give an example of an abiotic factor. Nonliving Air currents, temperature, moisture, light, soil 3. Define biotic and give an example of a biotic factor. Living organisms Other organisms in the environment, plants, etc.

4. List the 6 levels of organization of ecology. Describe each level. Organisms (one individual that has all the characteristics of life) population (a group of organisms) community (and collection of populations) ecosystem (several communities including the abiotic components of the environment) biome (a group of similar ecosystems) biosphere (the livable portion of the planet) 5. Define habitat. The place where an organism lives

6. Define niche. The role an organism plays in its environment including all of the biotic and abiotic needs for survival. 7. If organisms have overlapping niches, what is a likely outcome of their interaction? One organism will likely drive the other out of the area 8. Describe commensalism and give an example of commensalism. One organism benefits, the other is unaffected Spanish moss, barnacles on a whale, burdock seeds

9. Describe mutualism and give an example of mutualism. Both organisms benefit Acacia tree and ants, lichens (algae and fungus) 10. Describe parasitism and give an example of parasitism. One benefits, the other is harmed Tapeworms, heartworms, bacteria, ticks, fleas, mistletoe 11. What two requirements does an ecosystem have? Continuous supply of energy A flow of energy from one population to another

12. What type of organism is capable of using and storing energy from the sun? Autotrophs 13. How must heterotrophs obtain energy? They must consume their food 14. How do detritivores obtain energy? Give an example of a detritivore. They break down dead organisms and return the nutrients to the soil and water Fungus, bacteria 15. How do herbivores obtain energy? Give an example of an herbivore. They eat autotrophs (plants) Cows, rabbits, vegetarians

16. How do carnivores obtain energy? Give an example of a carnivore. They eat heterotrophs Fox, Hawk 17. What are the two types of carnivores? Give an example of each type of carnivore. Predators – kill their own food Lion, fox, eagle Scavengers – eat animals that are already dead Vultures, hyena 18. How do omnivores obtain energy? Give an example of an omnivore. They eat autotrophs and hetertrophs (plants and animals) People, bears

19. What is the difference between a food chain and a food web? Food chain is one series of trophic levels Food web is an overlapping of several chains 20. Some __________ is lost at each trophic level. energy 21. The ultimate/primary source of energy is ___________________. The sun 22. A rabbit eats a carrot and a fox eats the rabbit. What level consumer is the rabbit? Primary consumer What level consumer is the fox? Secondary consumer

23. If the primary producers stored 1000 units of energy, how many are stored in the tertiary consumer level? If the primary producers stored 1000 units of energy, how many have been lost by the time you get to the tertiary consumer level? Why are the number of trophic levels limited? Energy is used or lost at each level and there is only so much energy to be consumed. 26. What trophic level has the most organisms? Producers (autotrophs)

27. What trophic level has the least number of organisms? Tertiary consumers 28. Why would the few animals at the highest trophic level have a high concentration of a contaminant (such as pesticides) when the food they eat from other trophic levels have lower levels? The contaminants bioaccumulate in the bodies at each level. 29. Energy ______ through an ecosystem and Nutrients __________ in an ecosystem. Flows, cycles

30. Where is carbon found? Atmosphere, minerals, rocks, fossil fuels, organic materials in soil and aquatic sediments 31. Carbon is a major component in what four biochemical compounds in our body? Proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids

32. List and describe the four ways organisms play a role in the carbon cycle. Photosynthesis - Autotrophs take in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and convert it to simple sugars. Respiration - Organisms break down glucose and carbon is released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. Decomposition - When organisms die, decomposers break down carbon compounds which both enrich the soil or aquatic sediments and are eventually released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. Conversion of biochemical compounds - When animals eat carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, those compounds can be: – used for energy – converted to compounds that are suited for the predator’s body – released to the atmosphere as methane and other gases

33. How does combustion play a role in the carbon cycle? When wood or fossil fuels (which were formed from once living organisms) are burned, carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere. 34. Where is nitrogen found? atmosphere, living organisms, or in organic materials in soil and aquatic sediments. 35. Nitrogen is a major component in what biochemical compounds in our body? amino acids which are needed to build proteins

36. List and describe the four ways organisms play a role in the nitrogen cycle. Nitrogen-fixation - Nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the soil, root nodules of plants, or aquatic ecosystems convert nitrogen in the air or water into forms that plants can use. Intake of nitrogen into the organisms - Plants take in the nitrogen through their root systems so nitrogen can enter the food chain. Decomposition - When an organism dies or from animal waste products, decomposers return nitrogen to the soil. Denitrification - Denitrifying bacteria break down the nitrogen compounds in the soil and release nitrogen into the atmosphere.

37. Where are four places water is found? atmosphere, on the surface of Earth, underground, and in living organisms 38. The process of ______________ moves water from lakes, rivers, and oceans to the atmosphere. evaporation 39. The process of ______________ leads to the formation of clouds. condensation 40. The process of ______________ returns water to the bodies that store it. precipitation

41. List and describe the four ways organisms play a role in the water cycle. Intake of water into the organisms: Organisms take in water and use it to perform life functions Transpiration: Plants release water back into the atmosphere Respiration: All organisms metabolize food for energy and produce water as a by-product of respiration. Elimination: Most organisms need water to assist with the elimination of waste products.

42. What is a biosphere and what are the three parts that make it up. Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, Geosphere 43. What is the greenhouse effect? How do people, carbon dioxide and plant life play a role in the greenhouse effect? the normal warming effect when gases (such as carbon dioxide, oxygen, methane, and water vapor) trap heat in the atmosphere. Plants help take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere – fewer plants means more CO2 in the air People can contribute to the CO2 in the atmosphere – more Co2 means a greater greenhouse effect and higher temperatures

44. What is succession? Natural changes and species replacements in communities of an ecosystem 45. When organisms colonies new areas (that have never had life) it is called _________________. Primary succession 46. The first species to populate an area is called the ________________. Pioneer species 47. The mature community that is developed after community becomes stable is the ______________. Climax community

48. When organisms colonize an area that once had life that was wiped out is called_______________. Secondary succession 49. One of the main differences in secondary succession is that the community already has _________. soil 50. Populations growing with no limitations show a ___________ shaped curve called ____________ growth. J, exponential 51. What is carrying capacity? The number of organisms an environment can support for an indefinite period of time

52. If you had an aquarium, how could you increase the carrying capacity? How could you decrease it? Increase – add more food, get a bigger tank Decrease – give them less food, use a smaller tank 53. A population that has grown to its carrying capacity forms a ______ shaped curve. S 54. List and define the two types of environmental limitations? Density-Dependent, Density-Independent 55. Give an example of a density-dependent factor. Disease, Competition, Parasites, Predation

56. Give an example of a density-dependent factor. Temperature, storms, natural disasters, drought, habitat destruction, pollution 57. How does population size of both predators and prey affect each other? The number of predators affects the prey population More predators, more risk to prey The number of prey affects the predator population More prey, more food for predators

58. List several positive and negative effects population growth and technology have on our environment. Population Growth Positive – more minds to help come up with solutions Negative – increased use of limited resources, more waste and pollution Technology Positive – new methods of farming, energy, or transportation that may conserve soil, water or other resources Negative – new technologies may produce more pollution or waste

59. How can we lessen the negative effects that human population growth can have on the environment? Reduce, Reuse, Recycle