Ecology Review

After a volcano erupts, what organisms (in which order) will grow during succession? First lichens and grasses, then small shrubs and trees

If a primary consumer is removed from a food chain, what can happen? Number of producers goes up Number of secondary, tertiary, quaternary consumers goes down

What is the most important (living) part of a food web? Producers (keystone species)

What type of graph shows human population growth? exponential

Burning of plants increases carbon in what part of the environment? The atmosphere

Which organisms eat dead things? Name + examples Decomposers Detritivores Bacteria, fungi, vultures, hyenas…

Name a high level consumer. Carnivores People Lions sharks

What organisms are at the bottom of a food pyramid? Producers Autotrophs Plants, moss, algae, plankton

List the 5 levels of organization from most to least complex Biosphere Ecosystem Community Population Individual

Which levels of organization include both biotic and abiotic components? Biosphere and ecosystem only

What is a habitat? Where an organism lives within a community

What is a niche? The role or job of an organism.

Describe tropical rainforests. Near the equator Long days Warm temps Lots of rain Diverse species

Describe a savanna Grasslands Distinct wet and dry seasons Large grazing animals Closer to the equator than temperate grasslands

Where is the chaparral biome found? San Diego Greece

Which biome in the US do farmers grow crops in? grasslands

Describe a temperate deciduous forest. Hot summers, cold winters Trees lose their leaves Found in Eastern US

What is permafrost? Permanently frozen soil found in the tundra

What is the most common distribution pattern in nature? clumped

What are the 3 distribution patterns? Clumped Uniform random

What is carrying capacity? The maximum number of individuals a habitat can support

When a population increases, what is going on with birth and death rates? Birth rates are going up Death rates are going down

What conditions cause zero population growth? Birth rates = death rates

What does a type I survivorship curve tell us? Parents care for their young K-selected species Humans Long life spans

Describe a k-selected organism Parents care for young Few offspring are born, but live long lives People, mammals, birds

Describe an r-selected organism. Many offspring are produced No parental care Few offspring survive Weeds, insects, rodents, frogs

What is an autotroph? Heterotroph? Autotroph = self feeder, plants that do photosynthesis, producers Heterotroph = eats others, consumers

What is an age structure graph? It shows the proportion of individuals in each age group It can show if a population is increasing, decreasing, or staying the same

What is predation? When one organism (predator) eats another (prey)

Give an example of a herbivore, omnivore, and carnivore Herb = rabbits, vegetarians Omnivore = bears, people, most birds Carnivore = lions, tigers, dogs

What is a keystone species? The most important one in a food web One that maintains species diversity in a community

How much energy is transferred up a trophic level? 10%

Where does the rest of the energy go? Into the atmosphere as heat

How do we get carbon from the carbon cycle? Plants make glucose through photosynthesis

Which cycle relies on bacteria? Nitrogen

Where is phosphorus stored in the environment? In rocks and soil

All energy on earth comes from… The sun

List some abiotic factors Soil Fire Water Clouds oxygen

What is a population? Animals of the same species living in the same area

What is a community? All of the organisms in an area

What limits population growth? Population limiting factors, like birth, death, food, water, competition, predation, disease, breeding area…