1. Ecosystems Study Guide
Chapter 7
Ecosystems
Study Guide

2. Why do members of the same species have different adaptations?
They adapt to their changing conditions in their environments.

3. When do adaptations occur?
When survival characteristics are passed from one generation to another.

4. It would have a hard time surviving.
What happens to a species that cannot adapt to changing conditions in the environment?
It would have a hard time surviving.

5. Producers
Producers such as plants create their own energy from the sun.

6. Consumers
Animals and other organisms get their energy from eating plants or organisms who eat plants.

7. How is a food chain related to a food web?
Food chain makes up the food web.

8. What is a parasite?
An organism that harms another in a symbiotic relationship.

9. What is a food web?
It shows how food chains in an ecosystem are connected.

10. Why does the amount of available energy decrease at higher levels of an energy pyramid?
Some energy is used by organisms at each level for their own life processes.

11. They will compete for available resources.
When different species with similar needs live in an ecosystem with limited resources, what will happen?
They will compete for available resources.

12. Symbiosis
Is a close, long-term relationship between organism that benefits at least on the organisms.

13. Parasitism
Is an organism that benefits from its host.

14. Mutualism
Both organism benefit.

15. Commensalism
Helps one organism but neither help nor harms the other.

16. In the nitrogen cycle, where do animals get the nitrogen they need?
From plants

17. Structures— Behaviors— Body processes--
Describe the three different types of adaptations and give an example of each.
Structures—
Behaviors—
Body processes--

18. Using a T chart, compare how consumers and producers use energy.
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19. Draw a picture and label the parts of a water cycle.