BIO ECology

Question 1

The study of living things in relation to each other and their non living environment

Answer 1

ecology

Question 2

All the populations living and interacting in a given
environment.

Answer 2

community

Question 3

Any group of individuals of the same species living in a
given area at the same time

Answer 3

population

Question 4

The organisms that first populate a community

Answer 4

pioneer organisms

Question 5

A self-sustaining dynamic community of organisms and
their non-living environment.
 It includes organisms, abiotic factors and energy flow.

Answer 5

ecosystem

Question 6

A major ecological grouping of organisms on a broad
geographical basis
 Characterized by its climatic and soil conditions.
 The predominant plants give the biome its name.
 There are six major land biomes:
o Tundra
o Taiga
o Temperate Deciduous Forest
o Tropical Rain Forest
o Grassland
o Desert
Tundra
 Treeless region in the far north with permanently frozen
subsoil (permafrost).
 Plants – moss, lichen, small plants
 Animals – polar bears, flies, birds
Taiga
 Northernmost forests below the tundra.
 Plants – coniferous trees
 Animals – moose, wolves, rodents, birds, insects

Answer 6

Biome

Question 7

Treeless region in the far north with permanently frozen
subsoil (permafrost).
 Plants – moss, lichen, small plants
 Animals – polar bears, flies, birds

Answer 7

Tundra

Question 8

Northernmost forests below the tundra.
 Plants – coniferous trees
 Animals – moose, wolves, rodents, birds, insects

Answer 8

Taiga

Question 9

Contains trees that shed leaves during cold winter and
grow them during warm summer.
 Plants – maple, oak, birch
 Animals – deer, fox, squirrel

Answer 9

Temperate Deciduous Forest

Question 10

Region of high temperature and abundant rainfall
located near the equator.
 Richest terrestrial biome in terms of numbers of plants
and animal species, especially birds, insects, vines

Answer 10

Tropical Rainforest

Question 11

Less rainfall than deciduous forests and has few trees.
 Plants – Grasses and small leafy plants
 Animals – Grazing animals like bison

Answer 11

Grassland

Question 12

Land biome with the least amount of precipitation (less
than 25 cm/year) with extreme temperature differences
between night and day.
 Plants – cactus, water-conserving plants
 Animals - snakes, rodents

Answer 12

Desert

Question 13

The part of the earth (soil, water, air) that contains
living organisms.

Answer 13

Biosphere

Question 14

Elements which are cycled between organisms and their
environment.
 Examples: Nitrogen, Carbon, Oxygen, Hydrogen,
Phosphorus

Answer 14

Element Cycle

Question 15

An organism that can produce its own food from
inorganic substances.
 Example: plants, algae

Answer 15

Autotroph

Question 16

An organism that feeds on other organisms or their
products.

Answer 16

Heterotroph

Question 17

Plant eating animal.

Answer 17

Herbivore

Question 18

Meat eating animal.

Answer 18

Carnivore

Question 19

Animal that eats both plants and animals

Answer 19

Omnivore

Question 20

A carnivore that kills animals to eat

Answer 20

Predator

Question 21

An organism eaten by another organism

Answer 21

Prey

Question 22

A carnivore that eats dead organisms that they did not
kill.

Answer 22

Scavenger

Question 23

Organism that breaks down dead organic material to
obtain energy and raw materials for life.
 Examples: saprophytic bacteria, fungi

Answer 23

Decomposer

Question 24

An organism that obtains its energy and nutrition from
once living organic matter.
 Example: mold, mildew, mushroom, yeast

Answer 24

Saprophyte

Question 25

The living together (more or less permanently) of 2 or
more dissimilar organisms in which one or both
organism may benefit.

Answer 25

Symbiosis

Question 26

A symbiosis in which two or more organisms live
together in such a way that both benefit from the
relationship.
 Example: lichen-algae & fungi

Answer 26

Mutualism

Question 27

A symbiosis in which one organism benefits but the
other is harmed.
 Example: tapeworm – human, flea-ca

Answer 27

Parasitism

Question 28

A symbiosis in which one organism benefits while the
other is unaffected.
 Example: whale-barnacle

Answer 28

Communalism

Question 29

The series of organisms through which food energy is
passed, beginning with producers.
 The major classes of organisms in the food chain
include:
o Producers (Plants & Protista)
o Primary Consumers (Herbivores)
o Secondary Consumers (Carnivores)
o Decomposers (Bacteria)

Answer 29

Food Chain`

Question 30

Overlapping and interconnecting food chains where
many organisms eat or are eaten by several other
organisms.

Answer 30

Food Web

Question 31

Exemplifies the energy loss at each trophic level.
 The total amount of organic matter (biomass) has a
pyramid structure because total mass of consumers is
less than total mass of producers.

Answer 31

Biomass Pyramid

Question 32

A stage in the movement of energy and nutrients
through an ecosystem – autotrophs, primary
consumers, etc.

Answer 32

Trophic level

Question 33

The combination of an organism’s habitat and its role in
its environment.

Answer 33

niche

Question 34

Process by which one community is gradually replaced
by another in a progression to a climax community

Answer 34

Ecological succesion

Question 35

 An environmental condition that prevents a population
from growing to its potential.
 Example: food, space, water, sunlight

Answer 35

Limiting Factor

Question 36

The narrow top layer of the ocean where light
penetrates so photosynthesis can occur.

Answer 36

photic layer

Question 37

The part of the ocean beneath the photic zone, where
light does not penetrate enough for photosynthesis to
occur.

Answer 37

aphiotic layer