Biology

Question 1

What is an “Abiotic” factor?

Answer 1

A non-living factor. (Ex: rocks, sunlight, air.)

Question 2

What is a “Biotic” factor?

Answer 2

A living or once-living factor. (Ex: plants, animals, dead plants and animals.)

Question 3

What is “Sustainability”?

Answer 3

Meeting the needs of current generation without compromising future generations. The ability of an ecosystem to be resistant.

Question 4

What is the relationship between “Sustainability” and “Biodiversity”?

Answer 4

Increased biodiversity = Increased sustainability.

Question 5

What is “Symbiosis”?

Answer 5

The interactions between living things.

Question 6

What are the three types of “Symbiosis”?

Answer 6

Mutualism - Both creatures benefit.
Commensalism - One benefits, the other is unaffected.
Parasitism - One benefits, the other is harmed.

Question 7

What is “Predation”?

Answer 7

One organism consumes another.

Question 8

What is “Competition”?

Answer 8

Organisms compete for resources.
Introspecific: 2 of same species competing.
Interspecific: 2 of different species competing.

Question 9

What’s the difference between a “Food Chain” and a “Food Web”?

Answer 9

Food chain: simple chain showing energy flow.
Food web: more complex, many interconnecting food chains.

Question 10

How much energy gets passed on to each trophic level?

Answer 10

10% is passed on. 90% is lost.

Question 11

What is “Photosynthesis”?

Answer 11

Photosynthesis is how producers make their own energy.
(Sunlight + Water + Carbon Dioxide -> Glucose + Oxygen) (reversible process of “Cellular Respiration”.)

Question 12

What is “Cellular Respiration”?

Answer 12

Using glucose and energy to make carbon dioxide.
(Glucose + Oxygen -> Water + Carbon Dioxide) (Reversible process of “Photosynthesis”.)

Question 13

Explain the Predator-Prey relationship.

Answer 13

Predator and prey populations change in response to each other.
High prey - Low predator
High predator - Low prey

Question 14

How to turn N2(g) into nitrites.

Answer 14

1. Lightning
2. Soil bacteria
3. Bacteria in stems of green plants

Question 15

What is “Denitrification”?

Answer 15

Bacteria decomposes nitrates into N2(g).

Question 16

What is “Nitrification”?

Answer 16

1. Decomposing dead animals/plants into ammonia.
2. Bacteria converts ammonia into nitrates.
3. Bacteria converts nitrates into nitrites.

Question 17

What are the “Levels of Organization” in order?

Answer 17

Organism -> Population -> Community -> Ecosystem.

(Population - group of organisms of same species.)
(Community - multiple different populations interacting in an area)
(Ecosystem - biotic and abiotic interacting)

Question 18

What is a “Paradigm Shift”?

Answer 18

A significant change in how we view the world. (Ex: climate change, renewable energies.)

Question 19

What is “Biomagnification”?

Answer 19

Increase in the concentration of toxins as you move up the food chain.
(10 units -> 100 units -> 1000 units -> 10000 units.)

Question 20

What is “Carrying Capacity”? What trophic level has a higher carrying capacity than tertiary consumers?

Answer 20

1. Size of a population that can be supported indefinitely by available resources in the ecosystem.
2. Producers have a higher carrying capacity.

Question 21

What is “Eutrophication”? What is the process of how “Eutrophication” can affect an aquatic ecosystem?

Answer 21

1. Build up of nutrients in aquatic ecosystem that lead to increase of producers.
2. Fertilizer runs into water -> Algae bloom -> Submerged plants die due to no sunlight -> Bacteria use oxygen during decomposition -> Oxygen levels in water drop too low for species to survive.