Biology Definitions Grade 9

Question 1

Atmosphere

Answer 1

The layer of gasses above the earth’s surface

Question 2

Lithosphere

Answer 2

The Earth’s solid outer layer

Question 3

Hydrosphere

Answer 3

All the water found on earth, solid, liquid or gas (ice, oceans, clouds)

Question 4

Ecosystem

Answer 4

An area that has a network of interactions between abiotic and biotic factors

Question 5

Biotic Factor

Answer 5

A living thing in an ecosystem

Question 6

Abiotic Factor

Answer 6

A non-living thing in an ecosystem

Question 7

Photosynthesis

Answer 7

The chemical process of turning sunlight into plant energy.
Word Equation: Sunlight, Water, CO2 —>Sugar and O2

Chemical Equation: 6 CO2 + 6 H2O —> 6 O2 + 1 C6H12O6

Question 8

Producer

Answer 8

An organism that produces its own energy using the sun

Question 9

Biosphere

Answer 9

Part of the planet, water, land, air and where life exists. Biomes combine to form the biosphere

Question 10

Consumer

Answer 10

An organism that feeds on other organisms to get its energy

Question 11

Trophic Level

Answer 11

Used to describe the level of an organism in an ecosystem depending on how much energy it gets

Question 12

Food Web

Answer 12

A diagram of the feeding relationships of an ecosystem

Question 13

Biochemical Cycle

Answer 13

The movement of matter through the biotic and abiotic environment

Question 14

Sustainable Ecosystem

Answer 14

An ecosystem that demonstrates the ability to live, hunt, interact and reproduce indefinitely

Question 15

Succesion

Answer 15

The changes in a community and abiotic factors after a disturbance. (Ex. New plants and trees growing where they couldn’t after a forest fire)

Question 16

Primary Succession

Answer 16

Is the act of life colonizing a barren and uninhabited areas on rock and soil.

Question 17

Secondary Succession

Answer 17

Is the act of life recolonizing a once life filled area that has been disrupted by a natural disaster.

Question 18

Limiting Factor

Answer 18

A factor that restricts the size of a population

Question 19

Carrying Capacity

Answer 19

The maximum population size of a species that an ecosystem can handle

Question 20

Competition

Answer 20

Two or more organisms competing for food

Question 21

Predation

Answer 21

When one organism consumes another for food

Question 22

Mutualism

Answer 22

Two organisms benefiting from each other

Question 23

Parasitism

Answer 23

When one organism lives on or in and feeds on a host organism

Question 24

Commensalism

Answer 24

One organism benefits while the other is neither benefited nor is harmed

Question 25

Symbiosis

Answer 25

Two organisms living in close association, Parasitism, Mutualism, and Commensalism are all examples or Symbiosis

Question 26

Biodiversity

Answer 26

The variety of plant and animal life in an ecosystem

Question 27

Biome

Answer 27

A large geographical location defined by its climate with a specific set of biotic and abiotic features

Question 28

Dominant Species

Answer 28

The most abundant species in an ecosystem, its removal can cause decrease in biodiversity, it is always a producer. (Ex. Canadian Sugar Maple)

Question 29

Keystone Species

Answer 29

Greatly affect population numbers and health of an ecosystem, not abundant, plants or animals. (Ex. Sea otters keeping sea urchins in check.)

Question 30

Ecosystem Engineers

Answer 30

A species that cause such dramatic changes to landscapes that it creates a new ecosystem. (Ex. Beavers)