Ch. 5 vocab

Question 1

Niche

Answer 1

the fundamental role an organism has in its surroundings (everything that affects the organism and everything the organism affects)

Question 2

Environment

Answer 2

everything that affects an organism during its lifetime (abiotic and biotic)

Question 3

Range of Tolerance

Answer 3

extreme levels of a limiting factor within which an organism can still survive ex.) temperature, dissolved oxygen in water, etc. **larger the range of tolerance, the more successful the organism is

Question 4

Habitat

Answer 4

space where an organisms inhabits, the place where it lives ex.) climate, soil condition, water availability, other species in the area

Question 5

Natural Selection

Answer 5

process that determines which individuals within a species will reproduce and pass their genes to the next generation **survival of the fittest

Question 6

Limiting factor

Answer 6

key factor (either biotic or abiotic) that restricts the success of the species ex.) water, shelter, food, climate, etc.

Question 7

Species

Answer 7

a population of organisms capable of reproducing among themselves and having offspring that can also reproduce

Question 8

Evolution

Answer 8

the genetic and characteristic changes seen in species over long periods of time and many generations **driven by natural selection

Question 9

Speciation

Answer 9

production of new species from previously existing species (usually occurs when population is divided into 2 subpopulations and are isolated from each other)

Question 10

Predator

Answer 10

an organism that captures and eats another organism

Question 11

Prey

Answer 11

an organism that is hunted and eaten by another organism for food

Question 12

Competition

Answer 12

interaction in which two organisms strive to obtain the same limited resource

Question 13

Mutation

Answer 13

random change in the genetic information in an individual

Question 14

Extinction

Answer 14

the loss of an entire species (very common, 99.9% of all organisms have experienced extinction)

Question 15

Ecosystem

Answer 15

community of organisms and the abiotic environment within which they exist

Question 16

Food chain

Answer 16

passing of energy from one organism to the next through trophic levels

Question 17

Food web

Answer 17

several food chains overlapping and intersecting

Question 18

Carnivore

Answer 18

an organism that consumes other organisms

Question 19

Symbiosis

Answer 19

a close, long-lasting relationship between two different species (at least one species derives benefit from the interaction)

Question 20

Herbivore

Answer 20

an organism that consumes plants

Question 21

Mutualism

Answer 21

symbiotic relationship between two organisms in which both organisms benefit ex.) bee and flower

Question 22

Commensalism

Answer 22

relationship in which one organism benefits while the other is not affected ex.) remoras and sharks

Question 23

Omnivore

Answer 23

an organism that eats both plants and animals

Question 24

Nitrogen cycle

Answer 24

cycle of the critical element nitrogen through the biotic and abiotic environment

Question 25

Nitrogen fixing bacteria

Answer 25

bacteria that participate in the nitrogen cycle by fixing (collecting) nitrogen from the atmosphere into a form that can be used by plants

Question 26

Producers

Answer 26

organisms also known as autotrophs that can convert the sun’s energy into chemical bonds (the represent the bottom trophic level)

Question 27

Primary consumer

Answer 27

organisms that consume plants (AKA herbivores) **represents second trophic level

Question 28

Secondary consumer

Answer 28

organisms that consume (herbivores) but may be consumed by other carnivores

Question 29

Trophic levels

Answer 29

levels of energy flow through the living community

Question 30

Biomass

Answer 30

the weight of living material in a trophic level

Question 31

Detritus

Answer 31

small bits of non-living organic matter found on the ground or at the bottom of bodies of water

Question 32

Biogeochemical cycles

Answer 32

the cycling of nutrients from living organisms through the environment

Question 33

Carbon cycle

Answer 33

the cycle that captures inorganic carbon and moves it a living organism and then back into inorganic carbon

Question 34

Decomposers

Answer 34

organisms that use dead organisms and animal waste products as a source of food

Question 35

Fossil fuels

Answer 35

coal, oil, and natural gas that were formed from ancient living organisms

Question 36

Nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria

Answer 36

convert nitrogen containing compounds into usable forms for living organisms

Question 37

Phosphorus cycle

Answer 37

movement of phosphorus through organic and inorganic forms as it moves through the environment

Question 38

Agricultural runoff

Answer 38

excess nitrogen and phosphorus containing compounds that wash away from agricultural areas