chapter 2

Question 1

What are abiotic and biotic environmental factors?

Answer 1

Biotic: living (influence of living organisms
Abiotic: non-living (water currents, wind chemicals)

Question 2

How do environmental factors affect organisms?

Answer 2

by modifying their physiology, development, growth (productivity), reproduction, and behaviour. Organisms that
are fortunate to live in an environmental regime in which
abiotic and biotic factors are optimal to meeting their
needs will have a higher likelihood of growing well and
achieving their genetic potential

Question 4

What is phenotypic plasticity?

Answer 4

Inherent potential is set by genotype but the actual expression of the capacity (phenotype varies depending on the circumstance

Question 5

What is the principle of limiting factors?

Answer 5

Certain ecological processes are controlled by whichever environmental factor is present in
the least supply relative to the demand for it

Question 6

What is eutrophication?

Answer 6

It’s when the environment becomes enriched with nutrients, increasing the amount of plant and algae growth to estuaries and coastal waters

Question 7

What is usually the limiting nutrient? And why is knowledge about it useful?

Answer 7

phosphorus
This knowledge is useful because it shows a way to prevent eutrophication by
taking actions to reduce the loading of
the limiting nutrient.

Question 8

What are environmental stressors?

Answer 8

Stressors are environmental influences that limit the performance of organisms
Performance= reproductive fitness productivity genetic potential…

Question 9

What are anthropogenic stressors?

Answer 9

Anthropogenic stressors = those
associated with human activities
they dominate natural ones