Chapter 3 Ecology Quiz Review Flashcards
Define the terms ‘abiotic factor’ and ‘biotic factor,’ and provide two examples of each.
Abiotic factor: non-living elements in an environment (e.g., water, sunlight). Biotic factor: living organisms (e.g., plants, animals).
What are the levels of ecological organization from the smallest to the largest?
Organism, Population, Community, Ecosystem, Biome, Biosphere.
Differentiate between a population, a community, and an ecosystem, providing examples of each.
Population: a group of the same species (e.g., herd of deer). Community: multiple species (e.g., forest). Ecosystem: community + abiotic factors (e.g., forest + weather).
What is another name for primary producers? List three examples of organisms that are considered primary producers.
Autotrophs. Examples: plants, algae, some bacteria.
Describe two processes that producers use to convert energy. What is the energy source in each process?
Photosynthesis (sunlight); Chemosynthesis (chemical energy from inorganic compounds).
What is another name for a consumer? List and define the categories that classify consumers.
Heterotrophs. Categories: Herbivores (plant eaters), Carnivores (meat eaters), Omnivores (both plants and animals), Decomposers (break down organic material).
Can a consumer belong to more than one category of consumer? Give an example, and explain why or why not.
Yes. Example: Bears are omnivores because they eat both plants and animals.
Create a food chain that includes at least four organisms. Label each organism as a primary producer, herbivore, or carnivore.
Grass (Primary Producer) → Rabbit (Herbivore) → Snake (Carnivore) → Hawk (Carnivore).
Why is a food web a more accurate model of energy flow than a food chain?
A food web shows multiple energy paths, not just a single chain.
Explain the role of decomposers in a food web.
Decomposers break down dead matter, recycling nutrients into the ecosystem.
What percentage of energy typically moves from one trophic level to the next? Where does the energy in most food webs originate from?
About 10%. Energy originates from the sun.
What percentage of energy is lost as it moves up to the next trophic level, and in what form is this energy lost?
90% is lost as heat.
Define biomass and explain what happens to the amount of biomass as you move up the trophic levels. How does this relate to the energy pyramid?
Biomass is the total mass of living matter. It decreases at higher trophic levels, mirroring the energy pyramid.
What does a pyramid of numbers show? Provide an example of a food chain in which the pyramid of numbers would not look like a pyramid.
A pyramid of numbers shows population size at each trophic level. Example: In forests, fewer trees support many herbivores, so it wouldn’t look like a pyramid.
Energy flows through an ecosystem, but what is a better word to describe the movement of matter in an ecosystem?
Matter cycles.
