Chapter 3 - The Biosphere

Question 1

The analysis of the relation between organisms and their environment.

Answer 1

Ecology

Question 2

The largest unit in which life can be sustained, including anything within or below the atmosphere(until you hit the mantle, of course).

Answer 2

Biosphere

Question 3

A group of organisms that are related enough that they can reproduce.

Answer 3

Species

Question 4

A number of the same kind of species that live in the same general area.

Answer 4

Populations

Question 5

Groups of many populations living in one location.

Answer 5

Communities

Question 6

A group of all the organisms that live in one place with their nonliving environment.

Answer 6

Ecosystem

Question 7

A collection of ecosystems that have equivalent dominant communities and climate.

Answer 7

Biome

Question 8

Create their own food/energy by using some from their environment.

Answer 8

Autotrophs

Question 9

Another word for “Autotrophs.”

Answer 9

Producers

Question 10

Some autotrophs use the energy from the sun, along with other critical ingredients (CO2, H20) to create sugars to use as food. What is this process called?

Answer 10

Photosynthesis

Question 11

This is when autotrophs use chemical energy to create carbohydrates.

Answer 11

Chemosynthesis

Question 12

Organisms that eat other organisms (and ONLY other organisms) to get energy and food.

Answer 12

Heterotrophs

Question 13

What is the other word for “heterotroph?”

Answer 13

Consumers

Question 14

A type of heterotroph that eats only plants.

Answer 14

Herbivore

Question 15

A type of consumer that only eats other animals.

Answer 15

Carnivore

Question 16

A type of heterotroph that eats both animals and plants.

Answer 16

Omnivore

Question 17

A type of consumer that feeds on dead animals.

Answer 17

Detritivore

Question 18

Consumers that break down organic matter.

Answer 18

Decomposers

Question 19

The transfer of energy from organisms to others by eating each other. This process is organized in a series of steps.

Answer 19

Food Chain

Question 20

This connects every food chain within an ecosystem together.

Answer 20

Food web

Question 21

This is a certain step within a food web or chain.

Answer 21

Trophic Level

Question 22

The diagram that shows the relationship between the energy contained in each trophic level in each food chain or web.

Answer 22

Ecological Pyramid

Question 23

This is the amount of living tissue in a trophic level.

Answer 23

Biomass

Question 24

The process in which chemical compounds travel from one organism to another, and likewise between parts of the biosphere.

Answer 24

Biogeochemical Cycles

Question 25

When matter transforms from a liquid into a gas through the addition of energy to the matter. (Water turns into water vapor).

Answer 25

Evaporation

Question 26

When water evaporates from the leaves of a plant into the atmosphere.

Answer 26

Transpiration

Question 27

The chemical substance that all organisms require to live.

Answer 27

Nutrients

Question 28

When certain types of bacteria convert nitrogen gas into ammonia.

Answer 28

Nitrogen Fixation

Question 29

When bacteria change nitrates into nitrogen gas.

Answer 29

Denitrification

Question 30

How fast organic matter is created by producers/autotrophs.

Answer 30

Primary Productivity

Question 31

When a single nutrient is required by an ecosystem and is very limited.

Answer 31

Limiting Nutrient

Question 32

When a surplus of limited nutrient is acquired in an ecosystem, and it produces a lot of algae.

Answer 32

Algal Bloom