D4.2 Stability and Change

Question 1

Keystone species

Answer 1

Species whose presence/absence hugely impacts ecosystem

Question 2

Trophic cascades

Answer 2

Presence/abundance of predator changes -> causing a butterfly effect on the lower trophic levels

Question 3

Eutrophication

Answer 3

Enrichment of water bodies with nitrogen & prosperous, leading to overgrowth of aquatic plants, depleting o2 and negatively impacting ecosystem.

Question 4

Bioaccumulation

Answer 4

Chemicals build up in the tissues of organisms

Question 5

Biomagnification

Answer 5

Enhanced bioaccumulation through consumption in the food chain

Question 6

Ecological succession

Answer 6

process by which the structure and composition of a community (a group of interacting species) in an ecosystem changes over time.

Question 7

Primary succession

Answer 7

occurs in areas that have never been previously inhabited by a community, starting with a pioneer species

Question 8

Secondary succession

Answer 8

Succession occurs in areas where an ecosystem previously existed but was disturbed or damaged, with an existing soil base & remnant species

Question 9

Cyclic succession

Answer 9

Community undergoes regular and predictable changes in a cyclical pattern (seasons, floods, monsoons, etc)

Question 10

Arrested succesion

Answer 10

when ecological succession is halted or prevented from reaching its climax community due to environmental factors, human intervention, etc.

Question 10

Climax community

Answer 10

stable, mature, and self-sustaining ecosystem that has reached the final stage of ecological succession.