Ecology Flashcards

1
Q

What is ecology

A

Ecology is defined as the study of the interactions between organisms and their environment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Give 4 examples of an abiotic factor

A

Rocks, soil, water, air,

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Give 4 biotic factors

A

Bacteria fungi plants and animals

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is habitat

A

We’re organisms live

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What are the levels of ecological organization?

A
  1. Individual
  2. Population
  3. Community
  4. Ecosystem
  5. Biome
  6. Biosphere
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What are 4 things needed in a habitat

A

Food water shelter and space

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is a niche

A

An organisms role or job that it does in its community

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is a heterotroph

A

Consumers and decomposers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is a autotroph

A

Chemosynthetic and photosynthetic (basically producers)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is a decomposer

A

An organism that breaks down organic materials

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is a consumer

A

An organism that eats other organisms for energy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is a producer

A

A organism that uses the suns energy to make food

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Why are decomposers important

A

They break down dead bodies and poop so they don’t pile up

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Give an example of a primary consumer

A

Grass hoppers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Give an example of a secondary consumer

A

A frog

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Give an example of a tertiary consumer

A

Snake

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Give an example of a quartinary consumer

A

Eagle

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Why is the transfer of energy and matter in a food chain only about 10% efficient?

A

90% of the energy is given off by the organisms ( usually as heat)

19
Q

What is DDT and why is it bad

A

DDT was one of the first and most powerful insecticides developed. DDT is very bad because it takes a very long time to breakdown so it killed lots of living organisms.

20
Q

What is the equation for photosynthesis?

A

Water+carbon dioxide +energy->sugar + oxygen

And cellular respiration is the opposite

21
Q

What are legumes and why are why important

A

Legumes are plants with bacteria nodgules that fix nitrogen. Farmers take advantage of legumes because they put legumes in one section of a farm and it will produce nitrogen then they move it so the next thing that goes in that place they will have nitrogen

22
Q

What is the carbon cycle?

A

Main energy source for all food chains is the sun
The most important conversion is sunlight energy

23
Q

What is a zebra mussels ( invasive species)

A
  1. Zebra mussels feed by filtering nutrients from the water
  2. They are numerous that there is little food left for other animals
  3. Costs lots
  4. Fewer small fish means fewer large fish
24
Q

What are cats ( invasive species)

A

1.In the us there are about 30 million feral cats and 40 million more that are allowed to roam free
2. Kills almost 200 billion birds in the us per year

25
Q

What is the carrying capacity?

A

The maximum population that the environment can support over long term

26
Q

What is bacteria’s major role and why are there no arrows pointing to it?

A

Bacteria is a decomposed so it completes the food chain. It breaks down organic materials returning nutrients for the producers. And would require to many arrows

27
Q

What is eutrophication?

A

Is an increase in chemical nutrient containing nitrogen or phosphorus in an ecosystem. This results in excessive amount of plant and algae then die and decay. This uses oxygen in the water and can kill fish, and other populations

28
Q

What are 3 examples of soil pollution?

A
  1. Erosion- poor land use practices include deforestation, overgrazing, and improper construction activities.
  2. Soil acidification- acid rain or excess nitrogen fertilizer
  3. Soil contamination- oil spills, etc
29
Q

What is mutualism, commensalism, parasitism and an example

A

Mutualism is when both species are benefited and an example is otters and kelp
Commensalism is when one species benefits, and the other is unaffected. An example is the cattle egret and cows
Parasitism is when one species benefits, the other is harmed. An example is a mistletoe and tree

30
Q

What are 3 factors that will determine carrying capacity?

A
  1. Competition
  2. Diseases
  3. Predation
31
Q

What are the 4 factors that determine biotic potential?

A
  1. Birth potential
  2. Procreation
  3. Capacity for survival
  4. Length of reproductive cycle
32
Q

What is biotic potential?

A

The maximum number of offspring that a species Could produce if resources were unlimited

33
Q

What are 5 factors of a population increase/decrease

A
  1. Good light
  2. Correct temperature
  3. Sufficient food
  4. Few parasites and diseases
  5. Few predators
    Decrease is the opposite.
34
Q

What is the greenhouse effect

A

The process were heat is trapped near the earths surface by substances know as greenhouse gases

35
Q

What is water turbidity and the problems caused by it?

A

Water turbidity is the clarity of a liquid
Problems:
1. Blocks light and distrusts plant growth.
2. Clogs the gills of some fish species
3. Interferes with the effectiveness of water chlorination

36
Q

What is thermal pollution?

A

Thermal pollution is When water is transferred to a power plant or a factory and the warm water comes back into a lake or a river the warm water causes algae and plant growth. When the algae and plants decompose (and warm water) this causes decrease of oxygen levels

37
Q

What is biomass?

A

Biomass is renewable organic material that comes from plants and animals

38
Q

Food,space and nutrients are examples of what?

A

Limiting factors

39
Q

What is birth potential?

A

the maximum number of species that are born in ideal living conditions

40
Q

What is capacity for survival?

A

The number of off spring that can reach reproductive age

41
Q

What is procreation?

A

The number of times that a species reproduces each year

42
Q

What is length of reproductive cycle

A

The age of sexual maturity. And the number of years the individual can reproduce

43
Q

What are food chains on land and in water called

A

Terrestrial and aquatic

44
Q

What is density dependent and independent factors?

A

Density dependent factors change when the population changes-food supply
Density independent factor do not change when the population changes- weather