Ecology Flashcards
Define the following terms:
1) Atmosphere
2) Community
3) Hydrosphere
4) Ecology
5) Lithosphere
6) Ecosystem
7) Biosphere
8) Population
9) Biodiversity
1) Atmosphere = The layer of gases above the earth’s surface.
2) Community = All of the organisms that inhabit a particular area.
3) Hydrosphere = All of the water on the earth.
4) Ecology = A branch of science that studies the relations between living things.
5) Lithosphere = The hard part of the earth’s surface.
6) Ecosystem = The interaction of organisms and their non-living environment.
7) Biosphere = The part of earth where organisms can live on.
8) Population = A group pf individuals of the same species.
9) Biodiversity = The variety of organisms in an ecosystem and the influence on one another.
Explain the difference between a food chain and a food web.
1) Food chain = The energy flow from one individual to another.
2) Food web = Multiple, overlapping food chains within an ecosystem.
Draw a food chain that includes the list of organisms listed below, label each as a producer, herbivore, carnivore, or consumer.
- Algae, perch(medium sized fish), loon (a diving bird), minnow (a small fish), zooplankton
Algae (producer) —> zooplankton (herbivore) —> minnow (carnivore) —> perch (carnivore) —> loon (top carnivore)
List 3 abiotic factors and 3 biotic factors found in a forest ecosystem.
BIOTIC = Rabbits, hawks, and mushrooms
ABIOTIC = Temperature, sunlight, and water
Classify the following organisms as producer, consumer, or decomposer.
1) Pine tree
2) Cougar
3) Soil bacteria
4) Worms
5) Dog
6) Grass
1) Pine tree = producer
2) Cougar = consumer
3) Soil bacteria = decomposer
4) Worms = decomposer
5) Dog = consumer
6) Grass = producer
Classify the following organisms as herbivore, carnivore, or omnivore.
1) Snake
2) Bear
3) Rabbit
4) Caterpillar
5) Human
6) Owl
1) Snake = carnivore
2) Bear = omnivore
3) Rabbit = herbivore
4) Caterpillar = herbivore
5) Human = omnivore
6) Owl = carnivore
What is a top carnivore? Give an example.
A top carnivore is an animal that is not hunted or preyed by other animals in their food web. Like a lion.
Write out the word equations for photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
1) Photosynthesis: Carbon dioxide + water —> Glucose + Oxygen
2) Cellular respiration: Glucose + Oxygen —> Carbon dioxide + water
Which of these processes occurs in plants? In animals?
Photosynthesis occurs in only plants, but cellular respiration occurs in both plants and animals/
Define the term pest and pesticide.
1) Pest = Unwanted organisms that are harmful to human activities.
2) Pesticide = A toxic substance that are used to kill those unwanted organisms.
List 2 advantages and disadvantages of pesticide use.
Advantages = Increase in food production, and reduces competition for nutrients among crops and livestock.
Disadvantages = May introduce long-lived toxins into the environment, and reduces biodiversity.
Explain the terms bioaccumulation and biomagnification.
Bioaccumulation = The build up of harmful toxins within the tissues of an organism.
Biomagnification = The concentration of harmful toxins as you move up the food chain.
What consequences does each of the following activites pose to an ecosystem?
1) Construction of roads and buildings
2) Dam building
3) Consumption of fossil fuels
1) Construction of roads and buildings = Habitat destruction, greenhouse gas emissions, and pollution.
2) Dam building = Habitat destruction, greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, and flooding.
3) Consumption of fossil fuels = Habitat destruction, greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, and global climate change.
What is the largest source of nitrogen on earth?
The atmosphere
What 2 processes occur on earth that converts nitrogen to a usable form of nitrogen? Explain.
1) Lightning converts nitrogen into a usable form that dissolves in rain water and falls to the soil.
2) Nitrogen fixing bacteria found in soil that converts atmospheric nitrogen into a useable form
