Ecology

Question 1

What is population?

Answer 1

All the individuals of the same species living within a specific area at the same time

Question 2

What is community?

Answer 2

Different species inhabiting a particular area and their interactions

Question 3

What is a ecosystem?

Answer 3

All the living things in a particular area together with the ABIOTIC parts of the environment

Question 4

What is a biosphere?

Answer 4

The collection of all ecosystems representing the zones of life on earth

Question 5

What are the three biospheres?

Answer 5

Lithosphere (land), Hydrosphere (water), Atmosphere

Question 6

What is ecology?

Answer 6

Interactions between organisms and the environment.

Question 7

What is an open system?

Answer 7

Allows energy and matter to cross the systems boundary- to enter and leave it

Question 8

What is a closed system?

Answer 8

Allows only energy (not matter) to cross the boundary.

Question 9

What way does energy flow?

Answer 9

Energy only flows one direction (open system)

Question 10

How does matter move?

Answer 10

Matter is a cycle (closed system)

Question 11

How does photosynthesis work?

Answer 11

Captures sun’s energy and converts it to chemical energy

Question 12

What does cellular energy create?

Answer 12

ATP

Question 13

How does chemosynthesis work?

Answer 13

It captures the chemical energy stores in chemical bonds and converts it to chemical energy Ex. Glucose

Question 14

What is the definition of chemosynthesis?

Answer 14

Biological conversion of carbon molecules and nutrients into organic matter

Question 15

What do certain fungi and bacteria convert?

Answer 15

They chemically convert carbon into carbohydrates Ex. Sugars/ Starches

Question 16

What is a producer (Autotrophs)?

Answer 16

Organism that synthesizes its own food from inorganic molecules by using light or chemical energy (PS, chemo)

Question 17

What is a consumer (Hetrotrophs)?

Answer 17

Must eat organic molecules formed by producers in order to survive

Question 18

What do primary consumers eat?

Answer 18

Autotrophs

Question 19

What do secondary consumers eat?

Answer 19

Heterotrophs

Question 20

What do tertiary consumers eat?

Answer 20

Heterotrophs

Question 21

What are a decomposers roles?

Answer 21

-return matter into cycles
-to be food for producers

Question 22

The rate of decomposition is controlled by…..?

Answer 22

Temperature, moisture and nutrient availability

Question 23

What are phytoplankton?

Answer 23

They are producers

Question 24

What are zooplankton?

Answer 24

They are consumers

Question 25

What does the rule of 10 mean?

Answer 25

No energy transfer is 100% efficient, 90% is lost. (2nd law of thermodynamics)

Question 26

What is the pyramid of numbers?

Answer 26

It’s based on the number of organisms in each trophic level

Question 27

What is the pyramid of biomass?

Answer 27

It’s based on the biomass of organisms in each trophic level (matter per area)

Question 28

What is biomass?

Answer 28

Mass of living biological organisms or material in a given area or ecosystem (mass per area)

Question 29

What is a pyramid of energy?

Answer 29

It’s based on the total amount of energy in each trophic level (ALWAYS UPRIGHT)

Question 30

What is the biogeochemical cycle?

Answer 30

Matter that comprises living organisms is conserved and recycled through the cycle. Involves abiotic and biotic components

Question 31

What is the ONE cycle that does not occur in earth’s atmosphere?

Answer 31

Phosphorus

Question 32

What are unique water properties?

Answer 32

-Ability to dissolve/transport materials -high surface tension -cohesion and adhesion -acts as a carbon sink -high specific heat capacity (100 degrees)

Question 33

What is transperation?

Answer 33

Evaporation of H20 from plants

Question 34

What is Carbon sequestration?

Answer 34

Long term storage of carbon (removal from atmosphere)

Question 35

What is the nitrogen cycle?

Answer 35

a biogeochemical process through which nitrogen passes from the atmosphere to the soil to organism and back into the atmosphere

Question 36

What are the 3 processes for the nitrogen cycle?

Answer 36

Nitrogen fixation, nitrification, denitrification

Question 37

What is productivity?

Answer 37

Rate at which an ecosystem primary producers capture and store energy over time

Question 38

I hat is eutrophication?

Answer 38

The process by which an entire body of water or parts of it, become enriched with materials and nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus)

Question 39

What is an anoxic environment?

Answer 39

Has low oxygen and production of toxic and waste build up

Question 40

What do the properties of water make it excellent for?

Answer 40

For being a solvent