Ecology

Question 1

What is ecology?

Answer 1

The study of how living things interact with each other and their abiotic environment.

Question 2

What is an ecosystem?

Answer 2

A community of organisms and their interactions with their environment.

Question 3

What is the biosphere?

Answer 3

The part of the earth that supports life.

Question 4

Define habitat.

Answer 4

The place where a species lives.

Question 5

What is a niche

Answer 5

The functional role of an organism in an ecosystem.

Question 6

What is an abiotic factor?

Answer 6

A non-living factor that influences a community.

Question 7

What is a biotic factor?

Answer 7

A living factor that influences a community.

Question 8

Define community in an ecological context.

Answer 8

A number of different species interacting with each other in an ecosystem.

Question 9

What is a population?

Answer 9

A group of individuals of the same species.

Question 10

Give examples of abiotic environmental factors.

Answer 10

Rainfall, temperature, wind, soil, sunlight, aspect/orientation.

Question 11

What is an edaphic factor?

Answer 11

Factors related to soil, such as soil pH and temperature.

Question 12

How is light intensity measured?

Answer 12

Using a light meter, measured in lux.

Question 13

How is wind speed measured?

Answer 13

Using an anemometer.

Question 14

What is the primary source of energy for ecosystems?

Answer 14

The sun.

Question 15

What is a food chain?

Answer 15

The way energy flows from one organism to another through feeding.

Question 16

What are producers?

Answer 16

Organisms that make their own food through photosynthesis, such as plants.

Question 17

Define primary consumer.

Answer 17

Organisms that feed on producers.

Question 18

Define secondary consumer.

Answer 18

Organisms that feed on primary consumers.

Question 19

What is a trophic level?

Answer 19

The position an organism occupies in a food chain.

Question 20

What are limitations of pyramids of numbers?

Answer 20

They don’t consider organism size, can vary seasonally, and don’t account for migration patterns or accurate scaling.

Question 21

What is competition in ecology?

Answer 21

The struggle between organisms for the same limited resource.

Question 22

What are two types of competition

Answer 22

Contest competition (physical confrontation) and scramble competition (sharing of resources).

Question 23

Define predation.

Answer 23

The act of one animal (predator) hunting, capturing, and killing another animal (prey) for food.

Question 24

Give an example of a predator and its adaptation.

Answer 24

An owl, adapted with nocturnal hunting, silent flight, and excellent eyesight.

Question 25

Give an example of prey and its adaptation.

Answer 25

A woodmouse, adapted with camouflage, small size, and large ears for hearing.

Question 26

How do predators stabilize the community?

Answer 26

By controlling prey numbers, preventing overgrazing, and eliminating weaker prey.

Question 27

What factors contribute to predator-prey relationships?

Answer 27

Availability of food, concealment, and movements of predators.

Question 28

What is symbiosis?

Answer 28

A close relationship between two different species in which at least one benefits.

Question 29

What is parasitism?

Answer 29

A relationship where one organism benefits and the other is harmed.

Question 30

What is mutualism?

Answer 30

A relationship where both organisms benefit, such as bacteria in the colon producing vitamins for the body.

Question 31

Give an example of mutualism in nitrogen fixation.

Answer 31

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria in leguminous plant nodules provide nitrogen compounds to the plant, while the plant provides carbohydrates and food material for the bacteria.

Question 32

What is commensalism?

Answer 32

A relationship where one organism benefits, and the other is unaffected.

Question 33

A relationship where one organism benefits, and the other is unaffected.

Answer 33

The exchange of elements between living and nonliving parts of the ecosystem, ensuring that elements are reused and don’t run out.

Question 34

Why is nutrient recycling important?

Answer 34

It prevents a long-term drain on the earth’s nutrients, even after millions of years of activity by plants and humans.

Question 35

What is the role of nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the nitrogen cycle?

Answer 35

They convert nitrogen in the air into nitrates in the soil.

Question 36

How do plants contribute to the nitrogen cycle?

Answer 36

Plants absorb nitrates from the soil and produce plant proteins.

Question 37

How do animals contribute to the nitrogen cycle?

Answer 37

Animals eat plant proteins and convert them into animal proteins.

Question 38

What is the role of bacteria and fungi of decay in the nitrogen cycle?

Answer 38

They break down plant and animal proteins into ammonia when the organisms die.

Question 39

What do nitrifying bacteria do in the nitrogen cycle?

Answer 39

They convert ammonia into nitrates in the soil.

Question 40

What is the role of denitrifying bacteria in the nitrogen cycle?

Answer 40

They convert nitrates in the soil back into nitrogen gas.

Question 41

What role do microorganisms play in decomposition?

Answer 41

Bacteria and fungi break down organic matter in dead organisms, such as in a compost heap.

Question 42

Name four factors that affect human population growth.

Answer 42

Famine, disease, war, and contraception.

Question 43

What is pollution?

Answer 43

The harmful addition of substances (pollutants) to the environment by humans.

Question 44

What pollutant can affect agricultural areas and how?

Answer 44

Slurry and fertilizers can wash into water sources, causing eutrophication and algal blooms, leading to oxygen depletion and fish deaths.

Question 45

What are CFCs and how do they impact the environment?

Answer 45

CFCs, found in spray cans and refrigerators, deplete the ozone layer, which absorbs harmful UV radiation.

Question 46

What has replaced CFCs, and why are they better?

Answer 46

HFCs have replaced CFCs because they break down faster and don’t reach the ozone layer.

Question 47

What is conservation?

Answer 47

The protection and wise management of the environment or organisms.

Question 48

What is a benefit of conservation?

Answer 48

Conservation helps maintain existing environments and preserve endangered species.

Question 49

How has fishing net mesh size been improved for conservation?

Answer 49

Larger square-shaped mesh holes prevent baby fish from being caught, allowing fish populations to recover.

Question 50

What is waste management?

Answer 50

The collection, processing, and disposal of human-produced waste to reduce its impact on health and the environment.

Question 51

Name three waste management strategies.

Answer 51

Reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Question 52

Give an example of a waste management method.

Answer 52

Using a compost heap to recycle organic waste.