Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Biology > Ecology > Flashcards

Ecology Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
AP® Biology flashcards Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

What is an individual in ecology?

A

Single member of a species

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

Define population in ecological terms.

A

Individuals of the same species in the same area at the same time

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

What constitutes a community in ecology?

A

Multiple different populations (different species) living and interacting at the same time

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

What is an ecosystem?

A

Interaction between a community and the non-living (abiotic) parts of the environment

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

What does habitat refer to?

A

The place where an organism lives

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Define abundance in an ecological context.

A

The number of organisms in an ecosystem

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

What is meant by distribution in ecology?

A

The spread of living organisms in an ecosystem

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

Define biodiversity.

A

The amount of variation in the types of animals

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

True or False: High biodiversity ecosystems are less stable than low biodiversity ecosystems.

A

False

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

What is the core practical method for investigating the population size of an organism?

A

Using quadrats

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

Fill in the blank: Measure the area you’re sampling in _______.

A

m²

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

What is the purpose of placing a quadrat at randomly generated coordinates?

A

To avoid bias in measuring areas with lots or a little of the organisms

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

How much of the total area should be sampled in the quadrat method?

A

5 - 10% of the total area

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

What do you do after counting the number of organisms in each quadrat?

A

Find the average and multiply it by the total area

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

What does measuring the abundance of the species help determine?

A

The population size of an organism in different areas

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

What is the purpose of using quadrats in biodiversity measurement?

A

To investigate the distribution of organisms in their habitats and measure biodiversity.

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

What should you do after placing the quadrat at regular intervals?

A

Count the amount of organisms in each quadrat to measure abundance.

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

What types of factors affect the abundance and distribution of organisms in an ecosystem?

A

Abiotic factors and biotic factors.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Define biotic factors in ecosystems.

A

Living factors that affect organisms, such as pollinating insects and competition.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

List three examples of biotic factors.

A
  • Pollinating insects
  • Parasitism
  • Food availability
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

How does food availability impact species in an ecosystem?

A

It could increase or decrease species and impact their food source.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What is the impact of disease on species in an ecosystem?

A

It can decrease the number of a species.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What is an example of a biotic factor related to predation?

A

Predation by other animals.

24
Q

Define abiotic factors in ecosystems.

A

Non-living factors that affect organisms, such as temperature and humidity.

25
Q

List three examples of abiotic factors.

A
  • Pollution
  • Light intensity
  • pH
26
Q

How does light intensity specifically affect ecosystems?

A

It particularly affects plants.

27
Q

What is salinity?

A

How much salt there is in the environment.

28
Q

Fill in the blank: _____ can affect the number of organisms in an ecosystem.

A

[Abiotic and biotic factors]

29
Q

True or False: Humidity is considered a biotic factor.

A

False.

30
Q

What could be a consequence of competition among animals in an ecosystem?

A

It can lead to decreased availability of resources.

31
Q

What is nest site availability in the context of biotic factors?

A

The availability of suitable locations for organisms to build nests.

32
Q

How does temperature serve as an abiotic factor?

A

It influences the metabolic processes of organisms.

33
Q

What are the three main types of organisms in trophic levels?

A

Producers, Consumers, Decomposers

Producers photosynthesize, consumers eat other organisms, and decomposers break down dead organisms.

34
Q

What is the role of producers in an ecosystem?

A

Organisms that photosynthesize

Producers convert sunlight into energy, forming the base of the food chain.

35
Q

Define primary consumer.

A

First consumer in a food chain

Primary consumers are typically herbivores that eat producers.

36
Q

What is an apex predator?

A

Top of the food chain, is nothing’s prey

Apex predators play a crucial role in maintaining the structure of an ecosystem.

37
Q

What is the function of decomposers?

A

Break down dead organisms

Decomposers, like bacteria and fungi, recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem.

38
Q

What does the direction of the arrows in a food chain represent?

A

Energy transfer

The arrows indicate the flow of energy from one organism to another.

39
Q

List two pros of food chains.

A
  • Shows relationships between organisms
  • Predicts changes in ecosystem dynamics

Understanding these relationships is crucial for ecological studies.

40
Q

List two cons of food chains.

A
  • Oversimplification
  • Doesn’t show the role of decomposers

Food chains can miss important ecological interactions.

41
Q

What do pyramids of numbers show?

A

Numbers of each organism at each trophic level

This helps visualize the population distribution within an ecosystem.

42
Q

What typically happens to the number of organisms at each trophic level due to energy wastage?

A

Numbers normally get smaller

Energy loss occurs at each level, leading to fewer organisms as you move up the pyramid.

43
Q

What are pyramids of biomass used for?

A

To look more accurately at the amount of energy at each trophic level

Biomass provides a better understanding of energy distribution in ecosystems.

44
Q

Fill in the blank: _______ are organisms that eat other organisms.

A

Consumers

Consumers include herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores.

45
Q

What does the dry body mass of organisms refer to in ecological terms?

A

It uses the dry body mass of the organisms eaten.

46
Q

What shape do pyramids of biomass and numbers always look like?

A

Always look pyramids shaped.

47
Q

In drawing pyramids of biomass and numbers, what is important regarding the height of the bars?

A

The height of the bar isn’t important, but keep them all the same height.

48
Q

How should the bars be arranged in a pyramid to show the trophic levels?

A

Stack the bars on top of each other to show the trophic levels.

49
Q

Which organisms are placed at the bottom of the trophic levels in a pyramid?

A

Producers go at the bottom, then primary consumers etc.

50
Q

What should be labeled on the x-axis for pyramids of numbers and organisms?

A

Label the axis either number of organisms or mass of organisms.

51
Q

Why is energy wasted at each trophic level?

A

Only about 10% of energy is transferred at each level.

52
Q

What is one reason energy is lost at each trophic level?

A

Not all the organism is eaten so some of the energy is lost there.

53
Q

What happens to energy after an animal has eaten?

A

It will excrete some energy which means when it is eaten it doesn’t have as much energy in it.

54
Q

What is a factor that uses up energy before organisms are eaten?

A

Many of the organisms will be moving and respiring.

55
Q

True or False: When an organism eats another, it digests every bit of the organism.

A

False.

56
Q

Does the organism digest all of the other organism it eats?

A

No

Biology (18 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions