Ecology

Question 1

What is ecology?

Answer 1

The study of interactions between organisms and their environment

Question 2

Biotic

Answer 2

Any living part of the environment

Question 3

Abiotic

Answer 3

Nonliving factors that shape an ecosystem

Question 4

Autotroph

Answer 4

Organism that uses photosynthesis to create energy, also called a producer

Question 5

Carnivore

Answer 5

Organism that obtains energy by eating animals

Question 6

Primary producer

Answer 6

First producer that forms the base of the food chain

Question 7

Herbivore

Answer 7

Organism that obtains energy by eating only plants

Question 8

Detritivore

Answer 8

Organism that feeds on plant and animal remains and other dead matter

Question 9

Consumer

Answer 9

Organism that relies on other organisms for its energy and food supply, also called a heterotroph

Question 10

Heterotroph

Answer 10

Organisms that obtain food by consuming other living things, also called a consumer

Question 11

Omnivore

Answer 11

Organism that obtains energy by eating both plants and animals

Question 12

Chemosynthesis

Answer 12

Process in which chemical energy is used to produce carbohydrates

Question 13

Photosynthesis

Answer 13

Process used by plants to capture sunlight and use it to break down carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen

Question 14

Decomposer

Answer 14

Organism that breaks down and obtains energy from dead organic matter

Question 15

Scavenger

Answer 15

Animal that consumes the carcasses of other animals

Question 16

What are the seven characteristics of life?

Answer 16

Responds to their environment
Grow and change
Reproduce and have offspring
Have complex chemistry
Maintain homeostasis
Are built out of cells
Pass their traits onto their offspring

Question 17

What are the six levels or organization in order from smallest to largest in ecology

Answer 17

1. Individual (smallest)
2. Population
3. Community
4. Ecosystem
5. Biome
6. Biosphere (largest)

Question 18

What is a trophic level

Answer 18

A trophic level is a step in the food chain or food web

Question 19

What are all the trophic levels

Answer 19

3rd Level/Tertiary Consumers
2nd Level Consumers
Primary consumers
Primary producers

Question 20

How much energy is passed to the next trophic level? (What percent)

Answer 20

10% of energy is transferred to the next level

Question 21

Commensalism

Answer 21

The relationship between two organisms where one is benefiting and the other is uneffected

Question 22

Predator vs Prey

Answer 22

The relationship between two organisms where one hunts or kills the other

Question 23

Mutualism

Answer 23

When both organisms benefit each other

Question 24

Competition

Answer 24

When two organisms compete for materials

Question 25

Parasitism

Answer 25

The relationship between a parasite and the host it’s attached to

Question 26

What is an invasive species?

Answer 26

Non-native organism that disrupts local ecosystems

Question 27

Interspecific

Answer 27

Different species

Question 28

Intraspecific

Answer 28

Same species

Question 29

Why are decomposers necessary?

Answer 29

They break down dead organic matter, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem to support plant growth and maintain soil health.

Question 30

What is the 10% rule in biology? (Where does 90% of the energy go, where does the other 10% go?)

Answer 30

10% of energy is passed to the next trophic level while 90% of energy is lost (mainly due to heat)

Question 31

Which trophic level contains the most energy and why?

Answer 31

The primary producers contain the most energy because they are the primary source of energy for the entire ecosystem and only 10% of their energy is passed to the next level