Ecology

Question 1

Ecology

Answer 1

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

Question 2

Abiotic Factor

Answer 2

the non-living parts of the environment or the non-living parts of an organism habit

Question 3

Biotic Factor

Answer 3

the living parts of the environment or the living parts of an organisms habit

Question 4

Organism

Answer 4

a living thing

Question 5

Species

Answer 5

a group of organisms that are physically similar and can mate with each other producing offspring that can reproduce

Question 6

Population

Answer 6

all the members of one species in a particular area

Question 7

Population Density

Answer 7

the number of a particular species of organism living per unit of area

Question 8

Community

Answer 8

all the different populations that live together in an area to make up a community

Question 9

Ecosystem

Answer 9

the interaction of all of the biotic factors (community) and all of the abiotic factors

Question 10

Limiting Factor

Answer 10

an environmental factor that causes a population to decrease - EXAMPLE: food, water, space, weather conditions

Question 11

Carrying Capacity

Answer 11

the largest population that an area can support

Question 12

Niche

Answer 12

role of an organism in its habitat (how it makes its living)

Question 13

Producer

Answer 13

MAKES food; contains chlorophyll and is able to convert solar energy (SUNLIGHT) into chemical energy (SUGAR); EXAMPLE: grass, trees, flowers, algae, and bacteria

Question 14

Consumer

Answer 14

cannot make its food; either eats plants, animals or both

Question 15

Herbivore

Answer 15

eats only plants; called a primary consumer (EXAMPLE: deer, rabbits)

Question 16

Carnivore

Answer 16

eats meat; called a 2nd order consumer, because it eats animals that eat plants (EXAMPLE: hawk, shark, bird that eats insects)

Question 17

Omnivore

Answer 17

eats plants and animals (EXAMPLE: skunk, fox, opossum)

Question 18

Scavenger

Answer 18

carnivore that feeds on the bodies of dead organisms (EXAMPLE: vulture)

Question 19

Decomposer

Answer 19

breaks down wastes and dead organisms and returns the raw materials to the ecosystem (EXAMPLE: mushroom or other fungi, and bacteria)

Question 20

Predator

Answer 20

an organism that kills another organism for food (EXAMPLE: a wolf)

Question 21

Prey

Answer 21

organism that is killed for food (EXAMPLE: a rabbit)

Question 22

Competition

Answer 22

Struggle between organisms to survive as they attempt to use the same limited resources