Ecology

Question 1

species

Answer 1

group of organisms with similar characteristics

able to potentially interbreed and produce fertile offspring

Question 2

population

Answer 2

group of organisms of same species who live in same area at same time

Question 3

autotroph

Answer 3

organism that is able to form nutritional organic substances from simple inorganic substances

Question 4

heterotroph

Answer 4

organism deriving its nutritional requirements from complex organic substances

Question 5

saprotroph

Answer 5

heterotrophs that feed on dead organisms by external digestion

Question 6

consumer

Answer 6

heterotrophs that feed on living things by ingestion

Question 7

detritivore

Answer 7

heterotroph that feed on dertritus by internal digestion

Question 8

community

Answer 8

group of populations of different species living together and interacting with each other in same area

Question 9

food web

Answer 9

complex network of trophic relationships in community

Question 10

abiotic environment

Answer 10

non-living surroundings of community

Question 11

ecosystem

Answer 11

community of organisms which interact with abiotic environment

Question 12

mesocosm

Answer 12

small experimental area set up in ecological research programme

Question 13

quadrat

Answer 13

square sample area used in ecological research

Question 14

requirements for sustainability of ecosystems

Answer 14

nutrient availability

detoxification of waste products

energy availability

Question 15

initial source of energy (for most communities)

Answer 15

sunlight

Question 16

autotrophs which carry out photosynthesis

Answer 16

plants

eukaryotic algae

cyanobacteria

Question 17

food chain

Answer 17

sequence of organisms wherein each organism feeds on previous one

Question 18

trophic level

Answer 18

each of several hierarchical levels in ecosystem

comprised of organisms that share same function in food chain and same nutritional relationship to producers of energy

Question 19

producer

Answer 19

autotroph

organism which makes its food by energy conversion

1^st organism in food chain

Question 20

primary consumer

Answer 20

organism which consumes producers

herbivorous

Question 21

secondary consumer

Answer 21

organism which consumes primary consumers

carnivorous/omnivorous

Question 22

ways by which food and energy can be passed to saprotrophs and detritivores

Answer 22

death of organism before being consumed by next organism in food chain

remnants of organisms consumed by next organism in food chain

indigestible nutrients found in organisms egested by next organism in food chain

Question 23

biomass

Answer 23

total mass of group of organisms

consists of cells and tissues of organisms

has energy

Question 24

cause of energy losses in ecosystems

Answer 24

inability to convert heat energy (particularly from cellular respiration) into any other form of energy

failure to entirely consume organisms in previous trophic level

inability for all parts of food ingested to be digested and absorbed

Question 25

unit used to measure biomass

Answer 25

grams

Question 26

tertiary consumer

Answer 26

organism which consumes primary consumers and secondary consumers

typically carnivorous (sometimes omnivorous)

Question 27

energy pyramid

trophic pyramid

ecological pyramid

Answer 27

graphical representation of flow of energy at each trophic level in ecosystem

Question 28

function of nutrient recycling in sustainability of ecosystems

Answer 28

allows essential nutrients to be absorbed from environment, used by living organisms, and eventually returned to environment

makes up for limited supply of nutrients in ecosystems