Ecology- Chapter 2

Question 1

What is an abiotic factors?

Answer 1

a non living part of an ecosystem that shapes its environment

Question 2

what are some of the organisms abiotic factors?

Answer 2

Light, water, soil PH, Atmosphere(CO2, O2, H2O), nutrients

Question 3

What is Ecophysiology?

Answer 3

Ecophysiology or Autecology , studies the response of an organism to its abiotic environment

Question 4

T/F: Ecophysiologists study organism’s physiological
responses to abiotic environment, such as
temperature, moisture, light, nutrients, O 2 , CO 2

Answer 4

True

Question 5

T/F: Trees grown at a warmer
temperature require higher
temperatures for optimal
performance

Answer 5

True

Question 6

T/F: Photosynthetic rate of black
spruce depends on actual
temperature and the growth
temperature of the plants

Answer 6

True

Question 7

What are the factors that affects photosynthetic rate of black spruce(Picea mariana)?

Answer 7

actual temp & growth temp of the plant

Question 8

what is comparative ecology?

Answer 8

Comparative ecology investigates interspecific
differences in responses to abiotic environment.
It uses mostly ecophysiological methods

Question 9

why Pitcher thistle is rare?

Answer 9

Pitcher’s thistle is physiologically adapted to survive the
extreme environment of sand-dunes along the shores of the
Great Lakes. It is limited to those environments and it is rare

Question 10

what is a biotic environment?

Answer 10

A biotic environment is home to living things that directly or indirectly affect other living things

Question 11

T/F: The biotic environment consists of organisms of other
species, e.g., in a prey-predator relationship

Answer 11

True

Question 12

what is community?

Answer 12

the interacting organisms of all species in a given area

Question 13

Define Community Ecology?

Answer 13

Community Ecology or synecology , studies interspecific interactions and the results of these, such as diversity and species composition

Question 14

T/F: Misumena vatia, the goldenrod crab spider can actively change it colour, depending on
the flower in which they are hunting

Answer 14

True

Question 15

T/F: Goldenrod crab spiders are often found in goldenrod(Solidago sp).

Answer 15

True

Question 16

T/F: goldenrod (
Solidago sp.), a bright yellow flower which
attracts large numbers of insects, particularly in autumn

Answer 16

True

Question 17

T/F: Honey bee (
Apis mellifera), a
eusocial flying insect has been
domesticated for honey
production and crop pollination

Answer 17

True

Question 18

succession

Answer 18

Ecological succession is the process by which the mix of species and habitat in an area changes over time

Question 19

community dynamics

Answer 19

Community dynamics are the changes in community structure and composition over time, often following environmental disturbances such as volcanoes, earthquakes, storms, fires, and climate change

Question 20

T/F: Grasshoppers are the primary prey.
Nest on the ground, hidden at the
base of a grass clump

Answer 20

True

Question 21

T/F: Black-throated green warbler
Eat glean caterpillars from small branches
on coniferous and deciduous trees.
Nest usually 3-10 feet off the ground
(sometimes higher) in a small tree or
sapling, close to the trunk

Answer 21

True

Question 22

T/F: The abiotic environment is usually strongly modified
by other organisms

Answer 22

True

Question 23

T/F: Biotic and abiotic environments affect organisms

Answer 23

True

Question 24

during the winter, what are the factors that small birds rely on for survival?

Answer 24

1. food availability(Biotic environment)
2. temperature(abiotic environment)

Question 25

population

Answer 25

group of individuals of the same species inhabiting a
given area (and interbreeding).

Question 26

Population ecologists

Answer 26

study interactions with
conspecific organisms:
numbers of individuals
and the underlying
processes, such as
birth and mortality
rates