Ecology Lessons 1-3

Question 1

The study of the relationships between organisms & their environment.

Answer 1

Ecology

Question 1

Someone who studies how organisms interact with each other & their environment.

Answer 1

Ecologist

Question 1

A biological community of organisms & the environment they live in.

Answer 1

Ecosystem

Question 1

Three abiotic factors:

Answer 1

Water, Sunlight, Soil

Question 2

Two biotic factors

Answer 2

Fish, eagles, & worms

Question 3

An organism which produces its food using the abiotic aspects of its habitat. (ie. sunlight & soil)

Answer 3

Producer

Question 4

An organism which eats other organisms for food.

Answer 4

Consumer

Question 5

An organism which eats the dead remains of animals.

Answer 5

Scavenger

Question 6

An organism which breaks down organic material.

Answer 6

Decomposer

Question 7

The place where an organism lives.

Answer 7

Habitat

Question 8

Two types of ecosystems:

Answer 8

Terrestrial & Marine Ecosystems

Question 8

The role which an organism plays in its habitat.

Answer 8

Niche

Question 9

Two examples of decomposers

Answer 9

Bacteria & Fungi

Question 9

Two examples of scavengers

Answer 9

Crows & Vultures

Question 9

A sequence of organisms through which energy is passed.

Answer 9

Food Chain

Question 10

A complex relationship of food chains.

Answer 10

Food web

Question 11

Each step in the series of feeding relationships.

Answer 11

Trophic level

Question 12

Pyramid which describes the energy flow among the trophic levels.

Answer 12

Energy Pyramid

Question 13

Pyramid which shows the total amount of living material at each trophic level.

Answer 13

Biomass pyramid

Question 14

What are the four steps in the water cycle?

Answer 14

1. Solar energy heats earth & causes evaporation.
2. Evaporated water condenses into clouds.
3. Water returns to earth as precipitation.
4. Precipitation falling on land is taken up by plants, runs off along the surface, or enters the groundwater.

Question 15

Steps of the carbon cycle

Answer 15

1. Plants use CO2 to produce glucose
2. Animals eat plants & produce CO2 after using glucose during cellular respiration
3. When plants & animals die, their remains become fossil fuels containing CO2
4. CO2 is released when fossil fuels are burned

Question 16

Photosynthesis formula

Answer 16

Sunlight + CO2 + H2O into glucose & O2

Question 16

Cellular Respiration Formula

Answer 16

O2 + Glucose into CO2 & H2O

Question 17

Nitrogen Cycle Steps

Answer 17

1. Bacteria turn nitrogen gas into nitrate & ammonia in roots of legumes
2. Plants convert nitrate & ammonium in legume roots into plant proteins
3. Herbivores & omnivores convert plant protein into animal protein
4. Some bacteria turn the proteins of dead organisms into nitrate & ammonia, others turn them back into N2 (denitrification).

Question 18

Why do plants need nitrogen?

Answer 18

To form chlorophyll, & amino acids.

Question 19

How can volcanoes disturb the carbon cycle?

Answer 19

Volcanic activity can breakd own rocks containing carbon compounds, releasing CO2 into the atmosphere.

Question 19

What does lightning do in the nitrogen cycle?

Answer 19

It tears apart the bonds between atmospheric nitrogen molecules.

Question 20

What two compounds is most atmospheric nitrogen turned into?

Answer 20

Nitrate & ammonia