ecosystem and ecological interactions Flashcards
define energy flow
the flow of energy through living organism withing an ecosystem
what are the first 4 stages of energy transfer
1st stage: producers
2nd stage: primary consumers
3rd stage: secondary consumers
4th stage: tertiary consumers
it is the relative position of any entity in the food chain
trophic level
how many tropic levels does all food webs and chains have at leasth
2 or 3
autotrophs
auto =
trophe =
auto = self
trophe = food/ nourishment/ nutrition
heterotrophs
hetero =
trophe =
hetero = others
trophe = food/ nourishment/ nutrition
this tropic level depends on the producers for nourishments (examples)
heterotrophs (animals, humans, non-photosynthetic plants aka parasitic plants) - they are consumers in the food chain
this tropic level can reduce their own food source (examples)
autotrophs (grass, wheat, algae, phytoplankton)
organisms that mostly feed on plants
herbivore
organisms that mostly eats meat, or the flesh of animals
carnivore
organisms that eats food of both plant and animal origin
omnivore
microbiological pathogens destroyer found in human blood stream (example)
microbivore (flagellates, protozoa)
animal which feeds on dead organic
material (examples)
detritivore (earthworms, millipedes)
these are special heterotroph. microorganisms including detritivores, feed on decomposing materials to break down its components into simple molecules (examples)
decomposers (bacteria, fungi) - break down organic matter into simpler inorganic compounds
involves the organism in different trophic levels in transferring energy
food chain
food chain is the process of ___ and being ___
eating
being eaten
what is the difference between food chain and food web
food chain: shows a series of transfer of energy
food web: interconnecting food chains
food web:
each living thing in an ecosystem is part of _____
multiple food chain
it depicts show energy and biomass decreases from lower to higher trophic levels
ecological pyramid
symbíōsis in greek =
syn =
bíōsis=
symbíōsis in greek = living tgt
syn = tgt
bíōsis=living
symbíōsis is also classified as _____
physical attachment
what is symbiotic relationship
biological relationship or interaction btwn organisms
mutualism is also known as
mutualistic symbiosis
an interspecific interaction that benefits both species
mutualism
briefly explain the 4 types of mutualism (examples)
Defensive:
for protection
Obligate:
one cannot survive without resorting mutualism to other
Protocooperation:
can live independently but can provide benefits to both (bees and plants)
Endosymbiosis and Ectosymbiosis:
participants live on the other’s surface
organism lives inside the body or cells of another organism (sea anemone and clownfish)
define commensalism
one species benefits and other is not affected
it derives its nourishment from host which is harmed in the process
parasitism
briefly explain the different types of parasites
Obligate parasitism:
life cycle depends on host
Facultative parasitism:
organisms can be a free-living but can be parasitic when given the opportunity
Ectoparasitism:
parasitic participants live outside or on host’s body
Endoparasitism:
parasitic participant lives within the host
one is harmed when both are trying to use the same resources related to growth , reproduction or survivability
competition
what is the difference between interspecific and intraspecific
Interspecific: participants are from the different species
Examples: Predation between snakes and mice
Intraspecific: participants are from the same species
Examples: A fight between two lions over territory
strong competition can lead to _____ or _____ of one of the 2 competing species
competitive exclusion -
one species outcompetes another over the same resources until the inferior competitor is excluded
local elimination -
a species disappears from or is eliminated from one local habitat but continues to exist in other habitats
