Ecosystems

Question 1

What are biotic factors in an ecosystem?

Answer 1

Biotic factors are all the LIVING organisms in the ecosystem.

Question 2

What are abiotic factors in an ecosystem?

Answer 2

Abiotic factors are all the NONLIVING organisms in an ecosystem.

Question 3

Name 5 types of ecosystems.

Answer 3

Coral Reef, Desert, Tundra, Prairie, Coastal Wetland, Tropical Rain Forest

Question 4

What is a niche?

Answer 4

A niche is a role that an organism has in an ecosystem.

Question 5

What is a habitat?

Answer 5

A habitat is a place where an organism lives.

Question 6

What is carrying capacity?

Answer 6

The number of organisms that can live in a habitat.

Question 7

What is carrying capacity limited by?

Answer 7

Amount of food, water, space and shelter

Question 8

What do all organisms need to live?

Answer 8

Energy

Question 9

What are the three kinds of energy roles?

Answer 9

Producer, Consumer, Producer

Question 10

How do producers get food for energy?

Answer 10

Producers make their own food for energy.
Example: Plants

Question 11

How do consumers get food?

Answer 11

Consumers cannot make their own food. Energy comes from producers or other consumers.

Question 12

Name the three types of consumers.

Answer 12

Herbivores, Carnivores, Omnivores

Question 13

What do herbivores eat?

Answer 13

Herbivores eat only plants.

Question 14

What do carnivores eat?

Answer 14

Carnivores eat only other animals.

Question 15

What do omnivores eat?

Answer 15

Omnivores eat plants and animals.

Question 16

What is a scavenger?

Answer 16

Scavengers are carnivores that feed on dead animals.

Question 17

What is a decomposer?

Answer 17

Decomposers are organisms that get their energy by breaking down wastes and dead organisms.

Question 18

How does energy pass through an ecosystem?

Answer 18

Energy passes through when food is eaten.

Question 19

How does energy often begin in an ecosystem?

Answer 19

Energy often begins as the sunlight that plants use to make food.

Question 20

What is a long-term relationship between two different organisms called?

Answer 20

symbiosis

Question 21

Explain symbiosis

Answer 21

One organism is helped while the other organism might be harmed, helped or not affected.
Example: parasite

Question 22

What is a parasite?

Answer 22

An organism that lives on or inside of another organism.

Question 23

Example of decomposer

Answer 23

Bacteria, earthworms, fungus

Question 24

Examples of consumers

Answer 24

Hawk, Rabbit

Question 25

Examples of producers

Answer 25

Tree, grass

Question 26

What is an invasive species?

Answer 26

An invasive species is a species that is non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem and can be harmful to the environment. Can be plants or animals.

Question 27

Name two examples of invasive species.

Answer 27

Zebra mussels
Garlic-mustard plant
Burmese Python
Honeysuckle

Question 28

What 4 things can invasive species steal?

Answer 28

Space, shelter, food, water

Question 29

What is mutalism? Give an example.

Answer 29

Type of symbiosis in which both organisms benefit.
Example: Oxpecker bird and Rhinoceros

Question 30

What is parasitism? Give an example.

Answer 30

Type of symbiosis in which one organism benefits, but the other organism is harmed.
Example: Tick on a dog

Question 31

What is commensalism? Give an example.

Answer 31

Type of symbiosis in which one organism benefits while the other is not affected in any way.
Example: Bird nest in a tree