Intro To Ecology

Question 1

Organism

Answer 1

An individual living thing

Example: one alligator

Question 2

Population

Answer 2

A group of the same species living in one area

Example: all the alligators in a swamp

Question 3

Community

Answer 3

A group of different species that live together in one area

Example: groups of alligators, turtles, birds, fish, plants, that live together in the Florida Everglades

Question 4

Ecosystem

Answer 4

All the different species that live together in one area as well as the nonliving factors- climate, soil, water, rocks, temperature, etc.
Example: An entire ecosystem may exist within a rotting log, which in turn may be part of a larger forest ecosystem

Question 5

Biome

Answer 5

A major regional or global community of organisms. They are usually defined by the climate and plant communities found there.
Examples: Tundra, rainforest, desert, ocean, grassland, etc

Question 6

Biosphere

Answer 6

The global sum of all ecosystems. It can be termed as the zone of life on Earth.
Example: Earth

Question 7

Observation

Answer 7

Carefully watching something usually over a long period of time, usually because environmental changes happen over a long period of time

Question 8

Experimentation

Answer 8

They do field experiments (not lab experiments in which variables are controlled). A field experiment is performed where the organism lives

Question 9

Modeling

Answer 9

The use of computer and mathematical models to describe and model nature. Scientists can change different variables to learn about organisms or whole ecosystems in ways that would not be possible in a natural setting.

Question 10

Ecology

Answer 10

The study of the interaction among living things and between living things and their surroundings, because living organisms do not exist in isolation