Key Definitions and Concepts

Question 1

Biogeography

Answer 1

Study of past and present geographic distributions of organisms

Question 2

Phytogeography

Answer 2

Study of past and present distributions of plants

Question 3

Zoogeography

Answer 3

Study of past and present distributions of animals

Question 4

Ecological biogeography

Answer 4

Study of modern relationships between organisms and their environment

Question 5

Historical biogeography

Answer 5

study of past distributions and evolution of organisms

Question 6

Conservation biogeography

Answer 6

Application of biogeographical studies for conservation

Question 7

Ecology

Answer 7

study of the relationship of the organism to the environment

Question 8

Taxonomy

Answer 8

classification and naming of organisms

Question 9

Taxon

Answer 9

Observable traits (characters) to group organisms together & differentiate them from other groups, 
Physical and Genetic

Question 10

Species

Answer 10

A group of organism that can successfully interbreed with each other but not members of other groups

Question 11

Genus

Answer 11

Combination of generic and specific name

Question 12

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Answer 12

• Order, proboscidea
• Class, mammalia
• Phylum, chordata
• kingdom, animalia

Question 13

Ecological hierarchy

Answer 13

• individual
• population
• community
• ecosystem
• biome
• biosphere

Question 14

Population

Answer 14

all the individuals of a particular species in a specific area

Question 15

Community

Answer 15

All the populations of different species in a specific area

Question 16

Ecosystem

Answer 16

The community plus its physical environment

Question 17

Biome

Answer 17

Macro-scale classification of vegetation type and associated climate

Question 18

Biosphere

Answer 18

All life on the planet

Question 19

Trophic Hierarchy

Answer 19

The flow of energy through ecosystems

Question 20

Trophic levels

Answer 20

different levels of an ecosystem through which energy flows

Question 21

Primary produces

Answer 21

• Plants
• Autotrophs
• Lowest trophic level

Question 22

Primary consumers

Answer 22

Eat plants to obtain energy

- Herbivores

Question 23

Secondary Consumers

Answer 23

Eat primary consumers

- Carnivores

Question 24

Tertiary Consumers

Answer 24

Carnivores which eat secondary consumers

Question 25

Decomposers

Answer 25

recycle dead organisms at all trophic levels

Question 26

The 10% rule

Answer 26

only 10% of the energy in one trophic level is passes onto the next
lost through respiration

Question 27

Gross Primary Productivity (GPP)

Answer 27

total energy in an ecosystem ‘fixed’ by photosynthesis

Question 28

Net Primary Productivity (NPP)

Answer 28

GPP minus energy lost by respiration

energy converted into plant matter (biomass)