Studying Organisms in Ecosystems

Question 1

What abiotic factors effect the distribution of life patterns?

Answer 1

• Climate
• Latitude
• Elevation
• Temp.
• Humidity
• Moisture
• Salinity (salt concentration)
• Light

Question 2

Define “climate”

Answer 2

Average weather conditions in a region over a period of time

Question 3

Define “biomes”

Answer 3

general or large ecosystems with a particular mix of plants, animals, and other organisms adapted to certain environmental conditions

Question 4

What are 6 types of terrestrial biomes?

Answer 4

1. Desert
2. Tundra
3. Grassland
4. Taiga
5. Temperate deciduous forests
6. Tropical rainforest

Question 5

What are 7 types of aquatic biomes?

Answer 5

1. Lakes
2. Rivers
3. Estuaries (rivers flowing into an ocean)
4. Corral Reefs
5. Intertidal zones (ocean meets land)
6. Open ocean
7. Deep sea

Question 6

Define “habitat”

Answer 6

Place/area within a biome with certain biotic and abiotic characteristics

Question 7

Define “range”

Answer 7

Geographical area where population or species can be found. Species will only be found where habitat requirements are met.

Question 8

Define “ecological niche”

Answer 8

The role members if a species play in a community, includes total range of biotic and abiotic requirements needed to survive.

Question 9

Define “biodiversitity”

Answer 9

variety of species determined by a variety of habitats and niches dependant on abiotic and biotic components

Question 10

define a “limiting factor”

Answer 10

any biotic and abiotic element that controls the number of individuals in a population

Question 11

5 abiotic limiting factors and how they effect the ecosystem

Answer 11

1. Sunlight (differing amounts of sunlight based on the north and south poles)
2. Temperature (Seasonal changes)
3. Altitude (Amount of oxygen available)
4. Water (amount/type of precipitation)
5. Soil (amount of nutrient in soil etc.)

Question 12

What are 3 biotic limiting factors

Answer 12

1. Competition
2. Predators
3. Parasitism

Question 13

What are the two types of competition?

Answer 13

1. Intraspecific competition
2. Interspecific competitions

Question 14

Define “intraspecific competition”

Answer 14

Members of the same population compete for a limited resource

Question 15

Define “Interspecific competition”

Answer 15

Members of different populations compete for limited resources

Question 16

How does biodiversity effect an ecosystem?

Answer 16

The greater the biodiversity, the less competition there is for any niche (job)

Question 17

How do invasive species effect an ecosystems?

Answer 17

An introduction of a new species to an ecosystem increases the amount of competition in an ecosystem

Question 18

How does parasiteism effect an ecosystem?

Answer 18

parasite derives nourishment from another organism (host)

Question 19

What is the difference between preditorism and parasiteism?

Answer 19

Unlike predation, in parasitism, the host is not permanently damaged/consumed.

Question 20

Are density dependant factors mostly abiotic or biotic?

Answer 20

Biotic

Question 21

What are the 3 types of sampling in an ecosystem

Answer 21

1. Samples
2. Transect
3. Quadrants

Question 22

What happens in samples?

Answer 22

Small portions of an entire population to estimate the population’s size

Question 23

What happens in an transect? Why are they used?

Answer 23

• A long rectangle is used to divide the ecosystem with a random starting point and direction, counting individuals of species along a certain distance.
• They are used for dynamic/large organisms

Question 24

What happens in an quadrat? Why are they used?

Answer 24

• Random locations chosen of the same size, number of individuals of species within each quadrat is counted
• Used for static/small organisms

Question 25

Define “density”

Answer 25

of individuals per unit of area