Topics 1 & 2

Question 1

Abiotic

Answer 1

Non-living things in an environment

Question 2

Biomagnification

Answer 2

When concentration of a substance increases with each subsequent trophic level

Question 3

Biome

Answer 3

A collection of ecosystems sharing similar climatic conditions

Question 4

Biotic

Answer 4

Animals, plants, all living things in an environment

Question 5

Carnivores

Answer 5

Animals that consume other animals

Question 6

Cellular Respiration

Answer 6

The process that organisms use to release chemical bond energy from food.

Question 7

Climax Community

Answer 7

An ecological community in which populations of plants or animals remain stable and exist in balance with each other and their environment

Question 8

Closed System

Answer 8

A system where energy and not matter is exchanged

Question 9

Community

Answer 9

An assemblage of populations occupying the same geographic areas at the same time

Question 10

Consumers

Answer 10

Second trophic level and above; consume the energy of the producers and lower level consumers

Question 11

Decomposers

Answer 11

Organisms that break down dead or decaying organic matter

Question 12

Density-Dependant Factor

Answer 12

Those limiting factors that become more severe as the size of the population increases.

Question 13

Density-Independent Factor

Answer 13

Those limiting factors that are not affected by population size.

Question 14

Diversity

Answer 14

The degree of variation of life in an ecosystem

Question 15

Ecosystem

Answer 15

A community of living organisms in conjunction with nonliving components

Question 16

Environmental Gradient

Answer 16

A gradual change in abiotic factors through space or time

Question 17

Environmental Impact Statement

Answer 17

The process of evaluating the likely environmental impact of a proposed project or development

Question 18

Equilibrium

Answer 18

A state of balance.

Question 19

First Law of Thermodynamics

Answer 19

The first law of thermodynamics states that energy can neither be created or destroyed; it only changes forms.

Question 20

Flow

Answer 20

Energy that goes from one thing to another; indicated with arrows

Question 21

Gaia

Answer 21

The whole earth; all ecosystems; “Mother Earth”

Question 22

Genetic Diversity

Answer 22

The total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species

Question 23

Gross Productivity

Answer 23

The total gain in energy or biomass per unit area per unit time, which could be through photosynthesis in primary producers or absorption in consumers.

Question 24

Habitat

Answer 24

The natural home or environment of an organism

Question 25

Habitat Diversity

Answer 25

The range of habitats present in a region

Question 26

Herbivores

Answer 26

Animals that consume only plants

Question 27

Isolated System

Answer 27

A system where neither energy or matter are energy are exchanged

Question 28

K-Strategist

Answer 28

Species that usually concentrate their reproductive investment in a small number of offspring, thus increasing their survival rate and adapting them for living in long-term climax communities.

Question 29

Limiting Factor

Answer 29

The primary condition of the environment that determines the population size for an organism.

Question 30

Lincoln Index

Answer 30

A statistical measure of population to account for population not yet measured

Question 31

Negative Feedback

Answer 31

Feedback that maintains the equilibrium of an ecosystem.

Question 32

Net Productivity

Answer 32

The gain in energy or biomass per unit area per unit time remaining after allowing for respiratory losses (R). Other metabolic losses may take place, but these may be ignored when calculating and defining net productivity.

Question 33

Niche

Answer 33

The place or function of an organism within its ecosystem

Question 34

Open System

Answer 34

A system wherein matter and energy are exchanged

Question 35

Photosynthesis

Answer 35

The process by which plants manufacture food. Light energy is used to convert carbon dioxide and water to sugar and oxygen.

Question 36

Population

Answer 36

The number of individuals of a species in a certain geographic area

Question 37

Positive Feedback

Answer 37

Feedback that continues accelerating change in an ecosystem.

Question 38

Primary Productivity

Answer 38

The gain by producers in energy or biomass per unit area per unit time. Could refer to either gross or net primary productivity.

Question 39

Primary Succession

Answer 39

Succession in an environment devoid of vegetation and lacking soil e.g. a lava flow

Question 40

Producers

Answer 40

First trophic level; anything that photosynthesizes

Question 41

Pyramid of Biomass

Answer 41

A pyramid that indicates the biomass per area of an environment at each trophic level

Question 42

Pyramid of Numbers

Answer 42

A pyramid that indicates the number per an area of individuals at each trophic level

Question 43

Pyramid of Productivity

Answer 43

A pyramid that indicates the energy produced per area per time at each trophic level

Question 44

R-Strategist

Answer 44

Species that tend to spread their reproductive investment among a large number of offspring so that they are well adapted to colonize new habitats rapidly and make opportunistic use of short-lived resources.

Question 45

Second Law of Thermodynamics

Answer 45

The second law of thermodynamics states that energy moves from from more organized to less organized forms and becomes less useful.

Question 46

Secondary Productivity

Answer 46

The biomass gained by heterotrophic organisms, through feeding and absorption, measured in units of mass or energy per unit area per unit time.

Question 47

Secondary Succession

Answer 47

Succession in an environment with some vegetation and soil

Question 48

Simpson's Diversity Index

Answer 48

A measure of biodiversity that accounts for the number of species and the abundance of each species

Question 49

Species

Answer 49

The largest possible group of organisms capable of interbreeding

Question 50

Species Diversity

Answer 50

The number of different species present in an ecosystem

Question 51

Static Equilibrium

Answer 51

A state of balance because of no change.

Question 52

Steady State Equilibrium

Answer 52

A state of balance with constantly fluctuating change (i.e. population of rabbits)

Question 53

Storage

Answer 53

Energy is kept in one place in an ecosystem; indicated with boxes

Question 54

Succession

Answer 54

The observed process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time

Question 55

Top Carnivores

Answer 55

The animal at the highest possible trophic level

Question 56

Transfer

Answer 56

A transfer of energy from one organism to the other.

Question 57

Transformation

Answer 57

A change in the form of energy (i.e. from light to chemical, chemical to heat)

Question 58

Trophic Level

Answer 58

Producer, Primary Consumer, Secondary Consumer, Tertiary Consumer, etc.