Unit 1

Question 1

Mutualism

Answer 1

A relationship between two species in which both species benefit

Question 2

Commensalism

Answer 2

Interaction that benefits one species, no effect on the other

Question 3

Parasitism

Answer 3

A relationship between two organisms of different species where one benefits and the other is harmed

Question 4

symbiotic relationships

Answer 4

close interaction between species in which one species lives in or on the other

Question 5

intra-specific competition

Answer 5

competition between individuals of the same species

Question 6

inter-specific competition

Answer 6

competition between different species

Question 7

resource partitioning

Answer 7

When species divide a niche to avoid competition for resource

Question 8

niche

Answer 8

An organism’s particular role in an ecosystem, or how it makes its living.

Question 9

Taiga

Answer 9

biome with long cold winters and a few months of warm weather; dominated by coniferous evergreens

Question 10

Temperate Rainforests

Answer 10

a coastal biome typified by moderate temperatures and high precipitation

Question 11

Temperate Seasonal Forests

Answer 11

A biome with warmer summers and colder winters than temperate rainforests and dominated by deciduous trees.

Question 12

Tropical Rainforests

Answer 12

biome near the equator with warm climate wet weather and lush plant growth

Question 13

Shrubland

Answer 13

biome with a low rainfall, yet hot, dry summers, and cold, wet winters; subject to fires

Question 14

Temperate Grassland

Answer 14

biome characterized by deep, nutrient-rich soil that supports many grass species adapted to cool climates

Question 15

Savanna

Answer 15

An area of grassland with scattered trees and bushes

Question 16

Desert

Answer 16

a biome that has little or no plant life, long periods without rain, and extreme temperatures; usually found in hot climates

Question 17

Tundra

Answer 17

An extremely cold, dry biome.

Question 18

Streams

Answer 18

Streams

Question 19

Rivers

Answer 19

are large, natural streams of fresh water.

Question 20

Ponds

Answer 20

Bodies of fresh water (shallow, allows sunlight to go all the way through the water and makes plants grow)

Question 21

Lakes

Answer 21

A body of water that is surrounded by land it can be fresh water or salt water.

Question 22

Oceans

Answer 22

large bodies of salt water

Question 23

Coral Reef

Answer 23

salt; low productivity; good nutrients; coral; easily destroyed

Question 24

marshland

Answer 24

low lying wetlands usually with grassy vegetation

Question 25

Estuaries

Answer 25

wetlands formed where rivers meet the sea

Question 26

carbon cycle

Answer 26

the series of processes by which carbon compounds are interconverted in the environment, chiefly involving the incorporation of carbon dioxide into living tissue by photosynthesis and its return to the atmosphere through respiration, the decay of dead organisms, and the burning of fossil fuels.

Question 27

Carbon Reservoir

Answer 27

Carbon reservoirs are places where carbon is stored for long periods of time. Some examples of carbon reservoirs include:
- The atmosphere, where carbon is stored as carbon dioxide gas
- The oceans, where carbon is stored in dissolved form or as part of marine organisms
- The land, where carbon is stored in the soil, vegetation, and organic matter
- Fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas, which are made from ancient plant and animal remains and contain stored carbon.

Question 28

photosynthesis

Answer 28

Plants use the sun’s energy to convert water and carbon dioxide into sugars

Question 29

cellular respiration

Answer 29

process that releases energy from food in the presence of oxygen

Question 30

decomposition

Answer 30

the state or process of rotting; decay.

Question 31

fossil fuels

Answer 31

a natural fuel such as coal or gas, formed in the geological past from the remains of living organisms.

Question 32

Combustion

Answer 32

the process of burning something

Question 33

nitrogen cycle

Answer 33

The transfer of nitrogen from the atmosphere to the soil, to living organisms, and back to the atmosphere

Question 34

Nitrogen reservoirs

Answer 34

Nitrogen reservoirs are places where nitrogen is stored for long periods of time. Some examples of nitrogen reservoirs include:
- The atmosphere, where nitrogen is stored as a gas
- The oceans, where nitrogen is stored in dissolved form or as part of marine organisms
- The soil, where nitrogen is stored in organic matter and inorganic forms such as ammonium and nitrate
- The biosphere, where nitrogen is stored in living organisms, including plants and animals
- Fossil fuels, which can contain nitrogen compounds in addition to carbon compounds.

Question 35

Compare the scale of time Nitrogen spends in a reservoir vs. Carbon.

Answer 35

Nitrogen cycles more quickly than carbon, with the entire nitrogen cycle taking weeks to months, while carbon can be stored in fossil fuels for millions of years.

Question 36

Phosphorus cycle

Answer 36

The movement of phosphorus atoms from rocks through the biosphere and hydrosphere and back to rocks.

Question 37

Phosphorus reservoirs

Answer 37

Phosphorus reservoirs are places where phosphorus is stored for long periods of time. Some examples of major phosphorus reservoirs include:
- Rocks and minerals, such as apatite, which contain large amounts of phosphorus
- Soil, where phosphorus is stored in organic matter and inorganic forms such as phosphate
- The oceans, where phosphorus is stored in dissolved form or as part of marine organisms
- The biosphere, where phosphorus is stored in living organisms, including plants and animals.

Question 38

Water Cycle (Hydrologic Cycle)

Answer 38

The movement of water into the air as water vapor and back to the Earth’s surface

Question 39

What are some large and small reservoirs in the hydrologic cycle

Answer 39

Large reservoirs in the hydrologic cycle include the oceans, polar ice caps, lakes, rivers, and groundwater aquifers. Small reservoirs include clouds, soil moisture, snowpack, and glaciers.

Question 40

Primary productivity

Answer 40

Primary productivity is the rate at which plants or algae convert energy from sunlight into organic matter through photosynthesis. It is a critical component of many ecosystems and can vary widely depending on factors such as nutrient availability, temperature, and light levels.

Question 41

Identify how light absorption in an aquatic environment may impact photosynthesizers

Answer 41

Light absorption in aquatic environments can limit the amount of light available for photosynthetic organisms to use in the process. This can reduce the rate of photosynthesis and primary productivity. Changes in water clarity or light availability can also impact the types of photosynthetic organisms present in an ecosystem.

Question 42

trophic levels

Answer 42

A trophic level is a position in a food chain or food web that represents the flow of energy and nutrients from one group of organisms to another. Organisms at higher trophic levels typically consume organisms at lower trophic levels. The lowest level is typically made up of producers, such as plants or algae, which convert energy from sunlight into organic matter through photosynthesis. Higher levels are typically made up of consumers, such as herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores.

Question 43

Identify how matter is conserved from one trophic level to the next.

Answer 43

Matter is conserved from one trophic level to the next through the process of decomposition. When organisms die, their bodies are broken down by decomposers, which release nutrients back into the environment. These nutrients can be taken up by other organisms and the cycle repeats.

Question 44

Explain the 10% rule

Answer 44

The 10% rule suggests that only about 10% of the energy available at one trophic level is transferred to the next trophic level. This means that energy is lost at each level of the food chain, which limits the number of trophic levels that can exist.

Question 45

the laws of thermodynamics

Answer 45

The laws of thermodynamics describe how energy behaves in a system. The first law says that energy can’t be created or destroyed, only converted or transferred. The second law says that energy tends to flow to where it is absent over time. The third law says that as things get colder, their flow approaches a minimum.

Question 46

Explain how the laws of thermodynamics play a role in energy loss from one trophic level to the next

Answer 46

The laws of thermodynamics explain why energy is lost as it moves up the food chain. Energy is converted from one form to another at each trophic level, and some of it is lost as heat or used in metabolic processes. This limits the number of trophic levels that can exist in a food chain.

Question 47

What are some examples of positive and negative impacts in a food web/chain?

Answer 47

Some examples of positive impacts in a food chain include predators controlling prey populations, species that help pollinate plants, and species that help decompose organic matter.

Some examples of negative impacts include overfishing, habitat destruction, pollution, and the introduction of invasive species.