Unit 1: Ecology Flashcards
(29 cards)
The study of interactions of organisms with each other and their environments
Ecology
What are the 10 levels of ecological organization, smallest to largest
Cell Tissue Organ Organ system Organism Population Community Ecosystem Biome Biosphere
What is the specific area in an ecosystem where an organism lives called?
Habitat
The role an organism plays in the habitat is a ____
Niche
The concept that two species cannot compete for the same resources is the principle of ____
Competitive exclusion
The close relationship between two organisms in which at least one benefits is called _____
Symbiosis
The three levels of symbiosis and who benefits in each are?
Mutualism - both benefit (+, +)
Commensalism - one benefits / one isn’t affected (+, 0)
Parasitsm - one benefits / one is harmed (+, -)
Autotrophs vs heterotrophs, how do they get their energy?
Autotrophs, also called producers, like plants, make their own energy, while heterotrophs, also called consumers, get energy by eating other organisms.
What 4 types of heterotrophs/consumers are there?
Carnivores, meat eaters
herbivores, plant eaters
omnivores, meat and plant eaters
detritivores, dead/decaying organic material
Explain trophic levels in an energy pyramid, who has the most energy? Who has the least? etc.
Producers are at the bottom, they have the most, the next level is herbivores (primary consumers), they have 10% of the energy from the producers, then there are the carnivores (secondary consumers), they have 10% of the energy from the herbivores, and the top predator (tertiary consumers), the final level of the pyramid, has 10% of the energy of the carnivores.
How is energy in an energy pyramid measured?
Kcal or joules
A diagram showing the energy flow in an ecosystem
Energy pyramid
Diagram showing how much living mass is in each trophic level
Biomass pyramid
A diagram showing the number of organisms in each trophic level
Numbers pyramid
Simple diagram showing energy flow from one organism to another
Food chain
A diagram showing a more accurate demonstration of energy flow than a food chain, composed of multiple food chains
Food web
The process by plants that removes carbon dioxide and adds oxygen to the atmosphere?
Photosynthesis
What happens when detritivores break down dead and decaying matter?
The carbon and nitrogen is returned to the soil
The process of _______ removes oxygen from the atmosphere and adds carbon dioxide to the atmosphere
Cellular Respiration
Why do organisms need nitrogen?
To make proteins and nucleic acids
The process in which bacteria fixes nitrogen to suit plants and animals
Nitrogen fixation
Ammonia/ammonium compounds are converted into nitrate/nitrite compounds in the process of _____
Nitrification
Nitrogen in the soil is converted back into atmospheric nitrogen in the process of _____
Denitrification
A specific branch of ecology that studies how populations are affected by certain biotic and abiotic factors
Population dynamics
