Unit 5 (Ecology-Abiotic Factors) 💜🧡

Question 1

What is Ecology?

Answer 1

The study of how different organism interact with each other and their environment.

Question 2

What is a Biotic Factor?

Answer 2

The living things within an ecosystem.

Question 3

What is an Abiotic Factor?

Answer 3

The non living things within an ecosystem.

Question 4

What are some examples of Abiotic Factors? Biotic Factors?

Answer 4

Abiotic- weather, ground environment
Biotic- plants, animals

Question 5

What is Population Ecology?

Answer 5

The study of dynamics within a species.

Question 6

What is Community Ecology?

Answer 6

The study of dynamics between different species.

Question 7

Give three examples of phenomenon we study in regards to Population Ecology?

Answer 7

1. Intraspecies Competition
2. Social Behavior
3. Mating Behavior

Question 8

Give four examples of phenomenon we study in regards to Community Ecology?

Answer 8

1. Interspecies Competition
2. Predation
3. Parasitism
4. Symbiosis

Question 9

What are the two primary abiotic factors in terrestrial environments? (land)

Answer 9

1. Temperature
2. Water Availability

Question 10

What is Environmental Science?

Answer 10

A branch of ecology studying the alternation of the biosphere by human activity and it’s consequences.

Question 11

Why is temperature so important to terrestrial organisms?

Answer 11

Temp. affects the rate of chemical reactions, so there are many advantages to maintaining a consistent temperature.

Question 12

What is a Homeothermic Animal?
What is a Poikilothermic Animal?

Answer 12

1. An animal with a relatively consistent body temperature.
2. An animal that’s body temperature varies depending on it’s enviornment.

Question 13

What is an Endothermic Animal?
What is an Ectothermic Animals?

Answer 13

1. An animal that primarily gets it’s body heat from it’s metabolism.
2. An animal that primarily gets it’s body heat from it’s environment.

Question 14

What are two examples of Homeotherms?

Answer 14

Birds and mammals

Question 15

What kind of animals are Poikilotherms?

Answer 15

Basically all animals except for birds and mammals.

Question 16

What is the temperature classification of reptiles?

Answer 16

Most reptiles are ectotherms but practically live as homeothermic animals as they regulate their temperature so well.

Question 17

List three advantages of homeoendothermy.

Answer 17

1. The animal can be nocturnal.
2. The animal can travel further.
3. The animal has superior stamina and activity level.

Question 18

What is the big disadvantage of endothermy?

Answer 18

Endothermy requires much more energy than ectothermy. (10x more to be exact) This means they have to consistently take in more calories.

Question 19

What does “abundance” generally refer to in Ecology?

Answer 19

Biodiversity (many species) and Productivity (lots of biomass)

Question 20

What are the two most important Abiotic Factors in marine environments?

Answer 20

1. Sunlight
2. Nutrients

Question 21

How common are sunlight and nutrients in different depths of the ocean?
1. Near the surface
2. Near the depths

Answer 21

1. Lots of sunlight, not many nutrients
2. No sunlight, many nutrients
   (dead things sink)

Question 22

Where does the vast majority (over 90%) of marine life live?

Answer 22

They live over the continental shelves.

Question 23

How much life can be found in the deep ocean?

Answer 23

The deep ocean is fairly lifeless.
(As far as we know)