Unit 9 (Ecovology )

Question 1

Predators definition

Answer 1

Animals that hunt or prey on other animals are called predators

Question 2

Ecosystem definition

Answer 2

The living organisms in a particular area, together with the non-living components of the environment.

An ecosystem is the interaction between a community of living organisms and their environment.

Question 3

Community definition

Answer 3

A community is two or more populations of organisms.

Question 4

Food chain definition

Answer 4

A sequence (usually shown as a diagram) of feeding relationships between organisms, showing which organisms eat what and the movement of energy through trophic levels.

Question 5

Food webs definition

Answer 5

A network of food chains, showing how they all link together.

Question 6

Producers definition

Answer 6

Producers “produce” their own food by harnessing energy ( and using inorganic molecules) from their surroundings . They begin food chains .

Question 7

Primary consumer definition

Answer 7

The name given to an organism that eats a producer. Always a herbivore.

Question 8

Secondary consumer

Answer 8

An organism that obtains its energy by eating the primary consumer.

Question 9

Prey

Answer 9

Organisms that predators kill for food.

Question 10

Decomposes ( 4)

Answer 10

Decomposers are organisms ( bacteria and fungi), which break down dead organisms in a process called decomposition or rotting. They do this by releasing enzymes onto the dead matter and afterwards, consume the broken down substances. They form a vital role in the recycling of matter. When organisms die and decompose plants absorb the broken down nutrients through their roots.

Question 11

Abiotic factor

Answer 11

Non-living elements of an ecosystem, such as climate, temperature, water, and soil type.

Question 12

Biotic factors

Answer 12

Living elements of an ecosystem, such as plants and animals.

Question 13

Symbiotic relationships

Answer 13

Any ecological relationship that requires species to live in close proximity to each other

Question 14

Hwo is energy lost between teh sun and plants

Answer 14

From the Sun to the plant (producer), energy is lost when light is reflected off the leaf or passes through the leaf missing the chloroplasts. However, with no shortage of sunlight, this is not an issue.

Question 15

Why is energy lost between each Trophic level ? ( 3 points )p

Answer 15

Energy is lost due to:

The whole organism not being eaten (skeleton and fur left behind).
Not all the food being digested – some passes out of the animal in excretion or egestion.
Energy being lost as heat in respiration and therefore not being passed onto the next level. Respiration provides the animal with energy for movement, reproduction and growth

Question 16

Adaptations of the tapeworm as a parasite

Answer 16

• body covered by mucus to protect against host’s digestive juices
• no digestive system needed as food has already been digested
  -long, thin body
  gives large surface areas for absorbing food
• head has
  hooks and suckers to hold onto the gut wall

Question 17

Functions of prey and predator

Answer 17

Provide a source of food and energy in the ecosystem

Question 18

Parasitism (2)

Answer 18

Symbiosis is a close ecological relationship between the individuals of two (or more) different species, sometimes one species benefits at the other’s expense.

Parasitism occurs when an organism (the parasite) lives on or in another organism (the host) at the expense of the host.

Question 19

Mutualism

Answer 19

Mutualism is a type of symbiotic relationship where all species involved benefit from their interactions.

Question 20

Example of mutualism

Answer 20

The oxpecker bird is a type of African starling that eats ticks, fleas and other insects attached to large mammals such as buffalo and rhinoceros. The oxpecker is a type of cleaner species.
The oxpecker benefits from a source of food while the mammal is cleaned of parasites that feed on its blood.

Question 21

Amnesalism

Answer 21

Amensalism describes a relationship in which one species is unaffected but harm other species. Ex. Secreting a toxin

Question 22

Competition

Answer 22

Two organisms fight for the same resource, such as food or mates

Question 23

Secondary host

Answer 23

A host in which a parasite lives while it completes a developmental stage of its life cycle

Question 24

Predator prey cycle ( option 1 - not food related )(4)

Answer 24

Predator-prey cycles:

There are always more prey than predators.
The number of predators increases because there are more prey, so there is more food for them to eat.
The number of prey reduces because there are more predators, so more get eaten.
The number of predators reduces because there is less prey so less food.

Question 25

Introducing new predators interrupt teh predator prey balance

Answer 25

The arrival of new predators in an ecosystem can have a devastating effect. In balanced ecosystems predators and prey have evolved together. Predators can catch enough prey to survive, but not enough to kill all their prey.

The arrival of a new predator can upset this balance. An example of this is the introduction of the red fox to Australia, which has caused concern over their effect on native birds and small mammals. Introducing new predators can cause a rapid decline in the numbers of prey, which then reduces the food supply for existing predators.

Question 26

intraspecific vs interspecific competition

Answer 26

Intraspecific is competition between individuals of the same species, while interspecific is competition between individuals of different species

Question 27

population definition

Answer 27

a group of organisms of the same species living in teh same area at the same time

Question 28

species

Answer 28

a group of organisms that can interbreed to produce fertile offspirng

Question 29

community

Answer 29

a group of populatio living and interacting with each other in an area

Question 30

Autotrophs

Answer 30

organisms taht produce their own food from carbon ( simple organic molecules ) and inorganic compounds ??

Question 31

hetrotrophs

Answer 31

organisms that derive their energy from other living organisms

Question 32

Photoautotrophs

Answer 32

Photoautotrophs are organisms that can make their own energy using light and carbon dioxide via the process of photosynthesis.

Question 33

chemoautotrophs
(4)

Answer 33

using chemosynthesis to make theri own food. Chemosynthesis is a process by which some organisms, such as certain bacteria, use chemical energy to produce carbohydrates.

They are capable of utilizing inorganic compounds such as hydrogen sulfide, sulfur and ammonium as reducing agents, and synthesizing organic compounds from carbon dioxide. (Chemoautotrophs, in addition to deriving energy from chemical reactions, synthesize all necessary organic compounds from carbon dioxide. )

Question 34

chemotroph (1 line)

Answer 34

A chemotroph is an organism that obtains energy by the oxidation of electron donors in their environments.

Question 35

detrivores vs saphotrophs (definition)

Answer 35

detrivores ingests non living organic matter , saphotrophs live in or on non-living organism matter -secreting digetsive enzymses onto it and absorbing diges6ive products

Question 36

detrivores vs saprotrophs (examples)

Answer 36

detrivores (earthworm, woodlice), saprotrophs (fungi, bacteria)

Question 37

main differnace beteen detrivores and saphotrphes (short explanation)

Answer 37

detrivores ingest first then digest while saphotrophs digest first then absorb

Question 38

photohetotrophs

Answer 38

A heterotroph is an organism that depends on organic matter already produced by other organisms for its nourishment. Photoheterotrophs obtain their energy from sunlight and carbon from organic material and not carbon dioxide.

Question 39

keystone species definition

Answer 39

keystone species are species on which teh health, balance and diversity of an organism depends

Question 40

what happens to an ecosystme if the keystone species dies or is removed

Answer 40

when teh keystone species is not resent in teh eco system, there is no cycle of eating and reproducing and species are eliminated from the ecosystem