Unit A Section 1

Question 1

Biological Diversity

Answer 1

Refers to the different types of organisms on earth

Question 2

Species

Answer 2

A group of organisms that have the same structure and can reproduce with one another to produce for tile offspring

Question 3

Ecosystem

Answer 3

a system formed by the interaction of organisms (biotic) with their physical environment (abiotic)

Question 4

Biotic

Answer 4

Living things

Question 5

Abiotic

Answer 5

Nonliving things

Question 6

Population get

Answer 6

a group of the same species that live in the same area and use the same resources

Question 7

Community

Answer 7

A group of different populations that live in the same area

Question 8

Biotic and abiotic things interact with one another in a shared environment. Together they function as a system, an ecosystem.

Answer 8

Abiotic factors affect the number and types of species that live in an ecosystem.

Question 9

Genetic diversity

Answer 9

Refers to the variations between members of a population. Some are visible some are not. Humans can modify the amount of variation in an organism. Example: pets and plants that we do not want to change and we want to keep some useful characteristics.

Question 10

Region with the greatest biological diversity

Answer 10

Tropical rain forests

Question 11

KPCOFGS (talons)

Answer 11

Kingdom Phyla Classes Orders Families Genera Species

Question 12

Symbiosis

Answer 12

Relationship between two different species, a type of interdependence.

Question 13

Commensalism

Answer 13

One organism benefits but the other is not harmed nor does it benefit. Example: barnacles and whales

Question 14

Mutualism

Answer 14

Both organisms benefit. example: flowers and bees

Question 15

Parisitism

Answer 15

One organism benefits but the other is harmed, however, it is not like the predator-prey relationship because parasites do not usually kill their host. Parasitism is not limited to two organisms it can become a chain.

Question 16

Interspecies competition

Answer 16

Happens when two or more species need the same resource. Limits the size of the populations of the competing species. Example: competing for food may lead to starvation

Question 17

Niche

Answer 17

Describes the role of an organism within the ecosystem. It can change over time. Includes: what it eats, what eats it, it’s habitat, it’s effect on its environment, etc.

Question 18

Resource partitioning

Answer 18

When similar species coexist in the area and have adaptations to avoid competition. Example: bird species dividing up parts of a tree to eat from.

Question 19

Variability

Answer 19

Variation within a species

Question 20

Variability is important if the environment of the species changes. Variability can help some individuals survive environmental changes. These changes can include a new predator, a new disease, elimination of a food source and so on.

Answer 20

Example: different coat colours can help fox populations survive in different habitats. Example: if humans are all the same and one dies from a disease then all the rest would die too because there’s no variability.

Question 21

Natural selection

Answer 21

When the environment selects which individuals will survive long enough to reproduce. This is another way that affects the survival of a species.