Unit D. Chapter 1: Changes in living ecosystems

Question 1

Biotic Factor

Answer 1

A living organism in the environment.

Question 2

Abiotic Factor

Answer 2

A physical, non-living part of the environment.

Question 3

Ecosystem

Answer 3

All the organisms in an area as well as the abiotic factors with which they interact.

Question 4

Habitat

Answer 4

All the Biotic and Abiotic factors present in an area that encourage the reproduction and survival of a particular organism.

Question 5

Algae

Answer 5

Microscopic, photosynthetic organism that play a vital role in marine and freshwater ecosystems.

Question 6

Harmful Algal Bloom

Answer 6

A rapid growth of algae that can deplete the oxygen dissolved in the water and block sunlight required by other organisms in the aquatic ecosystem.

Question 7

Biomass

Answer 7

The dry mass of all the living organisms occupying a habitat.

Question 8

Ecology

Answer 8

The study of the interactions of living organisms with one another and with their physical environment.

Question 9

Population

Answer 9

A group of organisms, all of the same species, which interbreed and live in the same area at the same time.

Question 10

Biological community

Answer 10

Interacting populations living in a certain area at a certain time.

Question 11

Commensalism

Answer 11

A form of symbiosis in which one organism benefits, and the other organism is neither helped nor harmed.

Question 12

Parasitism

Answer 12

A symbiotic relationship in which one organism, called the parasite, derives benefit at the expense of another organism, called the host.

Question 13

Symbiosis

Answer 13

A long-lasting, ecological relationship that benefits at least one organism of two different species that live in close contact.

Question 14

Mutualism

Answer 14

A symbiotic relationship in which the organisms of both species benefit.

Question 15

Predation

Answer 15

An interaction where one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, called the prey.

Question 16

Competition

Answer 16

An interaction in which two or more organisms compete for the same limited resource.

Question 17

Secondary consumer

Answer 17

An organism that eats herbivores.

Question 18

Tertiary consumer

Answer 18

An organism that eats secondary consumers.

Question 19

Carnivore

Answer 19

An organism that kills and eats other animals.

Question 20

Omnivore

Answer 20

An organism that eats both plants and animals.

Question 21

Scavenger

Answer 21

A bird or animal that feeds on dead and decaying animals that it did not kill itself.

Question 22

Decomposer

Answer 22

An organism that breaks down complex, organic molecules into simpler molecules.

Question 23

Tropic level

Answer 23

The division of species within an ecosystem based upon its energy source.

Question 24

Food chains

Answer 24

The pathway along which food is transferred from one trophic level to the next.

Question 25

Food web

Answer 25

The interconnecting feeding relationships within an ecosystem.

Question 26

Transpiration

Answer 26

The loss of water vapour from plant through its leaves.

Question 27

Humidity

Answer 27

The atmosphere’s moisture content.

Question 28

Biogeochemical cycle

Answer 28

A diagram representing the movement of elements and compounds between living and non-living components of an ecosystem.

Question 29

Photosynthesis

Answer 29

The process by which plants and some other organisms use light energy to convert water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and high-energy carbohydrates, such as sugars and starches.

Question 30

Cellular respiration

Answer 30

The process by which cells convert the chemical energy stored in sugars into energy that the cells can use.

Question 31

Peat

Answer 31

Deep layers of mosses and plant remains unable to completely decompose due to the lack of oxygen in water-saturated soil.

Question 32

Ozone

Answer 32

A molecule comprised of three atoms of Oxygen.

Question 33

Nitrogen fixation

Answer 33

The process of converting nitrogen gas into ammonia.

Question 34

Nitrifying bacteria

Answer 34

A type of soil bacteria that converts ammonia into nitrates and nitrites.

Question 35

Nitrification

Answer 35

The process of converting ammonia into nitrates and nitrites.

Question 36

Denitrifying bacteria

Answer 36

A type of soul bacteria that converts nitrites in soil into nitrogen gas, releasing this gas to the atmosphere.

Question 37

Denitrification

Answer 37

The process of converting nitrates in the soil into nitrogen gas.

Question 38

Lichen

Answer 38

An organism formed by the symbiotic association of a fungus and a photosynthetic alga.

Question 39

Endangered species

Answer 39

A species that may soon no longer exist within certain regions and/or may be threatened with imminent extinction.

Question 40

Habitat fragmentation

Answer 40

The conversion of formerly continuous habitat into patches separated by non-habitat areas.

Question 41

Habitat destruction

Answer 41

The permanent alteration of vital characteristics in an organisms habitat.

Question 42

Biodiversity

Answer 42

The variety of life in all its forms, including ecosystem diversity, species diversity, and genetic diversity.

Question 43

Invasive species

Answer 43

A species that does not normally occur in an area, is introduced by human action, and then expands to become a breeding population that threatens the areas biodiversity.

Question 44

Nutrient

Answer 44

Any element or compound that an organism needs for metabolism, growth, or other functioning.

Question 45

A group of organisms all of the same species?

Answer 45

Population.

Question 46

A division of organisms with a similar nutrition source?

Answer 46

Tropic level.

Question 47

A symbiotic relationship in which both organisms benefit?

Answer 47

Mutualism.

Question 48

A loss of water vapour from a plant through its leaves?

Answer 48

Transpiration.

Question 49

An organism that uses solar energy to make food?

Answer 49

Producer.

Question 50

An area which organisms lives out its life?

Answer 50

Habitat.

Question 51

A struggle between organisms for limited resources?

Answer 51

Competition.

Question 52

What’s the difference between Biodiversity and Biomass?

Answer 52

The difference between Biodiversity and Biomass is that Biomass measures the mass of every living organism in a given area, Biodiversity is a measure of the variety of life in a given area.

Question 53

What’s the difference between Abiotic and Biotic?

Answer 53

The difference between Abiotic and Biotic is that Abiotic is living organisms and Biotic is not.

Question 54

What’s the difference between food chain and food web?

Answer 54

The difference between food chain and food web is that food web shows us how plants and animals are connected in many ways to help them survive. Food chains follow just one path of energy as animals find food.

Question 55

What’s the difference between Producer and Consumer?

Answer 55

The difference between Producer and consumer is that a Producer is an organism that uses light energy to create food while the consumer is an organism that relies on the Producer as food source.