Wildlife Biology: Ecology

Question 1

A system that includes all living organisms (biotic factors) in an area as well as its physical environment (abiotic factors) functioning together as a unit.

Answer 1

Ecosystem

Question 2

A factor created by a living thing or any living component within an environment in which the action of the organism affects the life of another organism

Answer 2

Biotic factor

Question 3

Any of the nonliving factors that make up the abiotic environment in which living organisms occur.

Answer 3

Abiotic factor

Question 4

An individual living thing that can react to stimuli, reproduce, grow, and maintain homeostasis.

Answer 4

Organism

Question 5

A group of closely related organisms that are very similar to each other and are usually capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring.

Answer 5

Species

Question 6

A group of organisms of one species that interbreed and live in the same place at the same time

Answer 6

Population

Question 7

An interacting group of various species in a common location.

Answer 7

Community

Question 8

The location or environment where an organism is most likely to be found

Answer 8

Habitat

Question 9

The process in nature by which, according to Darwin’s theory of evolution, only the organisms best adapted to their environment tend to survive and transmit their genetic characters in increasing numbers to succeeding generations while those less adapted tend to be eliminated.

Answer 9

Natural selection

Question 10

Is change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations.

Answer 10

Evolution

Question 11

A organism capable of making nutritive organic molecules from inorganic sources via photosynthesis

Answer 11

Producers / autotrophs

Question 12

An organism that generally obtains food by feeding on other organisms or organic matter due to lack of the ability to manufacture own food from inorganic sources

Answer 12

Consumers / heterotrophs

Question 13

Is the living organism that eats the producers

Answer 13

Primary consumer

Question 14

Any organism that consumes or feeds largely on primary consumers

Answer 14

Secondary consumer

Question 15

A carnivore at the topmost level in a food chain that feeds on other carnivores

Answer 15

Tertiary consumer

Question 16

Organism that eats only plants

Answer 16

Herbivores

Question 17

Organism that eats only meat

Answer 17

Carnivores

Question 18

Organisms that eat both plants and animals

Answer 18

Omnivores

Question 19

An organism whose ecological function involves the recycling of nutrients by performing the natural process of decomposition as it feeds on decaying organisms.

Answer 19

Decomposes

Question 20

A feeding hierarchy in which organisms in an ecosystem are grouped into trophic (nutritional) levels and are shown in a succession to represent the flow of food energy and the feeding relationships between them

Answer 20

Food Chain

Question 21

A graphical model showing the interconnecting food chains in an ecological community.

Answer 21

Food Web

Question 22

Is a graphical model of energy flow in a community.

Answer 22

Energy Pyramid