Biology Unit 9b Ecology Test Review
introduced species' effects on biomes
disrupt food webs, usually have no natural predators, reproduced rapidly, and outcompete native species
Tundra
An extremely cold, dry biome.
desert
An extremely dry area with little water and few plants
taiga
Biome in which the winters are cold but summers are mild enough to allow the ground to thaw
Biomagnigication
CONCENTRATIONS OF A CONTAMINANT INCREASE AS IT PASSES UP THE FOOD CHAIN THROUGH MULTIPLE TROPHIC LEVELS
tropical rainforest
a broadleaf evergreen forest found in wet and hot regions near the equator.
temperate rainforest
a coastal biome typified by moderate temperatures and high precipitation
community
a group of different species that live together in one area
population
a group of the same species that lives in one area
biome
a major regional or global community of organisms characterized by the climate conditions and plant communities that thrive there
exponential growth
a rapid population increase due to an abundance of resources
secondary succession
a reestablishment of a damaged ecosystem (ex: soil already present)
keystone species
a species that has an unusually large effect on its ecosystem
mutualism
both organisms benefit (ex: bat gets food, cactus gets pollinated)
density dependent factors
competition, predation, parasitism, disease
generalists
consumers that have a varying diet
ecosystem
all of the organisms as well as the climate, soil, water, rocks and other nonliving things in a given area
computer and mathematical models
allows scientists to learn about organisms or ecosystems
organism
an individual living thing
Biotic factors in an ecosystem
animals, plants, fungi, bacteria
interspecific competition
between different species
intraspecific competition
between same species
temperate grasslands
biome characterized by deep, nutrient-rich soil that supports many grass species
birth rate
births increase number of individuals in a population
logistic growth
due to a population facing limited resources
Why does a level in a food chain have much less energy than the level below it?
each level loses 90%
energy source for consumers
eating other living or once-living things
ecological niche v. habitat
ecological niche- an animal's role in its habitat habitat- all aspects of an area where it lives
flow of energy v. carbon, water, oxygen, phosphorus, and nitrogen
energy isn't recycled but the others are
arrows in a food chain represent
flow of energy
food chains v. food webs
food chains- show a sequence of feeding relationships food webs- emphasize feeding relationships
spindle-shaped pyramid of numbers
forest food chains (ex: oak tree: producer, cardinal: consumer, hawk: carnivore)
temperate deciduous forest
forest in a temperate region, characterized by trees that drop their leaves annually
tropical grassland
grasses and scattered trees adapted to a tropical wet and dry climate
generalists' advantages
if one species of their prey dies then they still have more food to choose from without decreasing in population size
competitive exclusion principle
keeps two species from occupying the same niche
biome
land-based, global communities of organisms
reasons for a population crash
limited resources, overpopulation, and harsh climate
abiotic factors in an ecosystem
moisture, temperature, sunlight, water, and wind
immigration
movement of individuals into a population from another population
introduced species
nonnative species that are either intentionally or unintentionally transported to a new habitat
competition
occurs when two organisms fight for the same limited resources
nonrenewable resources
oil and coal
Commensalism
one organism benefits other is unharmed (ex: egrets get an easy meal, cattle aren't affected)
Paratism
one organism is benefit other is harmed (ex: wasp larvae get a meal, caterpillar is the meal)
inverted pyramid of numbers
parasitic food chains (ex: flees: parasite, dog: consumer, grass: producer)
experiments
performed, in lab, gives researches more control, or in the field, gives a more accurate picture of natural interactions
photosynthesis v. chemosynthesis
photosynthesis- obtains energy from sun chemosynthesis- obtains energy from chemicals
human disruptions to the cycles
poor farming practices and burning fossil fuels
base of all food webs
producers
biomass pyramid
pyramid showing the amount of dead animals
what type of biome has the most diversity?
rainforests
succession
regenerates or creates a community after a disturbance
pyramid of numbers
shows the number of living organisms at each trophic level
death rate
size of population decreases when individuals die
renewable resources
solar energy and wind energy
primary succession
started by pioneer species in an area previously uninhabited and without soil or other life (ex: lichens and mosses)
energy source for producers
sun
observation
the act of carefully watching something over time (visual survey)
the main reservoir of nitrogen in the biosphere
the atmosphere
what determines of carrying capacity
the circumstances of the environment
pioneer species
the first organisms that live in a previously uninhabited area
biota
the living thins within the biosphere
carrying capacity
the maximum number of individuals in a population that an environment can support
biogeochemical cycles
the movement of a particular chemical through the biological and geological parts of an ecosystem
emmigration
the movement of individuals out of a population into another population
bioshpere
the part of Earth where life exists
predation
the process by which one organism captures and feeds upon another organism (ex: bear hunting for salmon)
Ecology
the study of the relationships among organisms and their environments
importance of microclimates
they can change dramatically
density independent factors
unusual weather, natural disasters, human activities
natural disruptions to the cycle
volcanic eruptions, forest fires, landslides and earthquakes, and living organisms
