Ecology

Humans also perform some activities that impact the nitrogen cycle.

1.) Burning of fossil fuels releases nitrous oxide and causes acid rain 2.) algae bloom due to artificial fertilizers

Conditioning Differentiation is a

- division due to environmental changes Ex: Some biomes alternate between wet and dry periods. One plant may flourish in the wet conditions and another plant in dry conditions. The two species will not occupy the niche at the same time. Over time, one species will not fully outcompete the other.

Predator partitioning is

- division due to predation Ex: Two plants could co-exist if they were grazed by different herbivores. As the herbivore populations fluctuate, the two plant populations will also fluctuate, stopping one species from fully out-competing the other.

As energy moves from producers to organisms higher up in the food chain, only ________ of the energy available at each level is available for organisms in the next level. Food chains are often limited to 4 or 5 trophic levels because as energy is lost at each level, there is not enough available to support a population of organisms beyond the tertiary consumer.

10%

If the producer trophic level of a food web had 10,000 KJ of energy, what level would you expect at the secondary consumer level?

100 KJ The amount of energy at each trophic level goes down by 10%. Since secondary consumers are two levels up, it would go down by 10% twice, leaving 1%, or 100 KJ in this case.

If the available energy from all secondary consumers to the next trophic level in an aquatic food web is 75 kcal / m2 / yr, then the net primary productivity of the food web is probably closest to:

7,500 kcal/m2/yr. Approximately 10% of the energy at any trophic level is transferred to the next trophic level. Since 75 kcal is available at the secondary consumer level, it can be assumed that 7,500 kcal was available at the producer level.

Earth's atmosphere is composed of about ________ nitrogen gas (N2). However, while most of Earth's nitrogen is here, this nitrogen gas is not directly usable by plants nor animals

78% of N2

Niche

A ___________ is the specific way that an organism lives and interacts within the habitat. For example, a red squirrel lives within a coniferous forest (habitat) and eats nuts, lives within the hollows of trees, and drinks water from streams (niche).

Community

A ___________________ is a small group of interacting species. Populations within a community may compete for resources. For example, two carnivore species may compete for territory.

Ecosystem

A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment. Ex. A group of humans, plants, and animals living on a farm

deciduous forest

A biome with four seasons, plants shed leaves in the fall and grow new ones in the spring. An area with moderate temperatures and precipitation

Secondary Consumer

A carnivore that eats primary consumers(herbivores)

Biome

A classification of similar ecosystems. Biomes are classified by their types of plants, animals, soil, temperature, climate, and location. grassland

Symbiosis

A close relationship between two species that benefits at least one of the species., ex. Parasitism

A terrestrial habitat community includes three species: A, B, and C. The populations were observed over a period of twelve months:

A is NOT the prey of C. The population of A is unaffected by seasonal fluctuations in B and C, so A probably does not have a direct predator-prey interaction with B or C.

How do a population and a community differ?

A population is a group of only one species. Multiple organisms of the same species form a population and multiple populations form a community.

Constrictive pyramid

A population pyramid that is narrower at the base than in the middle. It shows that the population consists disproportionately of middle-aged and older people. Middle aged or Elderly -Decreasing -Low fertility rate -Average to high life expectancy -Beehive shape

Commensalism

A relationship between two organisms of different species where one benefits and the other is neither harmed nor benefited ex. Whales & barnacles

Mutualism

A relationship between two species in which both species benefit, Ex. Bees & flowers

Keystone Species

A species that influences the survival of many other species in an ecosystem

Extinction

A term that typically describes a species that no longer has any known living individuals. Ex. Dodo birds

following activities would be most useful for students who are struggling to differentiate between intraspecific competition and interspecific competition?

A think-pair-share activity in which students pair up to think of examples of each type, and then present those examples to the class and identify how many species are involved. This is a good, interactive activity that requires students to work with others. The teacher can informally assess student knowledge by listening to their explanations.

waxy cuticle

A waxy cuticle prevents moisture loss. This is not a concern in a tropical rainforest. This adaptation is more likely found in desert plants.

A feature that has become common in a population because it provides some improved function which makes the organism better able to survive and reproduce. It can be structural or behavioral.

Adaption

Artificial fertilizers provide nitrogen to the soil for crops. This addition can sometimes lead to runoff and imbalance in the nitrogen levels of water, potentially leading to harmful ...

Algae bloom

There are other bacteria in the soil that convert the nitrogen gas to ammonia through _____________

Ammonification

At the carrying capacity, the population is using resources at the same rate they are produced and the population number remains constant.

An animal species is consuming resources at the same rate they are being produced. Which region of the logistic population curve represents this situation?

Desert

An area with extreme temperatures and little to no precipitation (less than 10 inches of rain a year) The Gobi Desert

Tropical Rainforest

An area with high temperature and precipitation year round. Often has high humidity. Amazon Rainforest

Predation

An interaction in which one organism kills another for food.

Decomposer

An organism that breaks down wastes and dead organisms; ex. Fungi, Mushroom

Producer

An organism that can make its own food. an organism that uses abiotic resources (like the sun's rays) to make food grass

Primary Consumer

An organism that eats producers(plants) ex. Herbivores

Tertiary Consumer

An organism that eats secondary consumers

Mr. Shepherd is beginning a unit on ecological organization. Which of the following activities can he use during the first step of the 5E Model of Instruction?

Ask students to partner up and complete a scavenger hunt for examples of populations around the school. Engagement is the first step of the 5E model. This activity does not feature direct instruction, and it grabs student interest in populations. They are probably already somewhat familiar with populations, and partnering up allows them to fill each other in on information they may need to complete the task.

Mr. Buller is teaching his students about food webs. Which of the following activities would be most effective as an engagement activity?

Assign each student a different organism and have them arrange themselves into order of which organism consumes which. This activity will allow students to actively participate and work with others to figure out where their organism fits in the complex feeding relationships of the ecosystem. Mr. Buller can use an ecosystem with which the students are already familiar, and they will likely know which types of organisms are consumed by the others. Their background knowledge makes this a good engagement activity.

Once nitrogen atoms are part of a usable molecule, plants absorb it (assimilation) and use it to make proteins, nucleic acids, and other biomolecules

Assimilation

Oxygen is stored in each of the following places...

Atmosphere, Living organisms, water

The number of different types of species in an area....Ex. A rainforest has higher ________ than the artic.

Biodiversity

How does removing a keystone predator such as wolves or pacific sea otter affect biodiversity?

Biodiversity decreases because prey becomes overpopulated and uses up resources. As a prey animal increases in population, there are fewer niches and resources available to other species, and biodiversity decreases.

A new species of jellyfish is carried into an isolated fjord ecosystem in the ballast water of shipping vessels. The new jellyfish has no natural predators and eats plankton faster than the smaller, native jellyfish species. How does this situation affect biodiversity in the fjord ecosystem?

Biodiversity will decrease because the invasive species outcompete native species for resources. Invasive species that take resources away from native species, reduce biodiversity. Over time, the invasive species will dominate the ecosystem.

Resources - food and nutrients exert _________ control over population. New food sources such as fertilization of agricultural crops can initiate a population boom.

Bottom-up control

cellular respiration formula

C6H12O2 + 6O2 ------> 6CO2 + 6H20 + Energy (ATP)

cellular respiration equation

C6H12O6 + 6O2 --> 6CO2 + 6H2O + ATP

All life on Earth is carbon-based, using ___________ for a majority of biomolecules and metabolic processes.

Carbon

Fossil fuels are rich in ______________and a source of fuel for humans. When burned, fossil fuels release carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere. Related, wildfires and volcanic eruptions can release carbon dioxide.

Carbon

Photosynthesis is the key way _______________ is removed from the atmosphere.

Carbon

The ________________ from the organism may also become part of sedimentary rock and enter the rock cycle. Within the rock cycle, rocks undergo weathering and small particles containing carbon atoms can runoff into the water.

Carbon

Mr. Robinson posts the image below in his classroom for his students to discuss in groups. What concept is he most likely hoping his students discover?

Carbon can be moved throughout an ecosystem by living and non-living things. This diagram shows how carbon can be captured, stored, and released by living things.

___________________, not nitrogen, is released during cellular respiration.

Carbon dioxide, not nitrogen

following is true about the carbon cycle?

Carbon may become part of sedimentary rock and enter the rock cycle.

K-selection species refers to

Carrying capacity for a population

A population of antelope normally graze on the abundant grasses in the savannah. However, a drought occurs and the amount of grass decreases. That year, many young, sick, and old antelope starve to death. A change in what variable lowered the antelope's population?

Carrying capacity; Carrying capacity is the the number of organisms an ecosystem can support. Since the amount of grass (the food source) decreased, the antelope's carrying capacity decreased, which reduced their population levels.

Other organisms eat the plants, transferring the carbon to their body. Some carbon is stored for growth and is transferred through the food chain. When organisms respire (through _________________), carbon dioxide is released.

Cellular respiration

3 types of distributions in population density

Clumped, random, uniform

What is a relationship between two organisms where one organism receives benefits from the relationship and the other organism is unharmed or unaffected.

Commensalism

Cattle egrets are birds that live near cattle because as the cattle graze, insects in the ground are stirred up to the surface. When the insects are stirred to the surface, the birds eat the insects. The cattle are unaffected by the birds or the insects. This relationship between the cattle egrets and the cattle can best be described as:

Commensalism ; Commensalism is a relationship between two organisms where one organism receives benefits from the relationship (cattle egrets) and the other organism is unharmed or unaffected (cattle).

Competition exists between organisms that have the same needs - water, food, types of shelter, etc. Over time, the species will adapt so that their niche overlap is reduced and competition for a resource is reduced. This is called the

Competitive Exclusion Principle

the idea that two species competing for the same resource cannot share the same niche

Competitive Exclusion Principle

Biosphere

Consists of all life on Earth and all parts of the Earth in which life exists, including land, water, and the atmosphere.

Mortality rate - measures

Death per 1000 individuals in a population

____________ forests have distinct seasons. In winter, a majority of tree species lose leaves to store nutrients during periods of cold temperatures and low light.

Deciduous

________forests are in areas where the climate fluctuates between warm summers and cool winters. For the trees to survive the cold winters, deciduous trees drop their leaves to prevent the buildup of ice and snow that could break off the trees' branches and kill the trees.

Deciduous Forests; Example: Eastern US near Appalachian Mountains

Energy is LOST at each level of the food chain, but decomposers keep _______ cycling again and again.

Decomposers keep matter...

Some bacteria use nitrate to perform ________________, which returns nitrogen to the atmosphere where the cycle can start anew.

Denitrification

____________ receive the least amount of rainfall and tend to have hot days and cool nights. Some animals are nocturnal to avoid the harsh temperatures during the day.

Deserts; Example: Sahara Desert

Uniform distribution is

Distribution where populations are spaced evenly

Population density can be spread out in different patterns, or

Distributions

Competitive Exclusion Principle

Ecological rule that states that no two species can occupy the same exact niche in the same habitat at the same time

Phosphorus helps organisms use and store energy but it is not an _____________ source

Energy

Net Primary Production (NPP)

Energy used by primary producers for respiration.; The rate at which inorganic carbon is converted to organic carbon by photosynthesis

Density-independent factors affect population growth, but they are NOT related to how many individuals are living in an area. They are generally abiotic factors such as

Environmental conditions

A population of fruit flies are placed in a terrarium with fresh water, food, and air. In the first few weeks, their population grows rapidly. Which term describes this type of growth?

Exponential growth is a result of no limits on a population. If a population has all of its needs met, it will grow rapidly along an exponential growth curve.

Many factors affect population growth including:

Fertility rate, mortality rate, migration(immigration & emigration)

Floating plants on a lake can have a higher primary productivity than algae-rich areas in the same lake. The following best explains why...

Floating plants grow on the surface with more access to sunlight throughout the day. Plants with the most access to sunlight will have the highest rates of primary productivity.

White perch live on the bottom of a pond and eat worms. If a group of turtles live on the edge of the pond and swim to the bottom for food, for which resources are the turtles and perch most likely to compete over?

Food

Ecologists refer to a large collection of food chains as a:

Food web

When organisms remain buried under the Earth's surface for millions of years, the weight of the layers of the Earth eventually compresses them into ______________

Fossil fuels

Scientists order things based on size and scale. From small to large, the order is:

From small to large, the order is: atoms → molecules → cells → organs → organ systems → individual organism → population → community → ecosystem → biome → biosphere.

following is true of grass in an ecosystem?

Grass makes its own food using nutrients from the soil and the energy from the sun. Grass is a type of plant. Plants make their own food from nutrients in the soil and energy from the sun.

____________are grassy plains that receive moderate rainfall and have warm summers and cold winters. They do not receive enough precipitation to support trees. These tend to have large herds of herbivores grazing.

Grasslands; Example: The Great Plains

secondary succession

Happens where the area that was previously established and then wiped out due to fire, floods or farming. It begins with grasses and small shrubs growing as it already has fertile soil. Secondary succession takes much less time to reach a climax community.

Some of Mrs. Joseph's students are struggling to relate to a unit on biomes. Which of the following activities will help Mrs. Joseph make the course material more engaging for her students?

Have students create a travel brochure and commercial for the different biomes and present to the class, dressed in appropriate clothing for their biome. This activity is more engaging for students and allows them to engage with multiple biomes instead of just one.

During a unit on environmental pressure on a population, Mr. Smith would like to show his students how humans contribute to these pressures. What is the best way for Mr. Smith to show students what personal impact they have on the environment?

Have students fill out a survey about what materials and resources they and their families use on a daily basis, then discuss their answers. Mr. Smith can guide the discussion to include the effects the use of these materials has on the environment. This activity requires students to consider their own contribution to pollution and consumption of resources. These environmental pressures affect the ecosystem.

Population growth factors are used by public health epidemiologists and demographers to study how human populations change over time and make predictions for the future. However,

However, each measure can also be applied in ecology to study patterns with animals.

Population can be regulated by density-dependent and density-independent factors. In most cases,

In most cases, populations are affected by intersecting factors of both density-dependent and density-independent processes.

A mountain lion and a wolf both hunt within the same deer population.

Interspecific competition deals with competition between two different species, so this is the correct answer.

Two herds of elephant compete for access to the same watering hole.

Intraspecific competition is between members of the same species. This is the correct answer.

best describes why phosphorus is important for living things?

It is an essential mineral. Phosphorus is a mineral that controls acid/base regulation and energy storage.

species that plays a key role in the ecosystem by providing balance in most of the other populations, such as keeping omnivores in check by preying on them.

Keystone species ex. Starfish in kelp forest

Expansive or Constructive pyramid

Large base caused by many young people and high birth rate. Each age group is smaller than the one below it. -Young -Growing -Higher fertility rate -Lower life expectancy -Classic pyramid shape

Deserts

Low rainfall -Direct sunlight -Food scarcity -Nocturnal (active at night) when cooler -Thick skin to prevent water loss -Humps for fat storage -Light coloring, large ears -Ability to digest difficult plants

Energy flows once through a food chain (🠒), but ___________ cycles again and again (⭯).

Matter does what?

Constrictive population pyramid

Middle aged or Elderly -Decreasing -Low fertility rate -Average to high life expectancy -Beehive shape

Stationary pyramid

More block shaped, with low fertility and low mortality. Balanced -Not growing -Low birth rate -Average to high life expectancy -Rectangular shape

________________ rate is associated with life expectancy or the average lifespan of an organism.

Mortality rate

Which of the following in the food chain below is a consumer? grass → mouse → owl

Mouse & owl

A bee flies to a flower and gathers the nectar, which the bee will make into food. While the bee gathers the nectar, pollen from the flower covers the body of the bee. When the bee flies to another flower, the pollen rubs off into another plant. This relationship between the bees and flowering plants can best be described as:

Mutualism is a relationship between two organisms where both organisms receive benefits from the relationship.

The process by which, over time, the population as a whole contains more individuals which are better suited to that environment. Ex. faster antelopes survive to pass down traits

Natural selection

Population pyramids can help demographers analyze population trends in different regions of the world. They can provide insight for deciding where to build

New hospitals and schools

the relationships and activities of an organism within its habitat a red squirrel's niche: eats nuts, lives within the hollows of trees, and drinks water from streams

Niche

Other bacteria convert this to nitrates through

Nitrification

The _______________ cycle is the continual movement of nitrogen, and bacteria perform a lot of this movement. Also, nitrogen must be fixed before it can be used by plants.

Nitrogen

However, while most of Earth's nitrogen is here, this nitrogen gas is not directly usable by plants nor animals. Plants can absorb either ammonium (NH3) or nitrates (NO3-) from the soil. The change from nitrogen gas to one of these more usable forms is termed

Nitrogen fixation

The atmosphere surrounding Earth is composed of approximately 78% nitrogen. How do multicellular organisms obtain this atmospheric nitrogen?

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria release forms into the soil. For nitrogen to be converted to a usable form, it must be converted by nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

an organism that eats both plants and animals for energy and nutrients. ex. a mouse will eat both insects and seeds

Omnivore

Parasitism

One organism benefits and the other is harmed, Ex. Fleas on dogs

Living things require __________ to turn sugar into energy in cellular respiration.

Oxygen

Most _________________is stored in rocks in the earth's crust and mantle. This is unavailable for use by living things

Oxygen

Most of Earth's atmospheric ______________ is produced by photosynthesis and released into the atmosphere. Atmospheric ____________ is used by living organisms during cellular respiration, where it is converted to water and carbon dioxide. _________________ is also stored in the earth's crust and mantle, but this oxygen is largely unavailable for use by living things.

Oxygen

______________ is released as O2 during cellular respiration. ______________ is released in the CO2 molecule during cellular respiration, but O2 is absorbed by cells and used to turn sugar into energy.

Oxygen

______________________ is stored in mantle rocks, but it is largely unavailable and is NOT considered a part of the oxygen cycle.

Oxygen

______________does not only exist in one form or in one location. It moves through the atmosphere, living things, water, and the earth itself in the oxygen cycle

Oxygen

following statements about the oxygen cycle is most accurate?

Oxygen is released during photosynthesis. Oxygen, in the form of O2, is emitted by plants during photosynthesis, in which CO2, H2O, and light are converted to sugars and oxygen.

following gives a correct example of bottom-up control on population growth?

Oysters in a freshwater ecosystem are limited by nutrients in the water. In bottom-up control population growth is resource-limited. The oysters are limited by available nutrients.

Immigration is

People coming into a country

Weathering breaks down rocks, releasing _____________ into soil and water for uptake by living organisms.

Phosphorus (it is necessary for life)

process by which plants use light, water, and carbon dioxide to make their own food (sugar) and oxygen

Photosynthesis

Plants take carbon dioxide gas from the atmosphere and convert it into sugars in the process of __________________.

Photosynthesis; photosynthesis also happens underwater when aquatic plants take carbon dioxide gas from the water

When defining a niche, three factors are considered for survival and reproduction:

Physical, biological, behavioral

The distribution of age and sex in a population can be graphically represented with a _____________ pyramid

Population pyramid

In the savannah, a pride of lions stalk antelope. When they spot a weak one, they work together to kill it. This relationship between the lions and antelope can best be described as:

Predation is a relationship where one organism hunts or feeds upon another (lion upon antelope).

Population growth in nature is limited by biological and environmental factors including:

Predation, Resources & space

In a mountainous environment, rabbits are hunted exclusively by pumas and mice are hunted exclusively by lynx. In this situation, the existence of a stable population of rabbits and mice in the same habitat is due to:

Predator partitioning is a mechanism of niche differentiation where different predators control the populations of two different species, reducing competition.

______________ succession happens where no plants previously existed.

Primary

Human migration is caused by

Push and pull factors

acid rain

Rain with a lower pH than neutral. Acid rain is corrosive to many substances, including rocks. Often caused by pollution. sulfur dioxide dissolves in the water droplets of clouds to make sulfuric acid

r-selection species characteristics

Refers to growth rate for a population

Primary consumers directly eat producers. Since there are arrows pointing to the mollusks from the green algae and other producers, they are a primary consumer.

Review the food web provided of Lake Michigan. What term best describes a mollusk?

The word "commensalism" is derived from the word "commensal", meaning "eating at the same table" in human social interaction, which in turn comes through French from the Medieval Latin commensalis, meaning "sharing a table", from the prefix com-, meaning "together", and mensa, meaning "table" or "meal".

Root word meaning of commensalism

the following adaptations would be beneficial in a coniferous forest biome?

Snowshoe hares shedding their brown summer coats for white winter coats. Snowshoe hares live in coniferous forests like the boreal forest. They experience long, snowy winters and cool summers.

- organisms require a certain amount of space to thrive and grow. When _________ is limited, the population size is also limited.

Space

In a fairly long-lived plant species, species A, producing a few large seeds co-occurs with a second plant species, species B, that is fairly short-lived and produces small seeds. Which of the following statements is most likely to be true?

Species A is K-selected while species B is r-selected. Most r-selected species are smaller in size with higher degrees of fertility, to disperse offspring widely. K-selected species are typically larger in size with fewer offspring, to be a strong competitor among organisms living much closer to carrying capacity.

Interdependent Species

Species rely on one another for food, shelter, competition, cooperation, and symbiosis

habitat fragmentation

Splitting of ecosystems into small fragments

Competition (Ecology)

Struggle among different species for basic needs Ex. two male lions fighting over a dead monkey

What is the primary source of energy for most life on earth?

Sun

-Low light -Cold water -Large open areas -Migration to warmer water -Counter-current heat exchange -Fat and blubber -Grey or blue in coloring -Mammals have adaptations to conserve oxygen

Temperate Seas

____________rainforests grow in a more temperate or average climate, but have high amounts of precipitation.

Temperate; Example: Pacific Temperate Rainforest which is along the coast from Alaska to N. California

_______________ has the least effect on net primary production since marine primary producers are generally adapted to function at a range of sea temperatures year-round. The other choices are strong factors in limiting NPP in marine environments.

Temperature

Which of the following factors is the least limiting to net primary production (NPP) in a marine environment? light Light is a limiting factor for most marine primary production. Depth, turbidity, and shading from other organisms reduce light available for photosynthesis. iron grazing temperature Temperature has the least effect on net primary production since marine primary producers are generally adapted to function at a range of sea temperatures year-round. The other choices are strong factors in limiting NPP in marine environments.

Temperature has the least effect on net primary production since marine primary producers are generally adapted to function at a range of sea temperatures year-round. The other choices are strong factors in limiting NPP in marine environments.

Some species of ants have a mutualistic relationship with aphids. Which of the following explains why the relationship is considered mutualistic?

The ants protect the aphids from predators and the aphids make a sugary food source for the ants. The scenario shows mutualism because the ants benefit from the food source and the aphids benefit from shelter and protection.

Conditional Differentiation

The division of a niche due to environmental changes

Biodiversity

The number of different types of species in an area A rainforest has higher biodiversity than the artic.

_________ or ___________forest, is a coniferous forest that grows in areas that have cool summers and very cold winters. Coniferous trees, or conifers, are trees that have needle-like leaves and are coated in a waxy substance. This allows the snow to slide off the branches in the winter so the trees' branches do not break.

The taiga, or boreal forest; Example: Colorado, Idaho, Utah, Canada

Tropical Rainforest

The tropical rainforest is a hot, moist biome found near Earth's equator.

When two different species of animals live in the same habitat and occupy the same niche, what will most likely occur?

They will compete for the same resources until the niches change. Competition exists between organisms that have the same niche. Over time, the species will adapt so that their niche overlap is reduced and competition for a resource is reduced.

Taiga (boreal forests) -have ...

Thin soil layer (permafrost and rocks) -Poor drainage -Soil acidic and mineral-poor -Conifers (waxy needle-like leaves to limit water loss and shed snow) -Dark leaves to absorb solar heat -Cone-shaped tree to shed snow

following adaptation is most likely to be found on a plant in a tropical rainforest?

Thin, smooth bark allows plants in a tropical rainforest to get rid of excess water.

All the biomes taken together make up the biosphere on earth.

This is the region where all life live.

The type of control that predators have on the population of prey

Top-Down Control

predators exert ________ control on the population of prey. The removal of keystone predators can destabilize the food web and decrease biodiversity.

Top-down

-Intense light exposure -Warm water -Reef structures -Coral have symbiosis with photosynthetic algae -Colorful camouflage

Tropical Seas

_______________grow where are warm year round and there is a lot of precipitation. These areas have the greatest biodiversity, or variety of species in one area. Example: Amazon Rainforest

Tropical rainforests

-Cold temperatures -Dark winter -Ice -Migration -Hibernation -Small ears, large bodies, and short limbs for conserving heat -Insulation from fat and thick fur/feathers -Hooves or claws for breaking ice

Tundras

The chart below shows three types of survivorship patterns. At time zero, all three populations start with 1000 surviving individuals but the different populations of organisms vary in how they survive from one age to the next.

Type 1-humans, whales, elephants; K strategists; carrying capacity is greater than growth rate Type II - linear pattern (birds, reptiles, small mammals) Type III - concave pattern, r-strategists by categorized by growth rate over carrying capacity

A boreal forest ecosystem has trees that are spaced 2 ± 0.02 meters apart. This population density pattern best describes:

Uniform

Atmospheric oxygen is used by living organisms during cellular respiration, where it is converted to ________ & ________

Water and carbon dioxide

Oxygen bonds with hydrogen to form water. It bonds with carbon to form carbon dioxide, which is needed by plants to make sugar.

What bonds w hydrogen? Oxygen

Resource Partitioning

When species divide a niche to avoid competition for resources

Niche Differentiation

When two similar species compete for the same niche, natural selection will divert them towards different niches, reducing competition

Most oxygen is stored in rocks in the earth's crust and mantle. This oxygen is unavailable for use by living things.

Why?

Tundras

_______also receive little precipitation, however they are constantly cold and the soil remains frozen year round making it difficult for plants to grow and thus for animals to live. Example: Arctic Circle

Oxygen cycle

a cycle in which oxygen moves through the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and lithosphere

Survivorship curves

a graph that represents the distinct patterns of species survival as a function of age

Population

a group of the same organisms in a specific habitat number of human beings in a city

Individuals in a population of small lizards in an area have different coloration. While 80% of the lizard population is a light tan, 20% is a dark reddish-black. A city planner is allowing a new subdivision to be built in the area, but wants to protect the lizard population as much as possible. Which of the following themes for concrete colors should the city planner suggest be used, and why?

a mixture of light tan and reddish-black; every lizard can find camouflage for protection from predators An organism that blends into the environment is more difficult to spot by predators and is therefore safer. Requiring a mix of colors will ensure maximum survival of individuals.

Individual / Organism

a single living thing; ex. One human being

Community

a small group of interacting species a group of humans, along with their dogs, cats, trees, etc.

The ocean is a sink for carbon, which means the ocean can store excess carbon from the atmosphere. Which of the following is possibly a negative consequence from storing carbon in the oceans of the world?

acidification of ocean water Carbonic acid forms when carbon mixes with water. This lowers the water's pH. A low pH reduces the ability of marine organisms to make shells.

following problems can be caused by overfertilizing with phosphorus?

algae overgrowth in nearby bodies of water Excess phosphorus from farmland fertilization can end up in bodies of water which, along with excess nitrogen, can cause eutrophication, or suffocation of animal life in the body of water due to excess algae growth.

following situations describes a constrictive population?

an increasing elderly population and a low birthrate This describes a constrictive population because the population pyramid has a beehive shape with relatively low young people and elderly people and a high population of middle-aged people.

Carnivore

an organism that eats only other animals for energy and nutrients. mountain lion

Consumer

an organism which depends on another organism to provide the energy it needs to survive; assigned a trophic level depending on what kinds of organisms it eats

Review the food web provided of Lake Michigan. What term best describes a sea lamprey, in the top left of the diagram?

apex predator In the food web as shown, no species preys upon the sea lamprey. It is, therefore, the apex predator.

Clumped distribution appears

appears clustered because the organisms interact in groups.

Populations

are all the individuals in an area of a specific species.

individual organisms

are the smallest level of ecology.

Cells

are the smallest unit of life.

Atoms

are the smallest unit of matter.

Behavioral factors of a niche are

behavioral factors (diurnal patterns, movement, and social organization)

biological factors of a niche are

biological factors (competitors, parasites, prey, and predators)

All ecosystems with similar factors are called _____________.

biomes. For example, grasslands are a biome. The African Savanna is an example of a grassland, so it will share many features with other grassland ecosystems.

following best describes how nitrogen re-enters the atmosphere after it has been absorbed by organisms?

broken down and released by bacteria when the organism dies When organisms die, bacteria release the nitrogen from their cells into the atmosphere.

Chemical cues from adult blue mussels, attract larval blue mussels and encourage the transition from a planktonic larval stage to a sessile adult stage. Which population distribution would you expect adult blue mussels to have?

clumped distribution. Because the larval mussels are settling after receiving cues from adult mussels, a clumped distribution would be the most likely. Blue mussels can be observed forming dense mussel beds in areas with suitable substrate and available nutrients.

A hermit crab discovers an abandoned snail shell and makes its home inside the shell. Which type of ecological relationship is illustrated by the hermit crab and the snail?

commensalism Since the shell is abandoned, the snail is not being harmed by the hermit crab's use of the shell. If one organism is helped and the other is unaffected, as is the case here, the relationship is commensalistic.

Remoras have developed structural adaptations that allow them to "ride" on sharks and feed off their fecal matter without any effect on the sharks. This is an example of what interspecific interaction?

commensalism The remoras benefit from transportation and food while the shark is neither benefited nor harmed.

Interspecific Competition

competition between members of different species; Ex. leopards and lions in sub-Saharan Africa competing for prey

Intraspecific Competition

competition between members of the same species; ex. two male bighorn sheep fighting for a mate

In the savannah, a pride of lions stalks antelope. When they spot a weak one, they work together to kill it. Sometimes, hyena appear and attempt to steal the carcass. This relationship between the lions and hyena can best be described as:

competition. In this example, the lions and hyena are competing over the carcass.

following activities will provide students an inquiry-based activity to think critically about the role of vegetation in an ecosystem?

create and maintain a saltwater aquarium with fish and plants A saltwater aquarium is a delicate ecosystem that requires live vegetation to maintain proper balance of nutrients. This is an engaging, student-centered activity.

Animal urine contains nitrogen and returns it to the soil. When an organism dies,

decomposers will break down the biomolecules and release nitrogen atoms back into the ground as part of ammonium.

Clownfish live in the ocean. While the clownfish hatch their eggs, they hide them in and around sea anemones. When the eggs develop, the clownfish explore the ocean in search for food. If the sea anemones were damaged by strong ocean currents, what would most likely be the first thing to happen to the clownfish?

decrease in population Without protection, the clownfish eggs are more likely to be eaten, lowering the overall population.

Resource partitioning -

division due to resources (ex: food, space) Ex: Two lizard species compete for insects in a forest. One species mostly hunts on the ground and the other hunts in trees, reducing competition.

Organisms with K-selected reproductive strategies typically have fewer offspring and live in more stable environments. Which of the following is most likely true of an organism with r-selected reproductive strategies?

early sexual maturity onset Members of r-selected species reach reproductive maturity earlier than K-selected species because of the need to reproduce rapidly and frequently.

A large, isolated population of deer has no natural predators, a high rate of disease, and a high birth rate. The deer population increased by 10 percent of the previous year. If this group of deer was modeled by a population pyramid, which shape would it have?

expansive, triangular shape The deer population has an expansive pattern with a low life expectancy, high birth rate, and high growth rate. The population pyramid is triangular in shape.

Assign an ant farm to each group of students. Provide differing amounts of food and water and ask students to graph the populations of ants in their ant farm. Compare the results. This activity allows students to compare results with other groups and shows how the different amounts of the limiting factors, like food and water, affect the population growth and carrying capacity.

following activities would be most effective for a teacher wishing to show factors affecting carrying capacity?

Greenhouse Gases

gases which, when present in elevated quantities in Earth's atmosphere, trap solar radiation and cause the planet to warm

following pairs of organisms lists a primary producer and a secondary consumer in an ecosystem?

grass and wolf Grass is a primary producer with many primary consumers, or grazers. In this example, wolves prey on deer and rodents that are primary consumers of grass.

Ms. Samson's class is learning about nitrogen-fixing. Which of the following activities would best enable students to experience this process?

having students test soil for nitrogen content before and after growing legumes in the soil A nitrogen-fixing bacteria, Rhizobium, grows on the roots of legumes. Having students test soil for nitrogen content before and after growing legumes will best enable them to understand the process.

following animal adaptations are common in a taiga (boreal forest) biome?

hibernation during winter months Boreal forests have harsh winters, and animals hibernate during winter months when food is scarce.

2 types of migration

immigration and emigration

Ecosystem

includes all of the communities interacting with one another and their environment. For example, the African Savanna is an ecosystem.

Adaptation

inherited characteristic that increases an organism's chance of survival; ex. Migration

Net primary production (NPP)

is the rate of carbon entering an ecosystem, more specifically NPP is the rate that inorganic carbon is converted to organic carbon by photosynthesis.

Grassland Biome

land biome characterized by moderate rainfall, fields of grasses, and few trees

following would be an adaptation found on a plant in a tropical rainforest?

leaves with drip-tips and waxy surfaces Many plants in the tropical rainforest have leaves with drip tips and waxy surfaces that allow water to quickly run off. This prevents fungal and bacterial infections in this constantly wet environment.

Animals get nitrogen from plants, but cannot absorb nitrogen (N2) directly from the air. How does lightning make nitrogen available to plants?

lightning breaks the bonds between nitrogen atoms Lightning breaks the strong triple bond between nitrogen atoms, allowing the formation of nitric acid, which combines with rainwater and is absorbed into the soil.

following processes release carbon into the atmosphere?

making concrete Concrete is made from limestone, which contains carbon. Carbon is released during the manufacture of concrete. weathering Limestone is an example of sedimentary rock that contains carbon. When limestone rock weathers, carbon is released into the atmosphere. forest fires Forest fires burn trees which store carbon. As the trees burn, carbon is released into the atmosphere.

Fertility rate

measures the average number of children that will be born to each woman.

Migration / Gene Flow

movement of individuals of a species

Emigration is

movement of individuals out of an area

The Nitrogen cycle is the continual

movement of nitrogen, and bacteria perform a lot of this movement. Also, nitrogen must be fixed before it can be used by plants.

The remora is a fish that attaches itself to a shark by using a suction disk on its head. The sharks do not like to eat the remora, and the remora feeds on parasites that live on sharks' skin as well as the shark's leftovers. This is an example of

mutualism In mutualism, both organisms benefit. The remora benefits by getting food, and the shark benefits by the remora eating potential parasites.

The phosphorus cycle does involve which of the following?

ocean plants rocks The breakdown of rocks containing phosphates releases phosphorus into soil and water.

Herbivore

organism that obtains energy by eating only plants, Ex. Grasshopper

the following is a correct order of ecological organization, from smallest to largest?

organism-community-population-biome-biosphere A community is larger than a population because a community includes multiple populations of different species.

Ticks are mites that attach themselves to animals, such as dogs, and suck blood. In doing so, ticks transmit diseases, such as Lyme disease, to the animals. Which type of interaction does this describe?

parasitism The dog and tick example describes parasitism. Parasitism is a form of symbiosis in which an organism benefits from or lives off the other.

Other organisms eat the plants and absorb the phosphorus. When they die, the ______________ is returned to the soil and water.

phosphorus

The breakdown of rocks containing phosphates releases _______________ into soil and water.

phosphorus

Most of Earth's atmospheric oxygen is produced by ______________ and released into the atmosphere.

photosynthesis

Most of Earth's atmospheric oxygen comes from which of the following?

photosynthesis Most of Earth's oxygen is produced from carbon dioxide by plants during photosynthesis.

Most of the oxygen on Earth was produced by which of the following processes?

photosynthesis Oxygen is produced by plants during photosynthesis. Plants absorb CO2 and emit O2.

the following is a primary way carbon dioxide is naturally taken out of the atmosphere?

photosynthesis Photosynthesis is the primary way carbon dioxide is taken out of the atmosphere. Plants use carbon dioxide to create sugars.

Oxygen cycle steps

photosynthesis, respiration, combustion, decomposition

an example of a mutualistic symbiotic relationship?

photosynthetic algae in corals In a mutualistic symbiosis, both organisms benefit from the relationship. The algae provide energy to the coral by exporting products of photosynthesis, and the coral increases light exposure and produces nutrients and carbon dioxide for the algae.

following is an example of a mutualistic symbiotic relationship?

photosynthetic algae in corals; In a mutualistic symbiosis, both organisms benefit from the relationship. The algae provide energy to the coral by exporting products of photosynthesis, and the coral increases light exposure and produces nutrients and carbon dioxide for the algae.

The water lily depends on the neutral pH of pond water, pH 7, to maintain homeostasis. Because of air pollution, the precipitation increased the level of acidity in a pond's water. Which term describes the factor directly endangering the water lily in this pond?

physical factor Air pollution is causing acidity to rise. This is a physical factor in the pond.

Physical factors of a niche are

physical factors (sunlight, soil composition, pH, temperature, and humidity)

habitat isolation

populations live in different habitats and do not meet

Density-dependent factors affect population growth, and they are related to how many individuals are living in an area. They are generally biotic factors such as

predation, competition, and mate-finding.

Denitrification

process by which bacteria convert nitrates into nitrogen gas; ammonification and nitrification

A successful reproductive strategy is central to the survival of the species. It is hypothesized that evolution produced two different reproductive strategies. These two strategies, called

r-selection and K-selection

following observations gives evidence that oxygen is stored in Earth's lithosphere?

red iron ore Iron ore appears red because the iron in the rock has combined with oxygen to form rust.

symbiosis

relationship in which two species live closely together

Most of the oxygen in rocks and soils remains in the rocks and soils.

rocks and soils

most likely way that oxygen enters Earth's mantle?

seafloor subduction Subduction, in which oceanic crust is pulled under continental crust, also pulls oxygen with seafloor rocks into the mantle.

Food Web

show the flow of energy through an ecosystem through a complex network of overlapping food chains

Plants absorb phosphorus from the ______& _______.

soil and water.

following demonstrates an adaptation unique to saltwater fish?

specially adapted kidneys to excrete excess salt To maintain blood salinity levels, some fish have adapted kidneys that excrete salt.

Climax Community

stable, mature ecological community with little change in the composition of species

Survivorship curves compare the

survival of different groups of organisms by showing a count or proportion of living organisms over time. In other words, they can tell you how the age of a population affects the individual's survival

In one form of biological fixation, ___________________bacteria in root nodules of bean plants (legumes) work directly to provide their host plant with ammonium.

symbiotic nitrogen-fixing Bacteria

Trophic Levels of a Food chain

the level in the food chain assigned to an organism based on what it eats

Carbon Cycle

the movement of carbon from the nonliving environment into living things and back

Habitat

the natural environment of a living organism a rattlesnake's habitat: the desert

niche differentiation

the natural outcomes when two species try to occupy the same niche: resource & predator partitioning and conditioning differentiation.

cellular respiration

the process by which cells use oxygen to produce energy from food

Nitrogen Fixation

the process by which nitrogen gas in the atmosphere is converted by lightning or bacteria into a form useable by plants nitrogen gas into ammonia and nitrates

symbiotic relationship

the relationship of two species that live in close association with each other

Niche

the relationships and activities of an organism within its habitat a red squirrel's niche: eats nuts, lives within the hollows of trees, and drinks water from streams

following is the ultimate energy source of most of life on Earth?

the sun The sun is the ultimate energy source of life on Earth, as it is responsible for heating the Earth and provides energy to plants through photosynthesis.

Apex Predator

the top predator in an ecosystem; a mountain lion

following describes a feature of a deciduous forest biome?

trees lose leaves in cold weather Deciduous forests have distinct seasons. In winter, a majority of tree species lose leaves to store nutrients during periods of cold temperatures and low light.

Random distribution does not have an

underlying pattern based on interactions.

Population Pyramid

useful for showing if a population is growing or declining, and how differences in lifespan are influenced by sex.

Phosphorus is necessary for life. Which of the following is the main way phosphorus becomes available to organisms?

weathering of rocks Weathering breaks down rocks, releasing phosphorus into soil and water for uptake by living organisms.

An organism's niche refers to its "occupation" within an ecosystem and how it interacts:

with the physical and biological factors in its environment. A niche is the specific way that an organism lives and interacts within the habitat, including living and nonliving things.