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Questions and Answers
What is the term for the actual place an organism lives?
What is a small area within a larger habitat that supports a specific set of organisms?
What is the term for the variety of environmental conditions within which a species can survive and reproduce?
What is the term that describes where an organism lives and what it does 'for a living'?
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What is the term for the microbial communities that inhabit places not typically considered habitats?
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What are the physical aspects of a species' niche?
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What are the biological aspects of a species' niche?
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What is the term for the range of physical and biological conditions in which a species can survive and reproduce?
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What is the result of direct competition between two species according to the competitive exclusion principle?
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What is the primary effect of competition on the species in a community?
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What is the term for a single species that has a powerful influence on community structure?
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What type of symbiosis is characterized by one organism living inside or on another organism and harming it?
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What is the term for the series of somewhat predictable events that occur in a community over time?
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What type of succession occurs when a disturbance affects an existing community but doesn’t completely destroy it?
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What is the result of each species altering its environment in ways that make it easier for other species to compete for resources and survive?
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What is the term for the first species to colonize barren areas?
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What is the impact of predators on prey populations?
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What is the term for the interdependent relationship between two species?
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What is the primary role of trees in an ecosystem?
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What is the result of natural disturbances in healthy ecosystems?
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What is the main difference between succession after natural disturbances and succession after human-caused disturbances?
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What do ecologists study to understand patterns of succession?
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Which type of biodiversity refers to the variety of habitats, communities, and ecological processes in the biosphere?
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What is genetic diversity?
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What is one of the benefits of biodiversity in medicine?
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What is the role of wild relatives in agriculture?
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What is ecosystem resilience?
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What is one of the ecosystem services provided by diverse ecosystems?
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Study Notes
Habitat and Niche
- Habitat: the actual place an organism lives, characterized by a specific combination of physical and biological environmental factors.
- Microhabitats: small areas within a larger habitat that support specific microorganisms.
- Microbiomes: microbial communities that inhabit unique environments and perform essential functions.
- Tolerance: the range of environmental conditions within which a species can survive and reproduce.
- Niche: describes where an organism lives and what it does, including its interactions with biotic and abiotic factors.
- Niche includes the physical and biological conditions necessary for survival and reproduction, as well as the resources it needs.
Resources
- Necessity of life: resources are essential for an organism's survival and reproduction.
- Physical aspects: abiotic factors such as light, temperature, and water that affect an organism's niche.
- Biological aspects: biotic factors such as food, predators, and competitors that influence an organism's niche.
Competition
- Competitive exclusion principle: direct competition between species often results in a winner and a loser, with the losing species dying out.
- Dividing resources: competition leads to specialization in resource acquisition and use, shaping the number and kinds of species in a community.
Predation and Herbivory
- Predator-prey relationships: predators can affect prey populations, influencing their behavior and distribution.
- Herbivore-plant relationships: herbivores impact plant populations, determining their size, distribution, and growth.
Keystone Species
- Keystone species: a single species with a significant influence on community structure, capable of altering the entire ecosystem.
Symbioses
- Interdependent relationships between two species: commensalism, mutualism, and parasitism.
- Commensalism: one species benefits, while the other is unaffected.
- Mutualism: both species benefit.
- Parasitism: one species benefits, while the other is harmed.
Succession
- Primary and secondary succession: ecological succession, a series of events that occur in a community over time.
- Primary succession: begins on newly formed rock or areas without remnants of an older community.
- Secondary succession: occurs when a disturbance affects an existing community but doesn't completely destroy it.
- Pioneer species: the first species to colonize barren areas.
- Why succession happens: each species alters its environment, making it easier for other species to compete and survive.
Climax Communities
- Succession after natural disturbances: can reproduce the original climax community.
- Succession after human-caused disturbances: may produce a different community.
- Studying patterns of succession: ecologists compare cases to identify similarities and differences.
Biodiversity, Ecosystems, and Resilience
- Types of biodiversity: community/ecosystem biodiversity, species diversity, and genetic diversity.
- Biodiversity benefits: contributes to medicine, agriculture, and ecosystem resilience.
- Biodiversity and medicine: many medicines were first discovered in wild species.
- Biodiversity and agriculture: wild relatives of crop plants may carry genes for disease resistance or other useful traits.
- Biodiversity and ecosystem resilience: affects ecosystem structure, stability, and function.
Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity
- Ecosystem services: benefits provided by ecosystems to humans, including food production, nutrient cycling, water purification, carbon storage, pest regulation, and pollination.
- Food production: diverse ecosystems provide resilient food sources.
- Nutrient cycling and soil structure: soil microbiomes maintain soil fertility and structure.
- Water purification: soil microbiomes, algae, and plants filter and purify fresh water.
- Carbon storage: healthy ecosystems remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it.
- Pest regulation: biologically diverse ecosystems include predators that feed on herbivores.
- Pollination: diverse ecosystems offer food and shelter to vital pollinators.
- Buffering effects of extreme weather events: diverse ecosystems protect against erosion and storms.
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Description
Understand the basics of habitats, niches, and species interactions in this biology quiz. Learn about the characteristics of a habitat and how it affects the organisms living in it.
