29 Questions
The autotrophic organisms in an ecosystem are primarily ______
green plants
Phagotrophs are also known as ______
animals
Saprotrophs obtain their energy by breaking down ______ tissues
dead
The ultimate energy source for the ecosphere is the ______
sun
The autotrophic stratum is also known as the '______ belt'
green
The heterotrophic stratum is also known as the '______ belt'
brown
Producer organisms in a pond are rooted or large floating plants known as __________
macrophytes
Minute floating plants in a pond, usually algae or green bacteria or protozoa, are referred to as __________
phytoplankton
Herbivores, which are primary macroconsumers, feed directly on living __________
plants
Detritivores live on organic detritus from autotrophic layers above and provide food for __________
carnivores
The two types of microconsumers in a pond are zooplankton and __________
benthos
Population is a group of individuals of the same species occupying a common __________
geographical area
Rich countries known as highly developed are Norway, Switzerland, Qatar, USA, Canada, and ______.
Japan
Highly developed countries have low rates of population growth and high per person ______.
incomes
Poor countries are categorized as moderately developed and less developed with very high infant mortality rates and very low per person ______.
incomes
In developing countries, rapid population growth tends to overwhelm and deplete a country's ______, forests, and other natural resources.
soils
Rich countries in highly developed nations deplete resources and degrade the global environment through increased consumption of nonessential items such as televisions, jet skis, and ______.
gadgets
Rapid population growth can cause renewable resources to be ______.
overexploited
The desert biome is characterized by a lack of precipitation which limits plant growth; deserts are found in both temperate and tropical regions. The Flora in a desert biome includes ________.
sagebrush
In aquatic ecosystems, the most fundamental division is between freshwater and saltwater environments. One of the factors affecting the distribution of organisms in aquatic ecosystems is ________.
salinity
Plankton are usually small or microscopic organisms that belong to the ecological category of ________.
Plankton
Nekton are larger, more strongly swimming organisms such as fishes, turtles, and whales, falling under the ecological category of ________.
Nekton
Benthos are bottom-dwelling organisms that fix themselves to one spot, forming an integral part of the ecosystem in ________ environments.
aquatic
A lake is a standing-water ecosystem surrounded by land, and it is home to various organisms belonging to the ecological categories of Plankton, Nekton, and ________.
Benthos
______ swamps are inland areas covered by water and dominated by trees, such as baldcypress
Freshwater
Mangrove forests, the tropical equivalent of salt marshes, cover perhaps 70% of tropical ______
coastlines
The ocean floor, which extends from the intertidal zone to the deep ocean trenches, has three zones in the deeper benthic (from shallowest to deepest): the bathyal, abyssal, and ______ zones.
hadal
Corals are small, soft-bodied animals similar to jellyfish and sea anemones. ______ reefs are found in warm, shallow seawater.
Coral
Sea grasses are flowering plants adapted to complete submersion in salty ocean water. Most organisms of the deep waters of the oceanic province depend on marine ______.
snow
Study Notes
Producers in a Pond
- Macrophytes: large floating plants or rooted plants growing in shallow water
- Phytoplankton: minute floating plants, algae, green bacteria, or protozoa distributed throughout the pond as deep as light penetrates
Consumer Organisms
- Herbivores (primary macroconsumers): feed directly on living plants
- Carnivores: feed on other organisms
- Detritivores: live on organic detritus from autotrophic layers above, providing food for carnivores
- Microconsumers:
- Zooplankton: animal plankton
- Benthos: bottom forms
- Nekton: free-swimming aquatic organisms
Components of an Ecosystem
- Organic substances involved in material cycles (e.g., C, N, CO2, H2O)
- Organic compounds linking biotic and abiotic components (e.g., Protein, carbohydrates, lipids, humic substances)
- Air, water, and substrate environment, including climate regime and physical factors
- Producers (autotrophic organisms): manufacture food from simple inorganic substances
- Phagotrophs (heterotrophic organisms): ingest other organisms or particulate organic matter
- Saprotrophs (decomposers): break down dead tissues
Attributes of a Natural Ecosystem
- Biotic (living) and abiotic (nonliving) components interact and are inseparable
- Ecological system: biotic community in a given area
- Energy is a necessary input, with the sun as the ultimate energy source
- Energy is the ability to do work
Trophic Structure of the Ecosystem
- Autotrophic stratum (upper): fixation of light energy, utilization of simple organic substances, and buildup of complex substances
- Heterotrophic stratum (lower): utilization, rearrangement, and decomposition of complex materials
Developed Countries
- Examples: Norway, Switzerland, Qatar, USA, Canada, and Japan
- Characteristics: complex industrialized bases, low population growth rates, and high per capita incomes
Poor Countries
- Characteristics: high infant mortality rates and low per capita incomes
- Examples: Philippines, Bangladesh, Haiti, and Laos
Population, Resources, and the Environment
- Rapid population growth can overwhelm and deplete a country's natural resources
- Highly developed nations deplete resources and degrade the global environment
- Nonrenewable resources (e.g., minerals, fossil fuels) are depleted as they are used
- Renewable resources (e.g., water, soil) can be used forever but may be overexploited due to rapid population growth
Biome Examples
Desert
- Flora: sagebrush
- Fauna: tarantulas, scorpions, frogs, toads, desert tortoise, Gila monster, and Mojave rattlesnake
Aquatic Ecosystems
- Freshwater ecosystems: lakes, rivers, streams, marshes, and swamps
- Saltwater ecosystems: estuaries, mangrove forests, coral reefs, and oceanic province
- Factors affecting distribution of organisms: salinity, dissolved oxygen, nutrient minerals
Ecological Categories of Organisms
- Plankton: small or microscopic organisms
- Nekton: larger, more strongly swimming organisms (e.g., fishes, turtles, whales)
- Benthos: bottom-dwelling organisms that fix themselves to one spot
Aquatic Environments
- Lakes: standing-water ecosystems surrounded by land
- Freshwater swamps: inland areas covered by water, dominated by trees (e.g., baldcypress)
- Brackish Ecosystems:
- Estuaries: coastal bodies of water, partly surrounded by land, with salt marshes
- Mangrove forests: tropical equivalent of salt marshes, covering perhaps 70% of tropical coastlines
- The Benthic Environment:
- Bathyal zone
- Abyssal zone
- Hadal zone
- Coral reefs: found in warm, shallow seawater
- Sea grasses: flowering plants adapted to complete submersion in salty ocean water
Test your knowledge on different biomes, their unique flora and fauna, and the factors affecting the distribution of organisms. Explore ecosystems such as deserts, aquatic environments, and more.
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