Questions and Answers
What is the study of interactions between organisms and their environment called?
What is a species?
A group of organisms who are similar to one another so they can breed.
What is a population?
Groups of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area.
What are communities in ecology?
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What is an ecosystem?
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What does the niche of an organism refer to?
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What is symbiosis?
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What is coevolution?
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Sunlight is the primary source of energy for life on Earth.
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Only 10% of the energy available is transferred to organisms at the next trophic level.
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What are producers?
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What are consumers?
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What are decomposers?
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Which of the following are herbivores?
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What does a food chain represent?
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What is classification?
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What is taxonomy?
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What is binomial nomenclature?
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What are the main kingdoms in the Kingdom System?
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What are trophic levels?
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Study Notes
Ecology
- Study of interactions among organisms and their environment.
Species
- Group of organisms that share similarities and can breed.
Population
- Individuals of the same species living in a specific area.
Communities
- Different species of organisms living together in a shared area.
Ecosystem
- Combination of organisms and their physical environment in a specific location.
Niche
- Unique role an organism plays within its ecosystem.
Symbiosis
- Various relationships between organisms beyond neutral interactions.
- Commensalism: One species benefits, the other is unaffected.
- Mutualism: Both species benefit from the interaction.
- Parasitism: One species benefits at the expense of the other.
- Predation: One species kills another for food.
Coevolution
- Long-term evolutionary changes in species due to interactions with others.
Sunlight
- Primary energy source for life, facilitating the conversion of simple compounds by producers (autotrophs) into complex organic molecules, which is then passed to consumers (heterotrophs).
Energy Pyramid
- Visual representation of energy transfer between trophic levels, with only 10% of energy moving to the next level.
Biomass Pyramid
- Illustrates total amount of living tissue available at each trophic level in an ecosystem.
Producers
- Autotrophic organisms that generate their own food through processes like photosynthesis or chemosynthesis.
Consumers
- Heterotrophic organisms that depend on producers or other consumers for food and energy.
Decomposers
- Organisms that break down organic matter, recycling nutrients in the ecosystem.
Herbivores
- Animals that exclusively consume plant material.
Carnivores
- Animals that primarily eat meat.
Detritivores
- Organisms that feed on decomposing plants and animals.
Food Chain
- Sequential feeding relationships where energy transfers through consumption.
Food Web
- Complex network of food chains illustrating interactions in an ecosystem; each step represents a trophic level.
Classification
- Process of grouping organisms based on shared characteristics.
Taxonomy
- Science dedicated to classifying living organisms.
Binomial Nomenclature
- Two-part naming system for species, comprised of:
- Genus (first word, capitalized)
- Species (second word, lowercase)
- Both words italicized or underlined.
Taxa or Taxon
- Categories for grouping related organisms.
Levels of Classification
- Hierarchical system of grouping organisms:
- Kingdom
- Phylum
- Class
- Order
- Family
- Genus
- Species
Kingdom System
- Major classifications include:
- Monera
- Protista
- Fungi
- Plantae
- Animalia
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Test your knowledge of key terms in ecology and classification with these flashcards. Learn definitions and concepts including ecology, species, population, and communities. Perfect for students and enthusiasts alike!
