10 Questions
Which of the following spheres is NOT a component of the Earth's ecosystem?
Cryosphere
A group of individuals of the same species that live in a specific geographic area is known as a:
Population
What is the term for the variety of different species of plants, animals, and microorganisms that live in an ecosystem?
Biodiversity
What is the term for a species that is no longer found in the wild, but still exists in captivity, such as in zoos or wildlife sanctuaries?
Extirpated
What is the term for the state in which the number of individuals of a species remains relatively constant over time, despite changes in the environment?
Dynamic equilibrium
What is the term for the part of the Earth's ecosystem that includes all living organisms, from the simplest bacteria to the complex plants and animals?
Biosphere
What is the term for a group of different populations that live in a specific geographic area and interact with each other and their environment?
Community
What is the term for the process by which a species is no longer found in the wild, but still exists in captivity, such as in zoos or wildlife sanctuaries?
Extirpated
What is the term for a species that is at risk of becoming endangered or extinct, but is still found in the wild?
Threatened
What is the term for the state in which the number of individuals of a species remains relatively constant over time, despite changes in the environment, due to the balance between birth and death rates?
Dynamic equilibrium
Study Notes
Ecology Definitions
The Earth's Spheres
- Lithosphere: The solid, rocky outer layer of the Earth, including the crust and the upper mantle.
- Hydrosphere: The region of the Earth where water is present, including oceans, lakes, rivers, and groundwater.
- Atmosphere: The layer of gases surrounding the Earth, including nitrogen, oxygen, and other gases.
- Biosphere: The global sum of all ecosystems on Earth, including all living organisms and their environments.
Ecological Units
- Species: A group of living organisms that share common characteristics and can interbreed.
- Population: A group of individuals of the same species that live in a specific geographic area.
- Community: A collection of different species that live in a specific geographic area.
- Ecosystem: A community of organisms and their physical environment, interacting with each other in a specific area.
Conservation Status
- Biodiversity: The variety of different species, ecosystems, and genes present in an ecosystem or region.
- Dynamic Equilibrium: A state of balance in an ecosystem, where species populations and environmental factors are constantly changing, but the overall ecosystem remains stable.
- Of Special Concern: A species that is not currently threatened, but may become threatened due to various factors.
- Threatened: A species that is likely to become endangered in the near future.
- Extirpated: A species that is no longer found in a specific region or ecosystem, but still exists in other areas.
- Endangered: A species that is at risk of becoming extinct due to a decline in population or habitat loss.
- Extinct: A species that has died out and no longer exists anywhere.
Ecology Definitions
The Earth's Spheres
- Lithosphere: The solid, rocky outer layer of the Earth, including the crust and the upper mantle.
- Hydrosphere: The region of the Earth where water is present, including oceans, lakes, rivers, and groundwater.
- Atmosphere: The layer of gases surrounding the Earth, including nitrogen, oxygen, and other gases.
- Biosphere: The global sum of all ecosystems on Earth, including all living organisms and their environments.
Ecological Units
- Species: A group of living organisms that share common characteristics and can interbreed.
- Population: A group of individuals of the same species that live in a specific geographic area.
- Community: A collection of different species that live in a specific geographic area.
- Ecosystem: A community of organisms and their physical environment, interacting with each other in a specific area.
Conservation Status
- Biodiversity: The variety of different species, ecosystems, and genes present in an ecosystem or region.
- Dynamic Equilibrium: A state of balance in an ecosystem, where species populations and environmental factors are constantly changing, but the overall ecosystem remains stable.
- Of Special Concern: A species that is not currently threatened, but may become threatened due to various factors.
- Threatened: A species that is likely to become endangered in the near future.
- Extirpated: A species that is no longer found in a specific region or ecosystem, but still exists in other areas.
- Endangered: A species that is at risk of becoming extinct due to a decline in population or habitat loss.
- Extinct: A species that has died out and no longer exists anywhere.
Test your knowledge of key ecology terms, including spheres, species, ecosystems, and conservation status. Learn the definitions of lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere, and more.
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