Questions and Answers
What is the role of decomposers in an ecosystem?
Energy flows through ecosystems in a circular motion.
False
What is the term for the global ecological system integrating all living beings and their relationships?
Biosphere
A ______________ is a group of individuals of the same species living in a specific area.
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Match the following ecosystem components with their descriptions:
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Which process is NOT part of the water cycle?
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Tundras are characterized by warm climates and high vegetation.
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What is the maximum number of individuals that an environment can sustainably support called?
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Plants absorb carbon dioxide during __________ and convert it into glucose.
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Match the following biomes with their characteristics:
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Study Notes
Ecology Overview
- Ecology studies interactions between living organisms and their environments.
- Key levels of biological organization include:
- Individual: A single organism.
- Population: A group of individuals of the same species in a specific area.
- Community: Various species populations interacting in a specific area.
- Ecosystem: A community of organisms interacting with nonliving components.
- Biome: Large regions defined by specific climate conditions, flora, and fauna.
- Biosphere: The global ecological system encompassing all living beings.
Key Terms
- Niche: An organism's role in its ecosystem, including resource use and inter-organism interactions.
- Habitat: The natural environment where a species lives, e.g., honeybees in gardens and meadows.
Ecosystem Dynamics
- Energy in ecosystems flows in one direction: from the sun to producers, then through consumers.
- Producers: Organisms, such as plants and algae, that generate energy via photosynthesis.
- Primary Consumers: Herbivores that consume producers.
- Secondary Consumers: Carnivores that eat primary consumers.
- Tertiary Consumers: Top predators feeding on secondary consumers.
- Decomposers: Bacteria and fungi that breakdown dead material, recycling nutrients to soil.
Nutrient Cycles
- Essential cycles: carbon, nitrogen, and water, crucial for ecosystem health.
- Carbon Cycle: Involves carbon transfer among the atmosphere, oceans, soil, and living organisms through photosynthesis, respiration, and decomposition.
- Nitrogen Cycle: Nitrogen conversion via nitrogen fixation, nitrification, and denitrification.
- Water Cycle: Water circulates through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation across the Earth.
- Example of Carbon Cycle: Plants absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis, converting it into glucose.
Biomes and Habitats
- Biomes are vast areas characterized by specific climates, soils, flora, and fauna.
- Major biomes include:
- Tropical Rainforests: Warm, wet, and highly biodiverse.
- Deserts: Dry, extreme temperature variations, and adapted organisms.
- Grasslands: Dominated by grasses, moderate rainfall, and occasional droughts.
- Temperate Forests: Seasonal climates with deciduous and evergreen trees.
- Tundras: Cold conditions with permafrost and limited vegetation.
- Aquatic Biomes: Include freshwater (rivers, lakes) and marine (oceans, coral reefs) systems.
Habitats
- Specific habitats in each biome provide resources for organisms' survival.
- Example of a tropical rainforest habitat: The canopy hosting diverse birds, insects, and mammals, contrasted with the forest floor supporting decomposers and ground-dwelling animals.
Population Ecology
- Population dynamics examine how populations change over time.
- Influencing factors include birth rates, death rates, immigration, and emigration.
- Carrying Capacity: The maximum sustainable population size an environment can support.
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Description
This quiz covers the basics of ecology, including the interactions between living organisms and their environments, and the different levels of biological organization.