Questions and Answers
What is the difference between a population and a community?
A population is all of the same species in an area whereas a community is all of the interacting populations in an area.
What is the difference between biotic and abiotic factors?
Biotic factors can be living organisms, products of living organisms, or interactions between living organisms. Abiotic factors are completely nonliving.
How does the environment determine where an organism can survive?
Organisms need specific temperatures, water, shelter, etc., to survive, so they can only live in environments that provide for those needs.
What is the difference between a community and an ecosystem?
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How are ecosystems and biomes related?
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Explain how the meanings of the terms biotic factors and abiotic factors differ.
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Explain how the meanings of the terms habitat and niche differ.
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Within each biome, how can the environment be organized into levels from complex to simple?
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How do the populations in a community depend on each other?
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What factors determine where a population can live?
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What might happen in a tropical rainforest biome if the area received very little rain for an extended period of time?
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Owls and hawks both eat rodents. They are also found in the same habitats. Since no two populations can occupy exactly the same niche, how can owls and hawks coexist?
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What has to happen to a biotic factor from it to become an abiotic factor?
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Compare the two different biomes shown in the photos and explain why they are categorized as different biomes.
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How is a habitat like a person's address? How is a niche like a person's job?
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In the desert ecosystem shown above, name a biotic factor and describe its effect on the horses if it were removed from the ecosystem.
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Describe a rabbit's niche.
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Describe a dandelion's niche.
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Describe your personal niche.
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Describe the prairie dog's niche. How does it find shelter and impact the environment?
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What is the relationship between ecosystems and biomes?
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How do populations in a community depend on each other?
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Study Notes
Population vs. Community
- Population: All individuals of the same species in a given area.
- Community: All interacting populations within a specific area.
Biotic vs. Abiotic Factors
- Biotic factors: Include living organisms, products of living organisms, and their interactions.
- Abiotic factors: Non-living elements in an ecosystem.
Environmental Needs for Survival
- Organisms require specific temperatures, water, shelter, and other factors to survive.
- Survival is limited to environments that meet these needs.
Community vs. Ecosystem
- Ecosystem: Comprises a community along with all its abiotic factors influencing it.
Ecosystems and Biomes
- Biomes consist of similar ecosystems and can span large geographic areas.
Habitat vs. Niche
- Habitat: The physical location where an organism resides.
- Niche: The role an organism plays within its habitat, including its survival strategies and interactions.
Organization of Biomes
- Biome structure can be organized from the complex (Biome) to the simple (Individual):
- Ecosystem
- Community
- Population
- Individual
Interdependence of Populations
- Populations in a community rely on one another for essential needs such as food, shelter, and protection.
Factors Influencing Population Distribution
- A habitat must fulfill both abiotic and biotic requirements for an organism’s survival.
Impact of Drought in Tropical Rainforest
- Extended lack of rain can threaten survival for organisms adapted to high rainfall.
Coexistence of Owl and Hawk
- Owls (nocturnal) and hawks (diurnal) exploit different hunting times, allowing them to coexist without direct competition.
Decomposition and Its Impact
- Biotic factors must fully decompose to convert into abiotic factors.
Comparing Biomes
- Analysis of biomes involves evaluating plant diversity and communities; differences in these factors define separate biomes.
Habitat and Niche Analogies
- Habitat parallels a person's address (physical location); niche represents a person's job (role and function in the ecosystem).
Effects of Removing Biotic Factors
- Removal of a biotic factor, such as shrubs in a desert, can lead to food scarcity for local fauna like horses, possibly resulting in migration or starvation.
Rabbit's Niche
- Key roles include being prey, herbivorous, and burrowing for shelter.
Dandelion's Niche
- Serves as food, categorized as a weed/invasive species, and is a producer due to photosynthesis.
Personal Niche
- Individual's roles may include being a student, omnivore, and supporting responsibilities like caregiving, chores, and hobbies.
Prairie Dog's Niche
- Constructs burrows for shelter, feeds on plants, and is part of the food chain as prey for predators such as foxes and owls.
Ecosystem/Biome Relationship
- Each biome can comprise multiple ecosystems that share similar climatic and geographical conditions.
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Description
Test your understanding of ecology concepts, including populations, communities, and ecosystems. Explore the differences between biotic and abiotic factors and examine the environmental needs for survival. This quiz also covers habitats, niches, and the organization of biomes.