Ecology Quiz: Biotic and Abiotic Factors

The study of interactions between organisms and their environment.

Living factors that affect an organism or shape the environment. Examples include food availability, predation, competition, and disease.

Non-living factors that affect organisms. Examples include temperature, light intensity, water, soil pH, and humidity/wind.

The level of organization in ecology that focuses on populations of a single species, their interactions within their environment, and their dynamics over time.

The level of organization in ecology that encompasses all the interacting populations within a specific area.

The level of organization in ecology that includes all the living things within a specific area and their interactions with the physical environment.

The process by which organisms convert inorganic matter into organic matter, essentially creating energy for the ecosystem.

Organisms that rely on consuming other organisms for energy. They cannot produce their own energy.

An interaction between individuals of different species that benefits both partners. Examples include pollination, dispersal, defense, and nutrient acquisition.

Occurs when individuals or species compete for the same limited resource. Examples include food, water, space, and mates

The variety of life on Earth, encompassing different species, their interactions, and the habitats they inhabit.

The process where the Earth's lithospheric plates move across the mantle, causing continents to shift over time.

A period of extensive extinction events that occurred around 251 million years ago, resulting in the loss of a significant portion of Earth's species, mostly marine.

The extinction event that occurred approximately 65.5 million years ago, leading to the demise of the dinosaurs, marking the end of the Mesozoic era.

A region on Earth characterized by a unique combination of high biodiversity and a significant threat of habitat loss due to human activities.

The loss of biodiversity at a rate exceeding natural extinction rates, driven by factors like habitat destruction, invasive species, and climate change.

A phenomenon where specialized species coexist in a stable environment, reducing competition and promoting ecological diversity.

The ability of a species to survive and thrive in a specific environment due to adaptations that allow them to exploit resources or avoid competition.

An event where a supercontinent forms, impacting climate and causing mass extinctions, followed by a subsequent breakup and the formation of new continents.

Areas with high levels of biodiversity and endemism, especially in the tropics, due to factors like increased productivity, environmental stability, and ecological specialization.

Areas with high biodiversity, but with smaller, more isolated populations. Their isolation makes them more vulnerable to extinction, as they lack genetic diversity and are susceptible to disturbances.

The process of rapid evolutionary diversification in a newly colonized environment, often driven by the availability of vacant ecological niches.

The unique species found only in a specific geographic location, often endemic to islands due to their isolation and evolutionary history.

The study of the distribution and diversity of species in isolated environments, focusing on the influence of island size, isolation, and age on their biodiversity.

A theory suggesting that the number of species on an island balances between the rate of new species arriving and the rate of existing species becoming extinct. The balance point depends on island size and isolation.

The rate at which new species arrive on an island. Larger islands and islands closer to mainland offer more opportunities for colonisation.

The rate at which species go extinct on an island. Small islands and islands further from mainland are more prone to extinction due to limited resources and vulnerability to disturbances.

The number of species present on an island. This number is influenced by island size, isolation, and age, with larger, closer, and older islands typically hosting more species.

The relative proportion of different species within a specific group (birds, insects, etc.). Species richness can decline with increasing distance from the mainland.

Sunlight hits Earth at a steeper angle, spreading energy over a larger area, resulting in lower temperatures. The farther from the equator, the cooler it gets.

As you ascend higher in altitude, air pressure decreases, causing air to expand and cool. For every 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) you go up, the temperature drops about 6.5°C (11.7°F).

Rainfall patterns are influenced by global pressure systems and wind belts. Rising air near the equator leads to frequent rain, while descending air at 30° latitude creates dry conditions.

As air rises over mountains, it cools and condenses, leading to precipitation on the windward side. The leeward side experiences less rain, creating a 'rain shadow'.

A graph that shows the average temperature and precipitation of a biome across a year.

These forests share similar precipitation levels but differ in temperature. Temperate forests are generally warmer.

Grasslands are drier than forests, while deserts are the driest of all. However, there's overlap between these biomes.

Biomes are based on average conditions, so boundaries aren't always clear-cut. Local factors can influence specific plant and animal communities.

Very high rainfall and temperatures, with a large variety of plant and animal species.

These forests have consistent rainfall throughout the year, with temperatures always around 25-29°C.

These forests experience a distinct dry season where trees shed their leaves to conserve water.

These biomes have very little rainfall (<30 cm/year) and experience extreme temperatures.

Located in equatorial or subequatorial regions, these biomes have pronounced wet and dry seasons.

These biomes are found in mid-latitude coastal regions and have dry summers and rainy winters.

Physical barriers on plants that protect them from herbivores. Examples include thorns, spines, tough leaves, and thick bark.

Chemical compounds produced by plants that deter herbivores. Examples include alkaloids, tannins, and terpenoids, which can be toxic, reduce digestibility, or have unpleasant tastes.

A relationship where both organisms benefit. Plants can have mutualistic relationships with ants, where the ants protect the plant from herbivores in exchange for food or shelter.

Animals that hunt and eat other animals, often herbivores. Predators help control herbivore populations, preventing overgrazing.

Organisms that live on or within another organism (host), benefiting at the host's expense. Parasites and diseases can reduce herbivore populations, limiting their impact on plants.

The nutritional content of plants, which varies. Some plants may be low in essential nutrients, making them less attractive to herbivores.

Herbivores often need to eat a variety of plants to meet their nutritional needs, promoting biodiversity and preventing overgrazing of any single species.

Many herbivores are specialists, meaning they only eat specific types of plants. This reduces pressure on other plant species, leading to greater plant diversity.

Herbivores compete with each other for food resources, limiting the population size of any one species and preventing them from consuming all available plants.

The ability of plants to regenerate quickly after being grazed, allowing them to recover and continue growing.

The rate at which plants grow, which can influence their ability to withstand herbivore pressure. Plants with high growth rates can outpace consumption.

The interconnected effects of different trophic levels (predators, herbivores, and plants) in an ecosystem. The presence of predators can indirectly benefit plants by controlling herbivore numbers.

The process of change in a plant community over time, often influenced by disturbances, including herbivory. This can lead to a dynamic balance between plant availability and herbivore populations.

The idea that the amount of energy available at the lower trophic levels (plants) limits the number of organisms at higher levels. Only a small fraction of energy is transferred to consumers.

The idea that predators control herbivore numbers, which in turn influences plant populations. Predator populations often fluctuate with prey populations.

The smallest group of organisms that can evolve independently. It is a group of interbreeding individuals of the same species living in a particular place at a particular time.

The geographical area where a species can be found.

Individuals are equally spaced, often due to competition for resources or territoriality.

Individuals are unevenly spaced, often grouped together due to attraction to resources or social interactions.

This survivorship pattern shows high juvenile survival with most mortality occurring among older individuals. Characteristic of species that invest heavy parental care.

This survivorship pattern shows a constant death rate throughout life. Mortality is independent of age.

This survivorship pattern shows high mortality rates in early life. Characteristic of species that produce many offspring with little to no parental care.

This growth pattern occurs when there are abundant resources and the population grows exponentially.

This model describes the limiting factors that eventually slow down population growth as resources become scarce.

A species' complete environmental requirements, including its tolerance for temperature, food, humidity, etc., in the absence of competition.

The actual portion of a species' fundamental niche that it occupies due to competitive interactions with other species.

Two or more species utilize different resources or parts of the same resource to avoid direct competition.

Competition where individuals or species compete for the same resource, indirectly influencing each other through resource depletion.

Competition where individuals or species directly interact with each other to obtain a resource, often through aggression or territoriality.

The principle that two species with identical ecological requirements cannot coexist indefinitely in the same habitat.

The process where a proton gradient drives ATP production through the movement of protons back into the stroma via ATP synthase.

A photosystem that absorbs additional light energy, further exciting electrons that have arrived from PSII, ultimately converting NADP+ to NADPH.

A cyclic process occurring in the stroma of chloroplasts, using the energy from ATP and NADPH to convert carbon dioxide into glucose.

The enzyme responsible for fixing carbon dioxide into an organic molecule during the Calvin cycle.

A process where rubisco mistakenly binds to oxygen instead of carbon dioxide, leading to the consumption of oxygen and release of carbon dioxide, decreasing photosynthetic efficiency.

A type of plant that uses an alternative pathway to fix carbon dioxide, reducing photorespiration and allowing them to thrive in hot and arid environments.

A group of non-vascular plants, including liverworts, hornworts, and mosses, characterized by lacking true stems, roots, and leaves, and requiring water for reproduction.

A stage in the life cycle of plants where the dominant form is haploid, producing gametes by mitosis.

A stage in the life cycle of plants where the dominant form is diploid, producing spores by meiosis.

The process of breaking down glucose into two pyruvate molecules, generating ATP and NADH, occurring in the cytoplasm.

A cycle of reactions occurring in the mitochondrial matrix, where pyruvate is further broken down, producing carbon dioxide, NADH, and FADH2.

A series of protein complexes embedded in the mitochondrial inner membrane, where electrons from NADH and FADH2 are passed along, ultimately generating a proton gradient for ATP production.

A compound that acts as the universal energy currency in cells, storing energy in its phosphate bonds.

A group of plants that produce seeds without a protective ovary, including conifers, cycads, ginkgoes, and gnetophytes.

A group of gymnosperms that are characterized by their cone-bearing structures, including trees like pines, firs, and spruces.

The primary pigment involved in photosynthesis, absorbing mainly in the blue-violet and red regions, while reflecting green light, hence the green appearance of plants.

A type of chlorophyll that complements chlorophyll a, absorbing mainly in the blue region and slightly in the red-orange region, extending the range of light usable for photosynthesis.

A carotenoid pigment that absorbs blue and green light, reflecting orange light. It protects chlorophyll from photodamage and aids in light harvesting.

A pigment found in red algae, absorbing green-yellow light and reflecting red light, allowing them to thrive in deeper waters with less sunlight.

A pigment found in cyanobacteria and some algae, absorbing orange-red light and reflecting blue light, aiding in photosynthesis in low-light conditions.

Another pigment found in cyanobacteria, absorbing red light and reflecting blue-green light. It helps transfer energy to chlorophyll.

A pigment found in brown algae and diatoms, primarily absorbing blue-green light and reflecting yellow-orange light, making them efficient at capturing light in underwater environments.

The process of converting light energy into chemical energy within chloroplasts, specifically in the thylakoid membrane.

The use of chemical energy from the light-dependent reaction and CO2 to produce sugar (glucose). This occurs in the chloroplast stroma.

A light-harvesting complex in chloroplasts responsible for absorbing light energy. It contains chlorophyll molecules and a reaction center.

The process of splitting water molecules using light energy, generating oxygen, protons, and electrons. Occurs in Photosystem II.

Occurs when a molecule absorbs light energy, causing an electron within the molecule to jump to a higher energy level.

A process in which light energy is converted into chemical energy by exciting electrons in chlorophyll and using them to generate ATP and NADPH.

A light-harvesting complex in chloroplasts, involved in photosystem II. It absorbs light energy to excite chlorophyll molecules, triggering a series of events that ultimately lead to ATP production.

A highly reactive state of a molecule after it has absorbed energy, usually light energy. This unstable state causes the molecule to release energy in various forms, such as light or heat.

A light-harvesting complex involved in photosystem I. It absorbs light energy to excite chlorophyll molecules, eventually leading to the production of NADPH.

This is a plant reproductive mechanism that prevents self-pollination and promotes cross-pollination among different individuals of the same species

Self-pollination occurs when pollen from a flower fertilizes the same flower. This can happen because of proximity, structural adaptations, or wind

This refers to when a plant's genetic material is derived entirely from its own parent plant, without the mixing of genetic information from another parent, resulting in offspring that are exact genetic copies of their parent

A group of living organisms that share similar characteristics and can successfully interbreed to produce fertile offspring in a natural setting

This is a way to classify life based on shared traits

This refers to organisms produced from the cross-breeding of two genetically different varieties or species, leading to offspring with a blend of traits from both parents.

These are cells located in specific parts of a plant, found in regions where growth takes place, which are undifferentiated, meaning they are not yet specialized into specific cell types

This refers to the growth in girth or thickness of a plant, leading to the production of wood and bark, and is driven by a special type of meristem called the vascular cambium.

This refers to the advantages and disadvantages of self-pollination, which can contribute to purebred lines, but can also increase the risk of deleterious mutations

Pollination is the transfer of pollen from the anther of a flower to the stigma. When this occurs between different individuals of the same species, it's called cross-pollination. Cross-pollination enhances genetic diversity by mixing genetic material

A daily cycle of rest and activity, influencing an animal's behavior such as feeding, sleeping, and social interactions.

A seasonal cycle that affects an animal's behavior, such as migration and reproduction.

Behavior that has a genetic basis and is usually fixed, often involving basic life functions like finding food or caring for offspring.

A behavior that is learned through experience, with a genetic basis, but heavily influenced by the environment.

A long-lasting behavioral response to a particular individual or object that is established during a critical period in development.

The establishment of a memory that reflects the spatial structure of the environment, often using landmarks for navigation.

An internal representation of spatial relationships between objects and an animal's surroundings, allowing them to navigate and find their way.

A form of learning where animals associate one feature of their environment with another, such as linking a specific sound with danger.

The process of knowing, often involving awareness, reasoning, recollection, and judgment, allowing animals to solve problems and adapt to their environment.

The process of developing a strategy to overcome an obstacle, often involving insight, creativity, and trial-and-error learning.

Reproductive structures in angiosperms, such as cones in gymnosperms. They are not flowers.

The process in angiosperms where one sperm fertilizes the egg to form the zygote and another sperm fertilizes the central cell to form the endosperm, which nourishes the developing embryo.

A group of angiosperms with a single cotyledon in the embryo. They have flower parts in multiples of three, parallel veins in leaves, scattered vascular bundles in the stem, and fibrous roots.

A group of angiosperms with two cotyledons in the embryo. They have flower parts in multiples of four or five, network veins in leaves, ringed vascular bundles in the stem, and a taproot.

A plant that completes its life cycle in one growing season, from germination to flowering and death.

A plant that takes two years to complete its life cycle and flowers in the second year.

A plant that lives for many years, flowers multiple times, and can grow continuously.

The outermost whorl of a flower that protects the bud before it opens.

Colorful, modified leaves that attract pollinators to the flower.

The stalk that supports the ovary in a flower.

The female reproductive organ of a flower. It consists of the stigma, style, and ovary.

The male reproductive organ of a flower. It consists of the anther and filament.

The process of cell division that produces haploid gametes (pollen and ovules).

Species are defined by their distinct morphological features, which result from isolated gene flow. This concept is commonly used by taxonomists for classification.

Species are identified as the smallest group of individuals sharing a common ancestor and unique evolutionary history.

Barriers that prevent successful breeding between species, leading to reproductive isolation and gene flow.

Reproductive isolation occurs when species occupy different habitats, preventing encounters and mating.

Reproductive isolation happens when populations reproduce at different times, preventing mating interactions.

Reproductive isolation occurs when behavioural differences prevent mating between individuals from different populations.

Reproductive isolation is caused by anatomical incompatibility, making physical mating impossible.

Reproductive isolation arises when gametes of different species cannot fuse, preventing fertilization.

Hybrids formed between different species fail to develop to reproductive maturity.

Hybrids are produced but cannot produce functional gametes, leading to sterility.

First-generation hybrids are fertile, but subsequent generations fail to produce fertile offspring.

Speciation occurs when geographically isolated populations evolve independently, leading to reproductive isolation.

Speciation occurs when neighbouring populations diverge while sharing a small zone of contact, evolving reproductive isolation.

Speciation occurs within a single, freely interbreeding population, leading to reproductive isolation.

Organisms possess more than two sets of chromosomes, leading to reproductive isolation from their parent species.