Ecology Quiz: Definitions and Relationships

Study Notes

Key Ecological Terms and Definitions

Abiotic: Non-living chemical and physical parts of the environment, such as sunlight, water, minerals, and temperature. Example: rock formations affect soil quality.
Biotic: Living components of an ecosystem, including plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms. Example: trees provide habitat for various bird species.
Commensalism: A type of symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed. Example: barnacles attach to whales for transportation.
Organism: Any individual living entity that can react to stimuli, reproduce, and grow. Example: a red fox.
Parasitism: A relationship where one organism (the parasite) benefits at the expense of another (the host). Example: ticks feeding on the blood of mammals.
Competition: Interaction between organisms or species in which both seek the same limited resource. Example: different bird species competing for nesting sites.
Predator-prey: A biological interaction where one organism (predator) hunts and consumes another (prey). Example: lions hunting zebras.
Community: A group of various species that live in the same habitat and interact with one another. Example: a forest community that includes trees, insects, birds, and mammals.
Mutualism: A symbiotic relationship in which both organisms benefit. Example: bees pollinating flowers while feeding on nectar.
Biome: A large geographic biotic unit characterized by specific climates and ecosystems, such as deserts, forests, and tundras. Example: the Amazon rainforest.
Biosphere: The global sum of all ecosystems where life exists, encompassing land, water, and the atmosphere.
Limiting Factor: An environmental factor that restricts the growth, abundance, or distribution of an organism or population within an ecosystem. Example: available water supply in a desert region.
Carrying Capacity: The maximum population size that an environment can sustain indefinitely without degrading its resources.
Ecosystem: A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment. Example: a coral reef ecosystem.
Population: A group of individuals of the same species living in a specific area. Example: a population of bald eagles in a national park.
Trophic Levels: The hierarchical levels in an ecosystem, comprising producers, consumers, and decomposers.
Primary Producer: Organisms that produce energy through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis. Example: grass, algae.
Primary Consumer: Herbivores that eat primary producers. Example: rabbits feeding on grass.
Secondary Consumer: Carnivores or omnivores that eat primary consumers. Example: snakes eating rabbits.
Tertiary Consumer: Predators at the top of the food chain that eat secondary consumers. Example: hawks eating snakes.
Quaternary Consumer: Apex predators in the food chain that eat tertiary consumers. Example: alligators that consume hawks.
Autotroph: Organisms that can produce their own food from inorganic substances. Example: plants.
Heterotroph: Organisms that cannot produce their own food and rely on consuming other organisms. Example: humans.
Carnivore: Animals that primarily eat other animals. Example: lions.
Omnivore: Organisms that consume both plant and animal matter. Example: bears.
Role of Heat in Food Chains/Webs/Pyramids: Heat energy is lost at each trophic level, reducing available energy for higher levels. This results in fewer apex predators compared to primary producers.t

Description

Test your understanding of key ecological concepts with this quiz focusing on definitions, examples, and various ecological relationships like commensalism, parasitism, and competition. Explore the components that make up ecosystems and how living and non-living elements interact.