Environmental Science Overview

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Questions and Answers

What does carrying capacity refer to in an ecosystem?

The range of temperatures a species can withstand

The genetic diversity within a population

The maximum population size that an ecosystem can sustain (correct)

The total amount of resources available in an area

Which of the following accurately describes mutualism?

Both species benefit from the relationship (correct)

One species benefits at the expense of another

Both species compete for the same resources

One species is neither helped nor harmed by the interaction

What is the primary factor that alters an ecosystem's carrying capacity?

Population density

Natural disasters

Habitat fragmentation

Human activities (correct)

In terms of ecological relationships, what characterizes parasitism?

One organism benefits while the other is harmed Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about the nitrogen cycle is correct?

Nitrogen compounds are moved through both biotic and abiotic environments. Signup and view all the answers

What term describes organisms that must eat other organisms to obtain energy?

Consumers Signup and view all the answers

What are the main factors that determine population size?

Birth rate, death rate, immigration, emigration Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about ecological niches is true?

Ecological niches describe how species utilize resources. Signup and view all the answers

What is a community in ecological terms?

A collection of populations of different species in one area. Signup and view all the answers

Which type of species has a disproportionately large impact on its ecosystem?

Keystone species Signup and view all the answers

During which cycle is carbon primarily cycled through different environmental spheres?

Carbon Cycle Signup and view all the answers

What primarily drives exponential growth in a population?

Unhindered resources and low death rate Signup and view all the answers

Which describes the role of ecosystem engineers?

Species that create or modify habitats. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary role of autotrophs in an ecosystem?

To produce complex organic compounds using sunlight Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a characteristic of the lithosphere?

It is the solid outer layer of the Earth Signup and view all the answers

What defines a trophic level?

The category of organisms defined by their food source Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately describes sustainability?

It is the ability to maintain a certain rate or level Signup and view all the answers

What can be inferred about the relationship between biotic and abiotic components in an ecosystem?

Abiotic components can provide energy to support biotic activities Signup and view all the answers

What is one reason why trophic efficiency is always less than 100%?

Energy is lost as heat and not captured in biomass Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following represents a biotic factor in an ecosystem?

A population of moose Signup and view all the answers

Why are migrant species important to ecosystems?

They contribute to the genetic diversity of their habitats Signup and view all the answers

Which abiotic factor is characteristic of the tundra biome?

Permafrost layer beneath the soil Signup and view all the answers

What is a common biotic component found in a mountain forest?

Marmots Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT an abiotic factor of the grassland biome?

Highly variable temperatures Signup and view all the answers

In what kind of forest would you expect to find trees shedding their leaves annually?

Temperate deciduous forest Signup and view all the answers

Which biome has the highest average annual precipitation?

Temperate deciduous forest Signup and view all the answers

What describes the soil quality of the tundra biome?

Poor quality with low organic content Signup and view all the answers

Which animal is associated with the boreal forest biome?

Snowshoe hares Signup and view all the answers

Which biome is characterized by having no permafrost?

Boreal forest Signup and view all the answers

What is a defining feature of oligotrophic freshwater ecosystems?

Low in nutrients Signup and view all the answers

Which species is commonly found in grassland ecosystems?

Grasshoppers Signup and view all the answers

What defines a biome?

A large geographical region defined by climate and specific biotic and abiotic features Signup and view all the answers

What is the main role of producers in an ecosystem?

To convert sunlight into energy-rich food compounds Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes a food web?

A representation of complex feeding relationships in a community Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of decomposers in an ecosystem?

To break down and recycle dead organic matter Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'trophic level' refer to?

The feeding position of an organism in a food chain Signup and view all the answers

Which process converts sunlight into chemical energy?

Photosynthesis Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes mutualism?

Both organisms benefit from the interaction Signup and view all the answers

What are abiotic factors in an ecosystem?

The non-living components such as water and sunlight Signup and view all the answers

How does deforestation impact atmospheric conditions?

It increases the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere Signup and view all the answers

Which cycle involves the movement of nitrogen through living organisms and the environment?

Nitrogen cycle Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

The Spheres of Earth

Biosphere: Zone around Earth where life exists
Atmosphere: Layer of gases surrounding Earth
Lithosphere: Earth's solid outer layer
Hydrosphere: All of Earth's water in solid, liquid, and gas forms

Sustainability

Biotic: Living parts of an ecosystem (eg. moose)
Abiotic: Non-living parts of an ecosystem (eg. rocky cliffs)
Ecosystem: Interacting parts of a biological community and its environment (living things and their environment)
Sustainability: Ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level

Trophic Levels, Diets and Contaminants

Trophic level: Category of organisms based on how they gain energy
Autotroph: Organisms that create complex organic compounds from simple nutrients, often using sunlight (they make their own food)
Heterotroph: Organisms that consume organic material to produce energy
Trophic efficiency: The amount of energy or biomass transferred up trophic levels (always less than 100% due to energy loss during processes like hunting and digestion)
Producer: Organisms that make their own food (eg. autotrophs)
Consumer: Organisms that must eat other organisms for energy

Populations, Communities & Interactions

Population: All individuals of a species in a given geographical area at a particular time
Factors affecting population size: Natality (birth rate), immigration, fatality (death rate), emigration
Interspecies interactions: Interactions between species that can have positive or negative effects on populations
Ecological niche: The role an organism plays in an ecosystem (what it eats, what eats it, and its behavior)
Predation & population size: Predator and prey populations influence each other

Communities

Community: A group of different species occupying the same geographical area at a specific time
Dominant species: Species with a large effect on the community
Keystone species: Species with a disproportionately large impact on the community, often affecting many other species
Ecosystem engineers: Species that create or modify habitats for other species

Cycles

Biogeochemical cycles: Movement of matter through the biotic and abiotic environment
Water cycle: Cycling of water through the environment (most water is in the abiotic environment)
Carbon cycle: Cycling of carbon through the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere
Carbon deposits: Fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas), oil shale, carbonate-based sedimentary deposits (limestone)
Human impact on carbon cycle: Burning fossil fuels, land-use change, using limestone for concrete
Nitrogen Cycle: Moving nitrogen compounds through biotic and abiotic environment

Carrying Capacity & Tolerance Range, 5 Types of Ecological Relationships

Carrying capacity: Maximum population size an ecosystem can sustain
Tolerance range: The range of abiotic conditions an organism can survive in
Symbiosis (5 types): Interaction between members of two different species
- Mutualism: Both individuals benefit
- Commensalism: One individual benefits, the other is neither harmed nor benefited
- Parasitism: One individual lives on or in a host and feeds on it
- Competition: Two or more organisms compete for the same resource
- Predation: One individual feeds on another

Aquatic and Terrestrial Biomes

Terrestrial Biomes:
- Tundra: Low temperatures, short growing season, permafrost, low diversity, mosses, lichens, caribou, ptarmigan, lemmings, arctic foxes
- Mountain Forest: Varying temperatures with elevation, cool summers, windy conditions, heavy precipitation on leeward sides, fast-flowing rivers, marmots, squirrels, elk, black bears, grizzly bears, cougar, large coniferous trees, ferns
- Boreal Forest: Warmer than tundra, no permafrost, changeable weather, higher precipitation, coniferous trees, seed-eating birds, squirrels, voles, snowshoe hares, black bears
- Grassland: Longer growing season, higher temperatures, rich soil, precipitation (25-75 cm/year), fescue grasses, grasshoppers, bison, voles, mice, snakes, hawks, coyotes
- Temperate Deciduous Forest: Longer growing season, fertile soil, precipitation (up to 100 cm/year), deer, weasels, squirrels, many insects, diverse tree and ground vegetation
Aquatic Biomes:
- Freshwater Ecosystems: Rivers, creeks, lakes, ponds, streams. Oligotrophic (low nutrients) and eutrophic (rich in nutrients)
- Marine Ecosystems: Aquatic environments with high salt levels
Watershed: An area of land that collects rain and snow and drains into a body of water

Vocabulary

Atmosphere: Layer of gases surrounding Earth
Lithosphere: Earth’s solid outer layer
Hydrosphere: All of Earth’s water
Ecosystem: Interacting parts of a biological community and its environment
Biotic factor: Living things, their remains, and features associated with their activities
Abiotic factor: Non-living physical and chemical components of an ecosystem
Radiant energy: Energy traveling through empty space
Light energy: Visible forms of radiant energy
Thermal energy: Energy transferred during heating or cooling
Photosynthesis: Converting sunlight into chemical energy
Deforestation: Increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
Producer: Organism that makes its own food
Cellular respiration: Converting sugar into energy
Consumer: Organism that obtains energy from consuming other organisms
Decomposers: Organisms that break down dead or decaying organisms
Food Chain: Sequence of organisms showing energy transfer, each organism feeds on the next
Ecological Niche: Role a species plays in its ecosystem
Trophic level: An organism's level in an ecosystem based on its feeding position
Food web: Representation of feeding relationships within a community
Ecological pyramid: Representation of energy, numbers, or biomass relationships in ecosystems
Biomass: Mass of living organisms in a given area
Herbivore: Eats plants or other producers
Carnivore: Eats other animals
Omnivore: Eats both plants and animals
Scavenger: Eats dead animals
Biogeochemical Cycle: Movement of matter through the biotic and abiotic environment
Water cycle: Cycling of water through the environment
Carbon Cycle: Cycling of carbon through the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere
Nitrogen Cycle: Moving nitrogen compounds through the biotic and abiotic environment
Limiting Factor: Factor that restricts the growth of a population
Tolerance Range: Range of conditions an organism can survive in
Competition: Organisms competing for the same resource
Predation: One individual feeds on another
Mutualism: Both individuals benefit from the interaction
Parasitism: One individual benefits at the expense of the host
Commensalism: One individual benefits, the other is unaffected
Carrying Capacity: Maximum population size an ecosystem can sustain
Biome: Large geographical region characterized by a particular set of climate, biotic, and abiotic features
Aquatic Biome: Water-based biome
Terrestrial Biome: Land-based biome

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Description

This quiz covers essential concepts related to Earth's spheres, sustainability, and trophic levels. Explore the interactions of biotic and abiotic components and understand the energy flow in ecosystems. Test your knowledge on how these elements contribute to our environment and sustainability efforts.