30 Questions
What is the primary focus of the study of ecology?
The diversity of organisms on the planet Earth.
What is an environment composed of?
Abiotic and biotic factors.
What is the key difference between an environment and an ecosystem?
An ecosystem includes interacting factors, while an environment does not.
At what scale is ecology often applied?
At a specific level or scale.
What can be found in nearly every location on Earth?
Life.
What is the main difference between a terrestrial habitat and an ecosystem?
A terrestrial habitat is composed of multiple ecosystems, while an ecosystem is a self-contained unit.
What is the primary focus of organismal ecology?
The life history of individual organisms.
What is the main difference between population ecology and community ecology?
Population ecology focuses on a single species, while community ecology focuses on multiple species.
What is an example of a research question in population ecology?
What is the population density of a species of bird in a given area?
What is the definition of a population in ecological terms?
A group of organisms that interbreed with each other.
What is the primary focus of ecosystem ecology?
The interactions between organisms and the abiotic components of an area
What is the term for the largest scale of ecology, which includes all living organisms and all environments on the planet?
Biosphere
Which of the following is NOT part of the community described in the scenario?
Marmot
What is the result of the beaver's actions in the stream habitat?
Flooding in areas upstream and drought in areas downstream
What is the purpose of ecosystem ecology at small scales?
To understand the relationship between biotic components and abiotic factors
What does biotic potential refer to?
The rate at which a species reproduces with unlimited resources
What is the main reason why species do not reach their full biotic potential?
Because they do not live in perfect conditions
Which of the following species has the highest biotic potential?
Ducks
What is a characteristic of insects in terms of biotic potential?
They have a large biotic potential due to the number of offspring produced
What is the biotic potential of humans?
1-2 offspring per year
Which of the following groups of organisms typically have a low biotic potential?
Mammals
What determines the biotic potential of a species?
The rate of reproduction and the amount of offspring born each cycle
What is the primary factor influencing environmental carrying capacity?
All of the above
What happens when a population is above its carrying capacity?
Resources become limited and competition increases
What is an example of a species that has a carrying capacity?
All of the above
What happens to the deer population when wolves are hunted?
The deer population increases exponentially
What is the result of overgrazing in a cattle population?
A decrease in nutrients in the soil
What is the role of wolves in regulating the deer population?
They prey on deer to keep the population in check
What is the primary factor that limits the number of barnacle and oyster species?
Competition for space
What happens to tree growth when a forest reaches carrying capacity?
New sprouts have difficulty growing due to competition for resources
Study Notes
What is Ecology?
- Ecology is the study of life on Earth, focusing on the diversity of organisms, their interactions, and how they thrive or die based on their environment.
- Ecology investigates life at multiple scales, from individual organisms to the entire planet.
Environment vs. Ecosystem
- An environment is the place an organism calls home, consisting of abiotic (non-living) and biotic (living) factors.
- An ecosystem, on the other hand, includes the factors within a habitat that directly interact with each other.
Levels of Ecology
- Organismal ecology: studies individual organisms and their interactions with their environment.
- Population ecology: focuses on a specific type of organism, studying population trends, density, and abundance.
- Community ecology: expands on population ecology, including multiple species and their interactions within a given area.
- Ecosystem ecology: considers the interactions between organisms and between organisms and the abiotic components of an area.
- Biosphere ecology: the largest scale of ecology, focused on the entire planet, studying how human actions affect the planet on a global scale.
Ecological Scales
- Organismal ecology: individual organisms and their interactions with their environment.
- Population ecology: groups of organisms that interbreed with each other, studying population trends, density, and abundance.
- Community ecology: multiple species and their interactions within a given area.
- Ecosystem ecology: interactions between organisms and between organisms and the abiotic components of an area.
- Biosphere ecology: the entire planet, studying how human actions affect the planet on a global scale.
Examples of Ecological Studies
- Organismal ecology: studying how different substrate types affect the survival of a species of salamander.
- Population ecology: investigating population trends, density, and abundance of lowland gorillas.
- Community ecology: studying the interactions between deer, ticks, wolves, vultures, mushrooms, and grasses in a forest ecosystem.
- Ecosystem ecology: understanding the relationship between beavers and the abiotic components of a stream habitat.
- Biosphere ecology: understanding how human actions have resulted in changes to the biosphere, including decreased diversity and increasing temperatures.
Learn about the diverse range of life forms found in different ecosystems, from savannahs to oceans, and how ecology studies the relationships between living organisms and their environments.
Make Your Own Quizzes and Flashcards
Convert your notes into interactive study material.
Get started for free
