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level: Level 1 of Ecology

Questions and Answers List

level questions: Level 1 of Ecology

QuestionAnswer
What is a habitat?The place where an organism lives.
What is a population?All the organisms of one speicies in a habitat.
What s a community?The populations of different spieces living in a habitat.
What are abiotic factors?Non-living factors of the environment, e.g. temperature.
What are biotic factors?Living factors of the environment, e.g. food.
What is an ecosystem?The interaction between living organisms and non-living parts of the environment.
What do plants need from their environment?Light, space, water and mineral ions.
What do animals need from their environment?Space (territory), food, water and mates.
What does interdependence mean?When both living organisms and non-living parts of the environment rely on each other for survival and to thrive.
What is the; Effect on the population due to no stonefly larvae? Effect of loss of stonefly larvae? On the blackfly larvae, water spider, and stickleback?BLACKFLY LARVAE - The population may increase because there's less competition for algae, meaning more food. However, the population may decrease because they're more likely to be eaten by predators. WATER SPIDER - There would be less food, so the population would decrease. STICKLEBACK - There's less food since the population of waterspiders or mayfly larvae will decrease, meaning stickleback populations will also decrease.
What are stable communities?When all the species and environmental factors are balanced, so the population sizes remain roughly constant.
What are some examples of abiotic factors?Moisture level, light intensity, temperature, carbon dioxide level, wind intensity, wind direction, oxygen level, soil pH and soil mineral content.
How could a decrease in light intensity, temperature or CO₂ levels affect populations, and which would it affect?It would decrease the population size of plants, since it would decrease the rate of photosynthesis and stunt plant growth.
How could a decrease of mineral content in the soil affect populations, and which would it affect?It would decrease the population size of plants, since it would cause plant deficiencies.
What are some examples of biotic factors?Predators. Competition. Pathogens. Food availability.
How can new predators affect populations?It would decrease the prey population.
How can food availability affect the two squirrel populations?Red and grey squirrels live in the same habitat and eat the same food, however, grey squirrels outcompete the red squirrels, meaning their population is decreasing.
What are the three types of adaptations?Structural, Behavioural and Functional.
What is an adaptation?Changes in an animals features or characteristics which will allow them to survive in an environment.
What are structural adaptations?Changes in the features of an organisms body structure. E.g. shape or colour.
How are arctic foxes structurally adapted?They have white fur, allowing them to camouflage with the snow. This allows them to sneak up on prey, or hide from predators.
How are animals that live in cold areas adapted for their environment? What type of adaptation is it?It is a structural adaptation. They have a thick layer of blubber (fat) to retain heat. They have a low surface area to volume ratio to retain heat. They have thick fur.
How are animals that live in hot areas adapted for their environment? What type of adaptation is it?It is a structural adaptation. They have a thin layer of fat to lose heat. They have a large surface area to volume ratio to lose heat. They have thin fur.
What are behavioural adaptations?Changes in the way an organism behaves. E.g. migration to warmer climates during the winter.
What is an example of behavioural adaptations found in penguins?They huddle together to stay warm and retain heat.
What are functional adaptations?Changes inside an organisms body. E.g. changes in reproduction or metabolism.
How are desert animals functionally adapted?They conserve water by urinating and sweating little.
How are brown bears functionally adapted?They hibernate during the winter. This lowers their metabolism, so they dont need to hunt or worry about food.
What are extremophiles?Organisms that are adapted to live in extreme conditions.
What are producers and where are they on the food chain?They produce their own food from energy from the sun. They are at the bottom of the food chain, usually being green plants or algae.
What are primary consumers and where are they on the food chain?They eat the producers and are usually prey. They are second bottom of the food chain.
What are secondary consumers and where are they on the food chain?They eat primary consumers, and are either the prey or predators. They are second top of the food chain.
What are tertiary consumers and where are they on the food chain?They eat secondary consumers, and are the predators. They are at the top of the food chain.
What are consumers?Organisms that eat other organisms.
What is biomass?The mass of all living material. Plants make them when glucose it used to make biological molecules.
Why are predator-prey cycles always out of phase?It takes a while for one population to respond to the changes in another population.
What is the water cycle?The continuous movement of water within the Earth and atmosphere which keeps the amount of water constant.
What is a cycle?A series of processes that returns a material back to its original state after.
What are the four cycles in nature?Water, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen.
What is prelocation?When water trickles through rocks.
What is transpiration?The movement of water through a plant and the evaporation from its leaves.
What is condensation?The change of state from gaseous to liquid.
What is evaporation?The change of state from liquid to gaseous at any tempertaure.
What is organic material?Material that contains carbon. It's recycled.
What is the first stage of the water cycle?Water from the surfaces of the ocean is EVAPORATED by energy from the sun and turned into water vapour. It can also evaporate from plants through TRANSPIRATION,
What is the second stage of the water cycle?The water vapour cools and CONDENSES as it is carried upwards to form clouds.
What is the third stage of the water cycle?The clouds become heavy with water, and PRECIPITATES.
What is the fourth stage of the water cycle?The water then travels back to the ocean through percolation or DRAINING so the process can start again.
How do microorganisms help with decay?They breakdown decaying organisms, releasing carbon into the soil and air.
How can the decay by microorganisms be sped up?By having warm, moist and aerobic (oxygen rich) conditions.
What are the three ways carbon dioxide can be released into the atmosphere?Combustion, respiration and decay.
How is carbon dioxide taken from the air?Photosynthesis.
How do animals get carbon compounds?From feeding (eating plants).
What are the two main things that causes combustion?Burning fossil fuels and making products from animals and plants.