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Ecology Basics - General Biology

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  • What is ecology?

    Ecology is the study of organisms and their interactions with each other and their environment.

  • Define habitat.

    A habitat is the specific environment or 'home' where a species lives.

  • What is a population in ecology?

    A population is all individuals of a single species living in a specific area.

  • What is a community in ecological terms?

    A community is all the populations of different species living together in one area at the same time.

  • Define ecosystem.

    An ecosystem includes all living communities and the non-living (abiotic) factors in an area.

  • What is the biosphere?

    The biosphere is the sum of all ecosystems on Earth, including land, water, and air.

  • Differentiate biotic and abiotic factors.

    Biotic factors are living things like plants and animals; abiotic factors are non-living things like water, sunlight, and temperature.

  • What is an ecological niche?

    A niche is the specific role or occupation an organism has in its ecosystem, including how it obtains resources.

  • How do habitat and niche differ?

    A habitat is where a species lives; a niche is the role it plays in that environment.

  • What happens if two species occupy the same niche?

    It leads to competition, which can result in one species being eliminated.

  • Define intraspecific competition.

    Intraspecific competition is competition between organisms of the same species, influenced by population density and resources.

  • Define interspecific competition.

    Interspecific competition is competition between different species, often ending with one species outcompeting the other.

  • What limits population size in an ecosystem?

    Population size is limited by resources (like oxygen, water, nutrients) and competition among organisms.

  • What is a limiting factor?

    A limiting factor is any biotic or abiotic element that restricts population growth.

  • Give examples of abiotic limiting factors.

    Examples include dissolved oxygen, sunlight availability, and extreme temperatures.

  • Explain predator-prey relationships as a biotic limiting factor.

    Predators reduce prey populations; if prey decline too much, predator numbers also drop, creating cyclical population changes.

  • What is carrying capacity?

    Carrying capacity is the maximum population size an ecosystem can support based on available resources and interactions.

  • What are the three requirements for a stable ecosystem?

    1. Constant energy source
    2. Organisms to use energy
    3. Nutrient recycling between organisms

  • How does energy flow through an ecosystem?

    Energy flows one way: from the sun to producers, then consumers, and finally decomposers.

  • Define producers, consumers, and decomposers.

    Producers make their own food (autotrophs). Consumers eat other organisms (heterotrophs). Decomposers break down dead matter and recycle nutrients.

  • What are the types of consumers?

    Herbivores (eat plants), carnivores (eat animals), omnivores (eat both), and scavengers (eat dead animals).

  • What does a food chain represent?

    A food chain shows the linear flow of energy through different trophic levels in an ecosystem.

  • What is a food web?

    A food web is a complex network of feeding relationships showing multiple food chains interconnected.

  • Explain the pyramid of energy.

    It shows energy transfer between trophic levels; only about 10% of energy passes to the next level, with energy lost as heat.

  • What are symbiotic relationships?

    Close interactions between two species where at least one benefits; includes mutualism, parasitism, and commensalism.

  • Define mutualism with an example.

    Both species benefit; e.g., bees get nectar and pollinate flowers.

  • Define parasitism with an example.

    One benefits (parasite), the other is harmed (host); e.g., ticks feeding on dogs.

  • Define commensalism with an example.

    One benefits, the other is unaffected; e.g., barnacles on whales.

  • Why is recycling important in ecosystems?

    Recycling of water, oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen sustains ecosystems by reusing essential materials.

  • What is ecological succession?

    Gradual changes in an ecosystem over time, leading to a stable climax community.

  • Differentiate primary and secondary succession.

    Primary succession starts on bare rock with no soil; secondary succession occurs where an ecosystem was disturbed but soil remains.