Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Environmental Science Ecology Flashcards

Using water temperature as an example

Answer: an abiotic factor.

Abiotic factors are the non-living chemical and physical parts of the environment that affect living organisms and the functioning of ecosystems. Water temperature is a physical characteristic of the environment, not a living component. Therefore, it is classified as an abiotic factor because it is a non-biological influence on an ecosystem.

a group of creatures that come from many populations yet coexist in the same space and communicate with one another.

Answer: Community

A community in ecology refers to all the different populations of various species that live and interact in the same area. It encompasses the biotic (living) components of an ecosystem, excluding the abiotic (non-living) factors. The description precisely matches this definition, as it specifies multiple populations coexisting and communicating.

the entirety of the environment's nonliving components as well as the group of species that make up a community.

Answer: Ecosystem

An ecosystem is defined as a biological community of interacting organisms (the biotic components) and their physical environment (the abiotic components). This includes both the living species and all the non-living factors like water, soil, and sunlight. The question's description perfectly aligns with the comprehensive definition of an ecosystem.

Which of the following sums up a community the best?

Answer: sharks, groupers, anemones and shrimp on a coral reef

A community consists of different populations of various species living and interacting in the same area. Option D describes multiple distinct species (sharks, groupers, anemones, shrimp) coexisting and interacting within a specific habitat (a coral reef). The other options describe either a single population or a broad biome, not an interacting group of diverse species.

Which thin layer supports life and has the highest ecological organization?

Answer: The biosphere

The biosphere represents the sum of all ecosystems on Earth, encompassing all life and the areas where life exists. It is the highest level of ecological organization, extending from the deepest parts of the ocean to the highest mountains where life can be found. This thin global layer is where all living organisms interact with the physical environment.

Match the picture to its group/term, Rabbit.

Answer: Organism

An organism is an individual living thing. A single rabbit represents one individual organism, which is the most basic unit of ecological organization. The other options (Ecosystem, Community, Population) refer to groups of organisms or interactions with the environment, not a single individual.

An ecosystem's food chains with many food energy paths are a .

Answer: food web

A food web illustrates the complex network of feeding relationships within an ecosystem, showing how multiple food chains interconnect. It depicts all the possible paths of energy flow as organisms consume and are consumed by others. This interconnectedness provides a more realistic representation of energy transfer than a single, linear food chain.

Herbivores are which?

Answer: cricket

Herbivores are primary consumers that obtain energy by eating plants. Crickets are known to feed on plants, making them herbivores. The other options, such as shrews, hawks, and frogs, are typically carnivores or omnivores, consuming other animals or a mix of plants and animals.

What fuels all life?

Answer: The Sun

The Sun is the ultimate source of energy for almost all life on Earth. Through photosynthesis, producers like plants convert solar energy into chemical energy, forming the base of nearly every food chain and ecosystem. This energy then flows through different trophic levels, sustaining all other life forms.

Food chains represent what?

Answer: A single path of energy transfer within a habitat.

A food chain illustrates a linear sequence of who eats whom in an ecosystem, showing a single, direct pathway of energy flow from producers to various consumers. It simplifies the complex feeding relationships by focusing on one specific sequence of energy transfer. While all living organisms are connected, a food chain specifically depicts one particular path.

The shrew powers what?

Answer: snake

In many ecosystems, shrews are small mammals that feed on insects and other invertebrates. Snakes are often predators of small mammals, including shrews. Therefore, the energy stored in a shrew would be transferred to a snake if the snake consumes the shrew, representing a trophic link.

Ecosystem life.

Answer: Biotic factors

Biotic factors refer to all the living or once-living components within an ecosystem. This includes plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms. The term 'life' in the question directly corresponds to these living elements that interact and contribute to the ecosystem's dynamics.

Energy rises in an energy pyramid.

Answer: decreases

An energy pyramid illustrates the flow of energy through different trophic levels in an ecosystem. As you move up the pyramid from producers to higher-level consumers, the amount of available energy significantly decreases. This is due to the loss of energy (primarily as heat) at each transfer between trophic levels, following the 10% rule.

Abiotic factors in this image?

Answer: water, sunlight, dirt, air

Abiotic factors are the non-living physical and chemical components of an ecosystem. Water, sunlight, dirt (soil), and air are all fundamental non-living elements that significantly influence the life within an environment. Plants and birds, conversely, are biotic (living) factors.

The diagram depicts what type of growth?

Answer: exponential growth

Exponential growth occurs when a population increases at a constant rate per capita, resulting in a J-shaped curve on a graph. This type of growth happens under ideal conditions with unlimited resources and no limiting factors. The population size accelerates rapidly over time, as each individual contributes to the overall growth rate.