Ecosystems and material cycles

• What are abiotic factors in an ecosystem?

  Non-living aspects like temperature and light
• What is a belt transect?

  A line for sampling organisms in an area
• What does biodiversity refer to?

  The variety of living organisms in an ecosystem
• What is a biofuel?

  A renewable energy source from biomass
• How is biomass defined?

  Total mass of organic material in an area
• What are biotic factors?

  Living components like food availability and predators
• What is blackspot fungus?

  An indicator species found on rose leaves
• What does the blood worm indicate?

  High levels of pollution in water
• What is the purpose of a captive breeding program?

  To increase population numbers of endangered animals
• What is the carbon cycle?

  The movement of carbon between organisms and the environment
• What is a community in ecological terms?

  Populations of different species in a habitat
• What is competition in ecosystems?

  When organisms compete for the same resources
• What is compost?

  Dead and decaying organic matter used as fertilizer
• What is conservation?

  Maintaining ecosystems and biodiversity by humans
• What is crop rotation?

  Growing different crops each year to replenish nutrients
• What are decomposers?

  Organisms that break down dead material into simpler matter
• What is decomposition?

  The breakdown of dead materials into simpler organic matter
• What factors affect the rate of decomposition?

  Temperature, water content, and oxygen availability
• What do denitrifying bacteria do?

  Convert nitrate ions to nitrogen gas
• What is desalination?

  Removing salts from saline water for drinking
• What is an ecosystem?

  Community of organisms and their interactions
• How is the efficiency of biomass transfer calculated?

  Using the biomass at different trophic levels

  
• How is the efficiency of energy transfer calculated?

  Using energy at different trophic levels

  
• What is eutrophication?

  Pollution by fertilizers causing algal blooms
• What are fertilizers?

  Materials added to soils for nutrients
• What is fish farming?

  Breeding fish commercially to combat overfishing
• What is a food chain?

  Feeding relationships between organisms
• What is food security?

  Access to safe and nutritious food for populations
• What is a freshwater shrimp?

  An indicator species sensitive to dissolved oxygen
• What are indicator species?

  Species indicating environmental conditions like pollution
• What is interdependence in ecosystems?

  Dependence of organisms on each other for survival
• What is lichen?

  An indicator species used to monitor air pollution
• What is mutualism?

  Interaction where both organisms benefit
• What do nitrifying bacteria do?

  Convert ammonium ions into nitrite and nitrate
• What is the nitrogen cycle?

  The movement of nitrogen between organisms and the environment
• What is nitrogen fixation?

  Conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia
• What are nitrogen-fixing bacteria?

  Microorganisms converting nitrogen gas into compounds
• What are non-indigenous species?

  Foreign species not naturally occurring in an area
• What is parasitism?

  Interaction where one organism benefits and the other does not
• What is pollution?

  Contamination of the environment due to human actions