Communities and Competitions

• What is a key concept in ecology regarding organisms?

  All organisms have relationships with each other
• What types of relationships do mice have?

  With other mice, plants, predators, and environment
• How do mice interact with their environment?

  They breathe oxygen and burrow in soil
• What happens if the mouse population decreases?

  Predators have less food and soil quality decreases
• What is a habitat?

  The place where an organism lives
• What defines a population in ecology?

  All organisms of a particular species in a habitat
• What is a community in ecological terms?

  All populations of different species in a habitat
• What are biotic factors?

  The living factors of the environment
• What are abiotic factors?

  The non-living factors of the environment
• What is an ecosystem?

  The interaction of living organisms with their environment
• What is the focus of ecology?

  Understanding how ecosystems function and change
• What is competition in an ecosystem?

  Organisms competing for limited resources
• What resources do animals typically need to survive?

  Space, food, water, and mates
• What resources do plants typically need to survive?

  Light, space, water, and mineral ions
• What is interdependence in ecology?

  All species depend on other species
• What does a food web illustrate?

  The feeding relationships within a community
• What happens if the mouse population increases?

  Grass availability decreases, affecting other species
• What might happen to hawk populations if mice increase?

  Hawk populations might not increase much
• What is the significance of understanding ecological relationships?

  To predict the knock-on effects of changes
• What is the main takeaway from the study material?

  Understanding ecological relationships is crucial