B7: Ecology

• What are the components of an ecosystem?

  • Communities of living things
  • Nonliving parts of the environment
• What is interdependence in ecology?

  Dependence between different species
• What are abiotic factors?

  Nonliving factors affecting a community
• How does light intensity affect plant growth?

  Limited light restricts photosynthesis
• Why are moisture levels important for organisms?

  All life needs water to survive
• How does temperature affect organisms?

  Most live within a small temperature range
• What are biotic factors?

  Living factors affecting communities
• How can new predators disrupt a community?

  They can cause extinction of species
• Why is competition important in ecosystems?

  It secures limited resources among organisms
• What are the types of adaptations in organisms?

  • Structural adaptations
  • Behavioral adaptations
  • Functional adaptations
• What is a structural adaptation?

  Physical characteristics aiding survival
• What is a behavioral adaptation?


  How an organism behaves to survive
• What is a functional adaptation?

  How an organism's body functions to survive
• What is the role of producers in an ecosystem?

  They perform photosynthesis to create energy
• What is a predator in an ecosystem?

  An organism that hunts and eats others
• What is a prey in an ecosystem?

  An organism that is hunted by predators
• What is the predator-prey cycle?

  • Prey population increases with food
  • Predator population increases with prey
  • Prey population decreases due to predation
  • Predator population decreases due to lack of food
• What are the methods of sampling in ecology?

  • Quadrats for stationary organisms
  • Transects for distribution of organisms
• What is the purpose of using quadrats in sampling?

  To count stationary organisms in an area
• What is the purpose of using transects in sampling?

  To study the distribution of organisms
• How should quadrat sampling be conducted?

  Use the same method for every quadrat
• What is the importance of consistency in quadrat sampling?

  Ensures accurate and comparable results
• What is the purpose of sampling transics and quadrats in ecology?

  To find abundance and distribution of organisms
• What are quadrats used for in ecological studies?

  To count plants or slow-moving organisms
• Why can't quadrats be used for large or quickly moving organisms?

  Because they cannot be accurately counted
• Why is it important to take as many samples as possible in quadrat sampling?

  To ensure data accurately reflects reality
• How can random quadrat sampling be achieved?

  By using a random number generator
• If a quadrat measures $0.25 \text{ m}$ on each side, what is its area in square meters?


  $0.0625 \text{ m}^2$
• How many flowers would you expect to find in one square meter if the quadrat is 16 times smaller?

  80 flowers per meter squared
• What does the mean represent in data processing?

  The average of all values
• How do you calculate the mean from seven samples?

  Add all numbers and divide by seven
• What is the median in a data set?

  The middle value when ordered
• How is the mode defined in a data set?

  The most common value in the data
• How is the range calculated in a data set?

  Highest value minus lowest value
• What is a line transect used for in ecology?

  To measure organism distribution along a line
• How can abiotic factors affect organism distribution?

  By influencing growth conditions and survival
• What is the water cycle?

  The continuous movement of water on Earth
• What role do decomposers play in the decay cycle?

  They break down dead organisms and recycle nutrients
• What do decomposers release back into the atmosphere during decay?

  Carbon dioxide
• What happens to carbon in the carbon cycle when organisms die?

  It can fossilize or be decomposed