2020 ECOLOGY REVIEW: Interactions and Flow of Energy/Matter

Front

What is biological magnification?

Back

Biological magnification refers to the increasing concentration of toxins in the tissues of organisms at each successive level of the food chain.

Front

What are the goals of biodiversity conservation?

Back

The goals include protecting individual species, preserving habitats and ecosystems, and ensuring local communities benefit from conservation efforts.

Front

What is a density independent limiting factor?

Back

A density independent limiting factor is a factor that affects population size regardless of the population's density, such as temperature or natural disasters.

Front

Which organisms can be classified in more than one trophic level?

Back

Organisms like brown bears, which eat both plants and animals, can be classified in multiple trophic levels.

Front

What effect does a new disease in mountain lions have on deer populations?

Back

If a new disease strikes mountain lions, a predator of deer, it is likely to cause an increase in the deer population due to reduced predation.

Front

Define a food chain.

Back

A food chain is a linear sequence of organisms through which nutrients and energy pass as one organism eats another.

Front

What is the role of decomposers in an ecosystem?

Back

Decomposers break down dead organic matter, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.

Front

Explain the concept of an ecological niche.

Back

An ecological niche is the role and position a species has in its environment, including all interactions with biotic and abiotic factors.

Front

What is the difference between a food web and a food chain?

Back

A food web is a complex network of interconnected food chains, showing how different species are related through feeding relationships.

Front

What is carrying capacity?

Back

Carrying capacity is the maximum population size that an environment can sustain indefinitely without degrading.