Populations

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What is exponential growth in populations?

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Exponential growth refers to a rapid increase in population size when resources are abundant, leading to a J-shaped curve on a graph.

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What defines a biome?

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A biome is classified by its climate, vegetation, and the climax community that develops in that environment.

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What is carrying capacity?

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Carrying capacity is the maximum number of individuals of a species that an environment can sustainably support.

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What is primary succession?

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Primary succession is the process of ecological change that occurs in an area where no soil exists, such as after a volcanic eruption.

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What is secondary succession?

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Secondary succession is the process of ecological change that occurs in an area where a disturbance has destroyed an existing community but left the soil intact.

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What are limiting factors?

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Limiting factors are environmental conditions that restrict the growth, abundance, or distribution of a population.

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What is a climax community?

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A climax community is a stable and mature ecological community that has reached a steady state after a series of ecological changes.

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How do biotic and abiotic factors affect populations?

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Biotic factors (like competition and predation) and abiotic factors (like temperature and water availability) influence population dynamics and ecosystem health.

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What is the difference between density-dependent and density-independent factors?

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Density-dependent factors are influenced by population size (e.g., disease), while density-independent factors affect populations regardless of size (e.g., natural disasters).

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What role do producers play in an ecosystem?

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Producers, such as plants, convert sunlight into energy through photosynthesis, forming the base of the food chain.