Ecology

Front

What is parasitism?

Back

A relationship between two organisms where one organism (the parasite) benefits at the expense of the other (the host). Example: Mistletoe growing on trees.

Front

What happens to a community if a top predator is removed from the food web?

Back

The population of prey species may increase, leading to overconsumption of vegetation and potential collapse of the ecosystem.

Front

Define a community in ecology.

Back

A collection of different populations of organisms that live in the same area and interact with one another.

Front

What is an abiotic factor?

Back

A non-living component of an ecosystem that affects living organisms. Examples include sunlight, temperature, water, and soil.

Front

What is mutualism?

Back

A symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit. Example: Bees pollinating flowers while obtaining nectar.

Front

What is commensalism?

Back

A relationship between two organisms where one benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed. Example: Barnacles attaching to a whale.

Front

What is predation?

Back

An interaction where one organism (the predator) kills and eats another organism (the prey). Example: A lion hunting a zebra.

Front

What is a food web?

Back

A complex network of feeding relationships among various organisms in an ecosystem, showing how energy and nutrients flow.

Front

What is an ecosystem?

Back

A community of living organisms interacting with their physical environment, including both biotic and abiotic factors.

Front

What is a biome?

Back

A large geographic biotic unit, a major community of plants and animals with similar life forms and environmental conditions. Examples include deserts, forests, and grasslands.