Review #13: Populations and Communities

Front

What is mutualism?

Back

A symbiotic relationship where both species benefit, such as yucca flowers and yucca moths.

Front

What does a j-shaped curve represent in population growth?

Back

It represents exponential population growth, where the population size increases rapidly without resource limitations.

Front

What is a community in ecological terms?

Back

All of the populations living in a specific area.

Front

What three factors can affect population size?

Back

Births, deaths, and individuals leaving or entering the population.

Front

What is competition in ecology?

Back

A relationship where two or more individuals or species compete for the same resources, such as food or space.

Front

Define carrying capacity.

Back

The maximum number of individuals of a species that an environment can support sustainably.

Front

What is the difference between a population and a community?

Back

A population consists of individuals of the same species in a given area, while a community includes all populations of different species in that area.

Front

What is the role of predators in an ecosystem?

Back

Predators help control the population size of prey species, maintaining balance in the ecosystem.

Front

What is the significance of biodiversity in communities?

Back

Biodiversity enhances ecosystem resilience, productivity, and stability.

Front

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

Back

Density-dependent factors affect population size based on the population density (e.g., food availability), while density-independent factors affect populations regardless of density (e.g., natural disasters).