Ecology Review

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Food, water, and shelter are examples of...

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Limiting factors are resources that restrict the growth, abundance, or distribution of an organism or a population in an ecosystem.

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The symbiosis in which both organisms benefit is called...

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Mutualism is a type of symbiotic relationship where both species benefit from the interaction.

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Organisms that eat on all trophic levels and cause the recycling of dead things are called...

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Decomposers are organisms that break down dead or decaying organisms, returning nutrients to the ecosystem.

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What destroys the Ozone layer?

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CFCs (Chlorofluorocarbons) are chemicals that deplete the ozone layer, leading to increased UV radiation.

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Why do energy pyramids have no more than 3 or 4 trophic levels?

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Energy is lost due to metabolism at each trophic level, limiting the number of levels in an energy pyramid.

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What is the role of producers in an ecosystem?

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Producers, or autotrophs, are organisms that create their own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis, forming the base of the food chain.

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Define parasitism in ecological terms.

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Parasitism is a symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits at the expense of another, often harming it.

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What is the significance of biodiversity in an ecosystem?

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Biodiversity contributes to ecosystem resilience, productivity, and stability, allowing ecosystems to adapt to changes.

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Explain the concept of carrying capacity.

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

Front

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

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A food chain is a linear sequence of organisms through which nutrients and energy pass, while a food web is a complex network of interconnected food chains.