Chapter 5 Pearson Environmental Science

Front

What is tolerance in ecology?

Back

Tolerance is the ability of an organism to survive and reproduce under changing environmental conditions.

Front

What does an organism's niche describe?

Back

An organism's niche describes its use of resources and its functional role in a community.

Front

What is the competitive exclusion principle?

Back

The competitive exclusion principle states that if one species is a very effective competitor, it may exclude another species from resource use entirely.

Front

What do primary producers do?

Back

Primary producers use sunlight to make their own energy through photosynthesis.

Front

What is secondary succession?

Back

Secondary succession begins when a disturbance such as fire, logging, or farming dramatically alters an existing community but does not destroy all living things or all organic matter in the soil.

Front

What is the difference between primary and secondary succession?

Back

Primary succession occurs in lifeless areas where soil has not yet formed, while secondary succession occurs in areas where a disturbance has destroyed an existing community but left the soil intact.

Front

What role do decomposers play in an ecosystem?

Back

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

Front

What is resource partitioning?

Back

Resource partitioning is the process by which competing species use the environment differently to coexist.

Front

Define biodiversity.

Back

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

Front

What is an ecosystem?

Back

An ecosystem is a community of living organisms interacting with their physical environment.