Ecology Organization Levels

Front

What is a population in ecology?

Back

A population is a group of individuals of the same species that live in a specific area and interact with one another.

Front

What does the second law of thermodynamics state about entropy?

Back

The second law of thermodynamics states that the entropy of a system tends to increase over time.

Front

What does the first law of thermodynamics state about energy?

Back

The first law of thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed or transferred.

Front

What is the approximate efficiency of energy transfer between trophic levels?

Back

The efficiency of energy transfer from one trophic level to the next is roughly 10%.

Front

How does a food web differ from a food chain?

Back

A food web contains many different, linked food chains, while a food chain is a linear sequence of who eats whom.

Front

Define an ecosystem.

Back

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

Front

What is a community in ecology?

Back

A community is a group of different species that live together in one area.

Front

What is a trophic level?

Back

A trophic level is a position in a food chain or food web, defined by how organisms obtain their energy.

Front

What are producers in an ecosystem?

Back

Producers are organisms that can make their own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis, such as plants.

Front

What role do decomposers play in an ecosystem?

Back

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