ES Fall Semester Exam (24-25)

Front

What is the order of succession in an ecosystem?

Back

The order of succession refers to the sequence of species that colonize an area over time, typically starting with pioneer species and progressing to a stable climax community.

Front

What is fitness in the context of natural selection?

Back

Fitness refers to an organism's ability to survive, find a mate, and produce offspring, contributing to the gene pool of the next generation.

Front

What occurs when a population exceeds its carrying capacity?

Back

When a population overshoots its carrying capacity, there are not enough resources to support all individuals, leading to competition and potential die-off.

Front

What is the purpose of a dichotomous key?

Back

A dichotomous key is a tool used to identify organisms based on a series of choices that lead the user to the correct name of a given item.

Front

Why are ecosystems limited in the number of organisms they can support?

Back

Ecosystems are limited by the availability of resources such as food, water, and space, which can only support a finite number of organisms.

Front

What are pioneer species?

Back

Pioneer species are the first organisms to colonize previously disrupted or damaged ecosystems, initiating the process of ecological succession.

Front

Define carrying capacity.

Back

Carrying capacity is the maximum number of individuals of a particular species that an environment can sustainably support.

Front

What is ecological succession?

Back

Ecological succession is the process by which ecosystems change and develop over time, involving a series of stages from colonization to maturity.

Front

What is a trophic level?

Back

A trophic level is a position in a food chain or food web, representing the flow of energy and nutrients from producers to various levels of consumers.

Front

What is the difference between biotic and abiotic factors?

Back

Biotic factors are living components of an ecosystem (e.g., plants, animals), while abiotic factors are non-living components (e.g., water, soil, climate).