Ecological Relationships and Dynamics Flashcard

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What is a niche?

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The unique role a species plays in its environment, including its habitat, resource use, and interactions with other species.

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What is allelopathy?

Back

A biological phenomenon where a plant releases chemicals (like juglone from black walnut trees) that inhibit the growth of nearby plants.

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What is a key characteristic of invasive species?

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They often produce many offspring, allowing them to spread rapidly and outcompete native species.

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What happens to energy not transferred to the next trophic level in an ecosystem?

Back

It is lost as heat, which is a result of metabolic processes.

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What is the impact of overgrazing by elk in Yellowstone National Park?

Back

It leads to the depletion of vegetation, which can disrupt the ecosystem and reduce biodiversity.

Front

Define 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.

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What is mutualism?

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A type of symbiotic relationship where both species benefit from the interaction.

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What is competition in ecology?

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An interaction between organisms or species in which both are harmed as they compete for limited resources.

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What is commensalism?

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A type of symbiotic relationship where one species benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed.

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What is biodiversity?

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The variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem, including the number of different species.