Ecosystem Structure & Function

Front

What is an ecosystem?

Back

An ecosystem is any unit that includes all the living things in an area, interacting with the physical environment.

Front

What are the two main components of an ecosystem?

Back

Biotic (living things) and Abiotic (non-living things; physical environment).

Front

What are biotic factors?

Back

Biotic factors include plants, animals, and other organisms.

Front

What are abiotic factors?

Back

Abiotic factors include rocks, temperature, and humidity.

Front

What is a community in ecological terms?

Back

A community is composed of many populations of species inhabiting an area.

Front

What is a population?

Back

A population is a group of one species of organism.

Front

What is a species?

Back

A species is a group of genetically similar organisms that can interbreed with one another.

Front

What is the biosphere?

Back

The biosphere is the region on earth where there is life, extending high into the atmosphere and deep into the ocean.

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What is a habitat?

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A habitat is a place in which you find animals and plants, the space that the organism inhabits.

Front

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

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A food chain is a linear series of food getting in the trophic levels, while a food web is an interlocking pattern of food chains.