Unit 8: Ecology Review

Front

What is Natural Selection?

Back

Natural Selection is the process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring. It is a key mechanism of evolution.

Front

What does carrying capacity mean in an ecosystem?

Back

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

Front

What is overfishing?

Back

Overfishing is the practice of catching fish at a rate faster than they can reproduce, leading to a decline in fish populations.

Front

What is competition in an ecosystem?

Back

Competition occurs when two or more organisms vie for the same resources, such as food, water, or space.

Front

What are invasive species?

Back

Invasive species are non-native organisms that, when introduced to a new environment, can cause harm to native species and ecosystems.

Front

What is a food web?

Back

A food web is a complex network of feeding relationships among various organisms in an ecosystem.

Front

What role do decomposers play in an ecosystem?

Back

Decomposers break down dead organic material, returning nutrients to the soil and making them available for plants.

Front

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

Back

A food chain is a linear sequence of organisms through which nutrients and energy pass, while a food web is a more complex network of interconnected food chains.

Front

What is adaptation in the context of ecology?

Back

Adaptation refers to the process by which a species becomes better suited to its environment through evolutionary changes.

Front

How do human activities impact ecosystems?

Back

Human activities, such as pollution, deforestation, and overfishing, can disrupt ecosystems and lead to loss of biodiversity.