Unit 3 Study Guide: Interdependent Relationships

The variety of species that exist in an environment

• carrying capacity
• biosphere
• biodiversity
• habitat

When a number of organisms exceeds the capacity of the environment that supports them it is called __________.

• overpopulation
• under population
• thriving
• biodiversity

The variety of species that exist in an environment is called ______.

• overpopulation
• pollution
• biodiversity
• biosphere

Carrying capacity is...

• a failing ecosystem
• resources
• greatest number of individuals in a population that an ecosystem can support
• All the squirrels in a forest

___________ blooms can steal the oxygen and nutrients other organisms need to live

• cyanobacteria
• population
• pink algae
• oil

The population that once boomed may experience a rapid decrease. This is why __________ is one of the most common effects of overpopulation.

• jumping off cliffs
• starvation
• hiding
• degradation

Changes in limiting factors, like a decrease in predators or an increase in food, can cause population booms.

• True
• False

The effects of overpopulation include ALL except...

• decrease in biological diversity
• starvation
• degradation of habitat
• thriving organisms

The number and variety of ecosystems allow Earth’s biosphere to support millions of _______.

• plants
• animals
• species
• lemmings

A species is officially declared as “endangered” when its population is too small to ensure its continued existence.

• FALSE
• TRUE