Biodiversity and Ecosystem Interactions

The video covers community ecology, focusing on the interactions between species and their roles in ecosystems. It explains the concepts of niches, interspecific interactions, and the importance of biodiversity for ecosystem resilience. The video also discusses human impacts on biodiversity, such as habitat loss and invasive species, and introduces ecological succession as a process of community change over time.

What is the primary difference between a habitat and a niche?

• A habitat is the food an organism eats, while a niche is its predator.

• A habitat is where an organism lives, while a niche is its role in the environment.

• A habitat is the role of an organism, while a niche is where it lives.

• A habitat is the climate an organism prefers, while a niche is its mating behavior.

Which of the following best describes a realized niche?

• The food resources available to a species.

• The habitat where a species lives.

• The actual role a species plays considering competition and predation.

• The potential role of a species without any limiting factors.

What is the competitive exclusion principle?

• Two species can coexist permanently if they share the same resource.

• Species can only compete for resources if they are in the same habitat.

• Competition always leads to mutualism.

• Two species competing for the same resource cannot coexist permanently.

In a plus-minus relationship, what happens?

• Both species are harmed.

• One species benefits while the other is harmed.

• Both species benefit.

• One species benefits while the other is unaffected.

Which type of mimicry involves a harmless species imitating a harmful one?

• Müllerian mimicry

• Batesian mimicry

• Cryptic coloration

• Camouflage

Why is biodiversity important for ecosystem productivity?

• It decreases the number of species in an ecosystem.

• It makes ecosystems more resilient to diseases.

• It limits the interactions between species.

• It reduces the need for resources.

What is the main threat to biodiversity caused by human activity?

• Invasive species

• Habitat loss

• Overharvesting

• Global change

What is overharvesting?

• Introducing non-native species to a new habitat.

• Harvesting organisms faster than their populations can recover.

• Clearing land for urban development.

• Increasing CO2 emissions.

What is primary succession?

• Changes in an ecosystem after a disturbance that leaves soil intact.

• Changes in a previously lifeless habitat that has not been colonized.

• The introduction of invasive species to a new habitat.

• The gradual increase in biodiversity over time.

How do keystone species affect biodiversity?

• They have no significant impact on other species.

• They are always predators.

• They play a crucial role in maintaining the structure of an ecosystem.

• They are the most abundant species in an ecosystem.