Ecosystem Dynamics and Species Interactions

The video tutorial discusses competition in ecosystems, focusing on how organisms and populations depend on and compete for biotic and abiotic factors. It explains the concepts of habitat and niches, highlighting the roles species play in their communities. The tutorial also covers microhabitats and the impact of competition on species, using the case study of red and gray squirrels in Britain to illustrate competitive exclusion.

What are biotic factors in an ecosystem?

• Non-living components like air and water

• Living components like plants and animals

• Climate conditions

• Geographical features

Which of the following is an example of an abiotic factor?

• Decomposers

• Microorganisms

• Sunlight

• Fungi

What defines a habitat?

• The food a species consumes

• The predators of a species

• The environment where a species regularly lives

• The role a species plays in its community

What is a microhabitat?

• A type of biotic factor

• A large ecosystem

• A small, specific area within a habitat

• A type of niche

What does a niche describe?

• The physical environment of a species

• The role and position a species has in its environment

• The climate of an ecosystem

• The predators of a species

What happens when two species compete for the same niche?

• They share the resources equally

• They both thrive equally

• One species is usually driven out

• They form a mutual relationship

Which of the following is an example of competition in nature?

• A lion hunting a zebra

• Two plants competing for sunlight

• A bee pollinating a flower

• A fish swimming in a pond

What led to the decline of the red squirrel population in Britain?

• Increased predation

• Lack of food

• Climate change

• Introduction of the gray squirrel

What is the gray squirrel considered in Britain?

• A native species

• An invasive species

• A mutual species

• A decomposer

What is the outcome of the competition between red and gray squirrels?

• Neither species survived

• Both species coexist equally

• Red squirrels have taken over

• Gray squirrels have taken over