Download ECOLOGY

ECOLOGY UNIT
Page 1
Chapter 18
 Ecology is the study of the interactions between organisms and the living and nonliving
components of their environment. This branch of biology is a broad science that involved
collecting information about organisms and their environments, observing and measuring
interactions, looking for patterns and seeking to explain those patterns.
 One of the most important qualities in ecology is interdependence. Define interdependence and
give at least 2 examples. Also explain what is the consequence of interdependence.
 All of the environment can be broken down into levels or hierarchies. There are 5 of these
levels. List and describe what is included in each level.
 The place where an organism lives is called its habitat. The reason that an organism has a
certain habitat depends on its evolutionary history, its abilities and it needs.
 The living components of the environment are called ______________ factors. Examples of
these would include_____________________.
 The nonliving components of the environment are called ______________ factors. Examples of
these would include_____________________________. Abiotic factors are not constant.
They vary from place to place and over time.
Page 2
 Every organism is able to survive within a limited range of environmental conditions. A graph
that shows how an organism functions under different variables is called a ________________.
 If an organism is able to adjust their tolerance the process is called __________________.
One example of this would be ________________________________________________.
 Organisms that do not regulate their internal conditions are called __________________ and
________________ are organisms that use energy to control some of their internal conditions.
 If the conditions become unfavorable some organism enter a period of reduced activity called
__________ or some move to another, more favorable habitat which is called _____________.
 Organisms do not use or occupy all parts of their habitat at once. The specific role or way of life
an organism has within its environment is called its _______________. This includes
_________________________________________________________.
 Species with broad niches are called _______________ such as the ___________________.
 Species with narrow niches are called ___________________ such as the ______________.
 Organisms have different roles in the energy transfer of the community. Describe each of the
following roles:
o Producer:
o
Consumer:
o
Herbivore:
o
Carnivore:
o
Omnivore:
o
Detritivore:
o
Decomposer:
 Describe the difference between a food chain and a food web.
 Answer the following questions on the back of this page.
Page 376 # 4, 13, 14, 15. Page 377 # 1-8
Chapter 20
Page 3
 Define predation:
 Natural selection favors the evolution of predator adaptations for finding, capturing, and
consuming prey. Give 5 examples of predator adaptations
 A prey’s survival depends on its ability to avoid being captured. Therefore, there are also
adaptations that allow the prey to escape, avoid or otherwise ward off predators. Give 5
examples of how animal prey are adapted.
 Give 3 examples of how plant prey are adapted.
 Define mimicry.
 Describe the difference between Batesian mimicry and Mullerian mimicry
 Interspecific competition is a type of interaction in which 2 or more species use the same
limited resource. Give one example of interspecific competition.
 Symbiosis is a close, long-term relationship between 2 organisms. There are 3 types of
symbiosis: parasitism, mutualism and commensalism. Define each of the following and give an
example:
o Parasitism:
o
Mutualism:
o
Commensalism:
Page 4
 The investigation of community properties and interactions is an active area of ecology. One
characteristic of a community is species richness, the number of species in a community.
Describe how species richness is affected by each of the following:
o
Latitude
o
Habitat
 After a community has been disturbed the plants and animals must return. The gradual,
sequential regrowth of a community of species in an area is called ecological succession. There
are two types of succession. Describe each type:
o Primary succession
o
Secondary succession
 Define a pioneer species
 Define a climax community
 Answer the following on the back of this page.
Page 404 #5-7.
Page 410 #1.
Page 412 #11, 14.
Page 413 #16
Page 5