Download Student review sheet

Chapter 15 Review
Ecology and Biosphere
Levels of organization (list S.A.)
Biosphere: all living things on water, land, and air
Ecosystem: all of the organisms and the nonliving environment
Community:
Population: members of one species in an area
Organism:
Difference between biotic and abiotic factors (short answer-2examples
for each)
Biotic:
Abiotic: nonliving (temperature, humidity, pH, sunlight, precipitation)
Define
Ecology: study of interactions between organisms and the living and
nonliving components (branch of biology)
Niche: way of life or role the species plays in its environment (Short
answer: What is the niche of a certain animal?)
Competition:
Types of species interactions
Predation: one individual captures and consumes another (Short answer:
give example of predator/prey)
Parasitism:
Mutualism: both species benefit
Commensalism: one benefits and the other is not affected
1
Explain how energy is transferred through the food chain
First level: producers: capture energy from the sun
Second level: consumers: obtain energy by consuming producers
Third level:
Types of consumers: (S.A. give name and define)
1.Herbivores: eat producers
2.Carnivore:
3.Omnivores: eat producers and consumers
4.Decomposers: cause decay by breaking down molecules
Give an example of a food chain. (S.A.) and name trophic level
Grass  rabbit  hawk
1st
2nd
3rd trophic levels
Explain the cycling of nutrients (S.A.-1)
Water cycle
 Water evaporates from ocean and lakes and is turned into water
vapor in the air
 Plants lose water through leaves by transpiration
 Water vapor forms clouds
 Precipitation
 Water flows back into ocean or seeps into the ground
Carbon cycle
 Plants take in carbon dioxide for photosynthesis
 Animals and plants give off carbon dioxide
 Human activities add more carbon dioxide to the air
Nitrogen cycle
 78% of nitrogen is in gas form that most living things can not use
 Nitrogen fixation: bacteria that converts nitrogen gas into ammonia
 Ammonia can be used by plants
 Animals can eat the plants
2
Define biome
Biome:
List characteristics of the seven major biomes
Tundra: cold and treeless
Taiga:
Temperate deciduous forest: trees that lose their leaves
Temperate grasslands: grasses
Desert: receive less than 9.9 inches of rainfall
Savannas:
Tropical rain forest: tall trees, near equator and abundant rainfall
Explain the characteristics of the aquatic ecosystems
1. Ocean: 70% of Earth, around 3% salt
Photic zone: receives sunlight
Aphotic zone:
2. Estuaries: freshwater that flows into the ocean
3. Freshwater zones: low levels of salt
Lakes and ponds: standing water
Eutrophic: rich in vegetation
Oligotrophic:
Rivers and streams: water that flows
Explain 1 biome (S.A.)
 Climate, 2 Plants, 2 Animals
3