Ecology Review

Front

What do the arrows in a food chain or web represent?

Back

The arrows show the direction in which energy is flowing between organisms.

Front

Which two organisms from a food web might compete for food but can still coexist in the same ecosystem?

Back

Snakes and foxes.

Front

What type of relationship is exemplified by vines growing on a tree, where the vines benefit but the tree is not affected?

Back

Commensalism.

Front

In an ecosystem, what is a limiting factor?

Back

A limiting factor is an environmental condition that restricts the growth, abundance, or distribution of an organism or a population.

Front

What situation would NOT lead to ecological succession?

Back

Increased industrialization in an area, resulting in the increased burning of fossil fuels.

Front

Define ecological succession.

Back

Ecological succession is the process by which ecosystems change and develop over time, involving a series of species replacements.

Front

What is the difference between primary and secondary succession?

Back

Primary succession occurs in lifeless areas where soil has not yet formed, while secondary succession occurs in areas where a disturbance has destroyed an existing ecosystem but soil and some organisms still remain.

Front

What role do producers play in an ecosystem?

Back

Producers, such as plants, convert solar energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis, forming the base of the food chain.

Front

What is a food web?

Back

A food web is a complex network of feeding relationships among various organisms in an ecosystem.

Front

What is the significance of biodiversity in an ecosystem?

Back

Biodiversity contributes to ecosystem resilience, productivity, and stability, allowing ecosystems to adapt to changes.