BIO 112 Exam 4 Review

Front

What is a community in ecological terms?

Back

A group of many populations (of different species) that live and interact with one another.

Front

What term describes organisms that make their own food for energy?

Back

Producers

Front

What is primary succession?

Back

The process of ecological succession that occurs in an area where no soil exists, such as after a volcanic eruption.

Front

What does a declining population pyramid indicate?

Back

A population that is decreasing in size, often due to low birth rates and high death rates.

Front

What are limiting factors in ecology?

Back

Things that prevent a population from growing exponentially, such as food availability, predation, and disease.

Front

Define carrying capacity.

Back

The maximum number of individuals of a species that an environment can support sustainably.

Front

What is the difference between primary and secondary succession?

Back

Primary succession occurs in lifeless areas, while secondary succession occurs in areas where a disturbance has destroyed an existing community but left the soil intact.

Front

What is an example of a producer?

Back

Plants, as they convert sunlight into energy through photosynthesis.

Front

What is a climax community?

Back

A stable, mature community that undergoes little or no change in species over time.

Front

What is exponential growth in a population?

Back

A growth pattern where the population size increases rapidly in proportion to the current size, typically when resources are abundant.