Biology 2 General Ecology Test 2024

Front

What is biomass?

Back

Biomass refers to the total mass of living matter in a given area or volume, often measured in kilograms. It decreases as you move up trophic levels in a food web.

Front

Which organism typically has the least biomass in a food web?

Back

Top predators, such as cougars, usually have the least biomass in a food web due to energy loss at each trophic level.

Front

What is parasitism?

Back

Parasitism is a symbiotic relationship where one organism (the parasite) benefits at the expense of another organism (the host), often harming it over time.

Front

What is a physiological adaptation?

Back

Physiological adaptations are internal processes that enhance an organism's ability to survive in its environment, such as the electric impulses produced by electric eels.

Front

How much energy is typically transferred to the next trophic level in an ecosystem?

Back

Typically, only about 10% of the energy from one trophic level is transferred to the next level, with the rest lost as heat.

Front

What is an abiotic factor?

Back

Abiotic factors are non-living components of an ecosystem, such as soil type, temperature, and water availability.

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What is the difference between biotic and abiotic factors?

Back

Biotic factors are living components of an ecosystem (like plants and animals), while abiotic factors are non-living components (like soil and climate).

Front

What is mutualism?

Back

Mutualism is a symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit from the interaction, such as bees pollinating flowers.

Front

What is commensalism?

Back

Commensalism is a symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed, such as barnacles on a whale.

Front

What is a food web?

Back

A food web is a complex network of feeding relationships among organisms in an ecosystem, illustrating how energy and nutrients flow.