Environmental Systems Unit 2 Review

Front

What is the role of an herbivore in a food web?

Back

An herbivore eats only producers (plants) to obtain energy.

Front

Describe the population dynamics of hares and lynx based on historical data.

Back

Both hare and lynx populations rise and fall in cycles, with lynx numbers lagging behind hares.

Front

What type of symbiotic relationship exists when both organisms benefit?

Back

Mutualism.

Front

What is the relationship where one organism benefits and the other is unaffected?

Back

Commensalism.

Front

What term describes how reproductively successful an organism is in its environment?

Back

Fitness.

Front

Define 'producers' in an ecosystem.

Back

Producers are organisms that produce their own food through photosynthesis, such as plants.

Front

What is 'parasitism'?

Back

Parasitism is a symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits at the expense of another.

Front

Explain 'competition' in ecological terms.

Back

Competition occurs when two or more organisms vie for the same resources in an ecosystem.

Front

What is 'evolution'?

Back

Evolution is the process through which species change over time through natural selection and genetic variation.

Front

Define 'adaptation' in the context of environmental systems.

Back

Adaptation is a trait that enhances an organism's ability to survive and reproduce in its environment.