Unit 7 Vocabulary

What does biodiversity refer to?

• The process by which ecosystems change and develop over time

• A single species that dominates an ecosystem

• The variety of organisms in an ecosystem or biome

• A community of plants and animals that has stopped evolving

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-5

What is a climax community?

• The initial stage of an ecosystem's development

• The variety of genetic material within a species or population

• The dominant community of plants and animals that come to live in an area

• A temporary group of species within an ecosystem

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

What is ecological succession?

• A process where the oldest members of a community are replaced by younger ones

• The changing sequence of communities that live in an ecosystem during a given time period

• The study of how different species interact with each other within an ecosystem

• A method to conserve endangered species in their natural habitat

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

What does the term 'limiting factor' refer to in ecology?

• A) A factor that limits the number of species that can live in an ecosystem

• B) A condition or resource that keeps a population at a certain size

• C) The maximum population size that an environment can sustain indefinitely

• D) A resource that is abundantly available in an ecosystem

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

What is a microhabitat?

• A. A large habitat that encompasses many smaller habitats

• B. A small or specialized habitat within a larger habitat

• C. The unique role or job of an organism in an ecosystem

• D. A general area where an organism lives

What does the term 'niche' refer to in ecology?

• A. A competitive interaction between species

• B. A type of habitat found in tropical regions

• C. The unique role or job of an organism in an ecosystem

• D. A classification system for organisms

What are pioneer species?

• Species that are found in the final stage of succession

• Organisms that prefer to live in highly populated areas

• First organisms to live in an area

• Species that do not contribute to the ecosystem

What is primary succession?

• A process that restores an ecosystem after a natural disaster

• A process that develops a biotic community in a previously uninhabited and barren habitat with little or no soil

• The introduction of non-native species to an area

• A process that occurs only in aquatic environments

What is secondary succession?

• A process that increases the population of species in an ecosystem

• A process started by an event that reduces an already established ecosystem to a smaller population of species

• The initial development of an ecosystem where one did not exist before

• A method of preserving ecosystems indefinitely

What does sustainability refer to in an ecological context?

• The rapid growth of a species within an ecosystem

• The ability to exploit natural resources without any limits

• The ability to maintain ecological processes over long periods of time; ability of an ecosystem to maintain its structure and function over time

• The process of introducing new species to an ecosystem

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS2-5