Unit 5 Study Guide

Define : Abiotic Factor

• - An abiotic factor is a non-living part of an ecosystem.

• - Ex.: Sunlight, Air, Water, Minerals, and Temperature

Define: Biotic Factor

• - A biotic factor is a living part of an ecosystem.

• - Ex: Bacteria, Protists, Plants, Animals, and Decomposers

Define: Community

Community: all the populations in an ecosystem

Ex: All the frogs, insects, reptiles, birds, plants,

mushrooms, bacteria, protists, mammals & fish living in the pond

Define: Ecosystem

Ecosystem : Includes all the living (biotic) & nonliving (abiotic) features of an environment.

Ex: The animals, plants, protists, fungi, water, air, soil, and temperature of a pond.

Define: Limiting Factors

an environmental condition or resource that limits the size of a population of organisms.

• Examples: Food, Water, Shelter (space)

Define: Population

A group of interbreeding organisms (species) living in the same area.

Ex: All of the frogs living in a pond.

Label the levels of organization

Organism Population

Community Ecosystem Biome

Biosphere

Question 8

The three types of symbiotic relationships are:

1) Mutualism

2) Commensalism

3) Parasitism

Question # 9:

What is symbiosis?

A close relationship created between two species due to co-evolution (species evolve

together in their environment).

The relationship must benefit at least one of the species.

Define Competition:

Struggle between organisms to survive as they attempt to use the same limited resource.

Define: Predation

Interaction where one organism (predator) kills another organism for food (prey).

Question #12

What is succession?

The series of changes that occur in a community over time.

Question # 13:

What are the two types of ecological succession?

1) Primary Succession

2) Secondary Succession

Question # 14:

• What is the main difference between primary and secondary succession?

• Primary succession- is the series of changes that occur in an area where no soil or organisms exist.

• Secondary Succession- is the series of changes that occur in an area where the ecosystem has been disturbed, but where soil and organisms still exist.

Question # 15:

• During Primary Succession:

• Rock must be broken down into soil…The first species to populate the area are called pioneer species. Examples of pioneer species include mosses or lichens, followed by grasses and small plants, then small shrubs, and last larger trees and populations (climax community).

Question # 16:

• What might cause primary succession to occur?

• Volcanic Eruptions, receding ice formations

Question # 17:

• During Secondary Succession

Communities are usually reintroduced to the ecosystem more quickly than happens during primary succession.

Plant and animal communities already existed

before the disturbance, the soil is often richer, and some species may remain or return to the region after the disturbance.

Question #18

What might happen to cause secondary succession to occur?

Deforestation, wildfire, natural disaster.

Question #19

What is carrying capacity?

• The number of organisms of one

• species that an environment can support indefinitely.

Question # 20

What are some factors that affect carrying capacity?

• Resources

• Disease

• Organism interaction

• Habitat Size/Crowding

• Weather

Question # 21

What is a niche?

An organism’s total way of life.