Ecology Review

Ecology Review

Midterm Material

Begin on Page 10Which of the following do you see? Explain why you think you see it.

EcosystemDecomposer HabitatWater cycle Biotic factors Abiotic factors

Ecosystem: a pond environment is a particular environment,

turtles, trees and grass are living things,

and rocks, water, and air are nonliving things that support these three living things

DecomposersThere aren’t any visible organisms breaking down dead plants or animals.

We do know they are there but we can’t count them because we don’t see them. The question asked us which do we see.

Habitat:

The water is the physical place the turtles live in

and the pond shore is the physical place the trees and grass live.

Water cycle:

Collected water, like a pond, is part of the water cycle but we aren’t able to see the movement of water through the environment.

Biotic Factors:The turtle, trees and grass are living things

Abiotic Factors:The rocks, soil, water, and air are nonliving things

What are the five abiotic factors mentioned in chapter 1?

1) Temperature

2) Light

3) Soil

4) Water

5) Air

Name the four basic steps of the water cycle

WE CAN START AT ANY STEP BECAUSE A CYCLE IS STEPS THAT REPEAT!!!!!!

Precipitation: water drops fall because gravity pulls them

Run off / Collection: Water moves downhill, soaks into the ground, or collects in bodies like lakes and ponds

Evaporation: Water becomes a gas

Condensation: Water turns back to liquid drops and clings to particles in the air

How is a predator different than a consumer?

Predators hunt their food.

Only some consumers hunt.

Some consumers eat plants so they don’t hunt.

How is a food chain different than a food web?

A food web is made of at least two food chains. See page 27

How are the energy pyramid, food webs, and food chains similar?

They show food energy flowing through an ecosystem

They show the relationship between producers and consumers

What does the energy pyramid show that food chains and food webs DO NOT?

It shows the amount of energy passed up to each level

It shows there is less food energy available as one moves up the pyramid. Energy decreases.

How is a niche different from a habitat?

A niche is a role that an organism has within a habitat

A habitat is where the organism carries out its niche-where it “does its thing”.

How is a population different from a community?

A population is PART of a community.

A community contains more than one population .

How is a community and an ecosystem different?

An ecosystem contains a community. The community is only the LIVING part of the ecosystem. There is also a nonliving part in an ecosystem.

Which can you draw a diagram of- a pattern in time or a pattern in space?

A pattern in space:Examples are-

*Dancers on a stage*Sports players-football, volleyball, soccer, etc *People sitting at cafeteria tables*Animals in a herd*Fish in a school*Geese in flight

What is succession?

Can you draw a picture of this process?

It’s the gradual change in an ecosystem.One community is replaced by another.

Why might succession need to occur?How might succession look in our area?How might it look when a pond becomes old?