Ecological Principles - Student Notes
Directions:
Fill in the blanks.
Introduction to Ecosystems Segment
1. Ecology
• Is the study of the relationship between an organism and its
_____________
• Involves _____________ of the interactions determining the distribution
and abundance of organisms
2. Ecological Levels
• Include:
− biosphere
− ecosystems
− _____________
− populations
− organisms
3. Biosphere
• Is the sum of the surfaces, atmosphere and _____________ of the earth
which is occupied by living organisms
Atmosphere: gasses surrounding the earth _____________
Hydrosphere: all bodies of water on the earth
4. Biomes
• Are large, naturally occurring _____________ occupying a major habitat
• Examples include:
− aquatic biome
− forests biome
− _____________
− wetlands biome
Accompanies: Ecological Principles
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Ecological Principles - Student Notes
5. Aquatic Biomes
• Are found within a _____________
• Include:
− freshwater
• defined by a very low concentration of salt (less than .5 ppt
salinity)
• includes ponds, lakes, streams and rivers
− marine
• defined by a _____________ of salt (more than .5 ppt
salinity)
• includes oceans and estuaries
Parts per thousand (or ppt) is a unit expressing a ratio of a solute in a
solution.
6. Forests Biomes
• Are dominated by _____________
• Include:
− tropical
• most diverse of all ecosystems
• lacks seasonal climate, but can have wet and dry seasons
− temperate
• includes deciduous and coniferous forests
• has a _____________
− taiga
• northernmost forests with seasonal climate including long
winters and short summers
• mostly coniferous trees
7. Grassland Biomes
• Are dominated by _____________ and are mostly devoid of trees and
shrubs
• Include:
− temperate grassland
• present in temperate climates
− tropical grasslands
• found in warm or _____________
Accompanies: Ecological Principles
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Ecological Principles - Student Notes
8. Wetland Biomes
• Are dominated by _____________ and poorly draining soils
• Include:
− bogs
• wetland which accumulates dead plant material
− fens
• wetland with grasses and mineral rich water
− marshes
• wetland dominated by _____________
− swamps
• wetland dominated by trees
9. Ecosystems
• Are the ecological level at which:
− biotic and abiotic elements _____________
− flow of energy and chemical materials occurs
• Include organisms and their interactions with abiotic elements
• Are shaped by interactions of abiotic climate, elevations and
_____________ with biotic elements
Biotic: any living organism
Abiotic: non-living factors
10. Community
• Is the assemblage of _____________ of flora and fauna species in an
area
• Examples include:
− all species living on a dead tree
− all species living in a _____________
Flora: plants found in an area
Fauna: animals found in an area
11. Populations
• Are groups of _____________ of the same species occupying a
_____________ at the same time
12. Organisms
• Are _____________ of a population
• Can either be:
− producers
− _____________
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Ecological Principles - Student Notes
13. Producers
• Are organisms which _____________ or biomass through the process
of _____________
14. Photosynthesis
• Is the process by which green plants and algae convert sunlight to plant
tissue from carbon dioxide and water
− requires the presence of _____________, or green pigments, in
plants which absorb light
• Provides an important by-product, oxygen, which helps maintain the
oxygen cycle
− all living things, including plants, respire; organisms require
oxygen to break down _____________ in order to create energy
• process results in carbon dioxide and water by-products
15. Consumers
• Are organisms which obtain food and energy through the consumption
of other organisms
• Include:
− primary consumers
• _____________ which consume only plants
− secondary consumers
• omnivores which consume plants and animals
• _____________ which consume only animals
− detritovores
• consume decayed plants and animals
16. Habitat
• Is any part of the earth suitable to _____________ permanently or
temporarily for migratory species
− all organisms require habitat for survival
• Influences fitness (or _____________)
− for example, females produce more offspring in suitable habitat
Accompanies: Ecological Principles
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Ecological Principles - Student Notes
17. Niches
• Describe how organisms match specific _____________ and respond to
distribution of resources and competitors
• Can be influenced by:
− competition with other species
− predation
− _____________
− mutualism
18. Ecological Interactions Between Organisms
• Include:
− positive interactions
• _____________
• commensalism
− negative interactions
• competition
• _____________
19. Mutualism
• Is when _____________ benefit from ecological interaction
• Example:
− while bees feed off the pollen and nectar of flowers, they transfer
pollen, which is _____________, to other flowers to begin the
pollination process which enables the plant to reproduce
20. Commensalism
• Is when one species benefits while another is _____________
• Example:
− insects disturbed by cattle grazing are consumed by
_____________
21. Competition
• Is the _____________ between two organisms for the same resource,
such as food, space or mates
− can occur within or among species
• Example:
− moose and snowshoe hare eat the same winter foods, so their
_____________ by the other
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Ecological Principles - Student Notes
22. Predation
• Is when one species _____________ for food
• Example:
− _____________ a squirrel for food
Ecological Systems Segment
1. Nutrient Cycling
• Is the exchange or _____________ from one form to another through
biological and chemical processes
Nutrient: _____________ required by an organism for growth, reproduction
and maintenance
2. Nutrient Flow
• Is facilitated in all ecosystems through a variety of _____________
processes
− natural processes which provide for the cycling of chemicals
between biotic and abiotic factors including:
• water
• oxygen
• carbon
• _____________
• phosphorus
3. Water Cycle
• Is the continuous movement of water throughout the biosphere
− also known as the _____________
• Involves:
− evaporation and transpiration continually pulling water into the
lower atmosphere and then releasing it once again as precipitation
• evaporation is the transformation of _____________
• transpiration occurs when plants release water vapor during
photosynthesis and respiration
Accompanies: Ecological Principles
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Ecological Principles - Student Notes
4. Water Cycle
5. Oxygen Cycle
• Is the continuous movement of oxygen throughout the biosphere
• Begins during _____________ when _____________ release oxygen
into the atmosphere
6. Oxygen Cycle
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Ecological Principles - Student Notes
7. Carbon Cycle
• Is the continuous movement of carbon throughout the biosphere
• Is possible through the exchange and release of _____________
between the atmosphere via photosynthesis and respiration of plants
and animals
− producers capture atmospheric carbon for photosynthesis
− producers and _____________ release carbon dioxide during
respiration as organic substances are oxidized
8. Carbon Cycle
9. Nitrogen Cycle
• Is the continuous movement of nitrogen throughout the biosphere
• Is possible through the process of nitrogen fixation which is conducted
by legumes (such as peanuts), algae and _____________
− lightning is also an abiotic nitrogen fixation mechanism
• electrical energy _____________ allowing them to bond with
oxygen forming nitrogen dioxide which dissolves with
precipitation and seeps into the soil
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Ecological Principles - Student Notes
10. Nitrogen Cycle
11. Phosphorus Cycle
• Is the continuous movement of phosphorus throughout the biosphere
• Is accomplished as plants absorb phosphorus through _____________
− animals consume plants, convert and release phosphorus to
complete the cycle
− _____________ also captures phosphorus from water
12. Phosphorus Cycle
Accompanies: Ecological Principles
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Ecological Principles - Student Notes
13. Energy Flow
• Begins with photosynthesis in primary producers
− are consumed by _____________
• primary consumers are consumed by secondary consumers
• Is passed on by food to organisms and flows through
ecosystems by:
− food chains
− _____________
14. Food Chain
• Is a _____________ representation which shows the flow of energy
from one organism to another
• Includes the following levels:
− producers
− primary consumers
− secondary consumers
− tertiary consumers
− _____________ predators
− decomposers and detritivores
15. Food Chain
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Ecological Principles - Student Notes
16. Food Web
• Consists of _____________ interacting with one another in a community
• Includes all the same levels as food chains, with more organisms
_____________
17. Food Web
Ecological Succession Segment
1. Ecological Succession
• Is the process by which ecosystems _____________ community
through development of stages over time
• Is a temporal change in five attributes:
− species diversity
− growth form and structure
− dominance
− relative abundance
− _____________
Temporal change: physical change through time
Climax community: development of vegetation in a community to a steady
state over a period of time
Accompanies: Ecological Principles
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Ecological Principles - Student Notes
2. Ecological Succession
• Is most often a _____________, with events such as large-scale human
activity and natural _____________ spurring changes within
ecosystems
• Includes:
− primary succession
− secondary succession
3. Primary Succession
• Starts when _____________ is exposed from a geological or natural
disturbance
− erosion degrades rock over a period of time to make mineral soil
• Disturbances include:
− volcanic activity
− _____________
4. Primary Succession
• Usually begins with colonization of _____________, such as fungi,
algae and cyanobacteria
− these are known as _____________
• Continues as the first plants start to grow in these areas
5. Secondary Succession
• Occurs on _____________, open soil where other communities once
thrived
• Occurs in lands where soil is exposed, either by natural means including
fire and flood or by _____________ such as agricultural development
6. Secondary Succession
• Begins with the _____________ of pioneer plant species
• Leads to climax _____________ or a climax community
Monitoring & Sustaining Ecosystems Segment
1. Ecosystem Management
• Is the effort by humans to _____________ and their environments
• Is accomplished by a large network of:
− federal and state agencies
− non-governmental organizations
− corporate and _____________
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Ecological Principles - Student Notes
2. Ecosystem Management
• Need was underscored by events like the _____________ crisis
− these events influenced the development of sustainable land use
practices
• In the 1950s was more publicly recognized due to the realization of the
harmful effects of _____________ on ecological systems and people
3. Ecosystem Management
• In 1978 was broadened by the establishment of Conservation Biology,
which focuses on _____________ through ecosystem management and
other areas of conservation _____________
4. Monitoring Components of Ecosystems
• Is necessary to detect change, especially _____________, in
ecosystems within the biosphere
− failure to monitor may have negative impacts on people and
impact future generations due to a failure to understand
ecosystem changes
• for example, before the Clean Water and Air Act of 1948,
there were few regulations _____________, leading to the
pollution of many water sources
5. Ecosystem Management
• Oversees the following components:
− air
− water
− soil
− _____________
− fisheries
− timber
6. Air
• Can be polluted by emissions from cars, factories or fires
• Quality can be improved by some habitats, especially _____________
• Quality is monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
− sets emissions standards for all vehicles manufactured in the
United States
• if companies do not meet these standards, they may
_____________
Accompanies: Ecological Principles
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Ecological Principles - Student Notes
7. Water
• Is monitored by states or the EPA
− for example, if a _____________ occurs near a lake which is used
as a source for drinking water, the state and/or EPA would work
with local officials to ensure the area is cleaned up, protected for
future use and monitored for chemical and _____________
8. Soil
• Can be damaged by _____________ or forestry practices
• Management practices, for farmers, can include assistance from the
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
− for example, if a farmer is concerned about _____________, they
can contact a state agricultural extension agent who can take
samples of the soil and determine if any problems exist
9. Wildlife
• Includes plants, animals and other living organisms living in the wild
(_____________)
• Includes animals which are hunted for sport or food
• Is managed by _____________
− has authority over all wildlife which resides in the state, except
migratory birds, marine fish and endangered species which are
managed by the federal government
10. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• Has the authority to manage _____________, marine fish and
endangered species under treaties, international agreements, federal
statutes, executive orders and _____________, such as the Migratory
Bird Treaty Act
11. Fisheries
• Are often managed by _____________ where populations of fish are
harvested for commercial and recreational use
• Are regulated and monitored by the federal National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
− NOAA enforces federal laws to ensure _____________ are
properly managed and conserved
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Ecological Principles - Student Notes
12. Sustainability
• Is the act of responsibly using and conserving resources in a way which
supports _____________
• Is based on the shared need for a healthy environment among humans,
wildlife, fish, plants and other _____________
13. Sustainability
• Benefits the environment, people and natural resources
− sustainable use of ecosystem components avoids:
• _____________
• species extinction
• invasive species
• reduction of _____________
• species population declines
14. Management Plans
• Are strategies to guide sustainable use of ecosystems and their
components, such as wildlife populations and _____________
• Are implemented by a variety of organizations, especially state and
federal natural resource management agencies and _____________
15. Management Plan
• Components include:
− description of _____________
− goal/objective for ecosystem components
• usually population
− strategies to address outlined goal/objective
− describe and assess trends
− monitor to _____________
16. Management Plans
• Ensure multiple factors are assessed and addressed, including:
− _____________ and habitat quality
• goals and objectives for populations and habitat
• techniques to manage populations and/or habitat
• Lead to _____________ and habitats
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Ecological Principles - Student Notes
17. Partnerships
• In _____________ are often accomplished though multi-agency state
and federal partnerships with:
− non-governmental agencies, such as:
• Ducks Unlimited®
− _____________
− private landowners
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