ECOLOGY REVIEW
Fill in the blank spaces using the word bank for each section (some words may be used more
than once).
Levels of Organization
Population Ecology
Earth
community
fauna/animal
interbreed
biome
species
area abiotic
pond
all
ecosystem
biotic
climate
flora/plant
life environment
fertile
organisms humans
biosphere
dolphins
_________- branch of biology that studies the interaction among _______ and between
organisms and their __________.
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A _________ is a group of the same type of organisms that can ________ and produce
________ offspring. Ex. _________
A __________ is a group of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the
same _______. Ex. ________
A __________ consists of _____ of the different ________ that inhabit the same
area. Ex. __________
An __________ is an ecological unit composed of both ______ and ______ components
of an area. Ex. pond- animals, water and land around it
A ________ is a large geographical area with specific type of ________ and dominant
________ and _______ life. Ex. Temperate Deciduous Forest
The __________ is the area on ________ that supports _________.
Energy Flow
omnivore
water
carnivores
chemosynthesis
oxygen
decomposers
carbon dioxide
photosynthesis
energy
chemical
glucose
sun
food
herbivores
hydrothermal vents
producers consumers
chemical
scavengers
decomposers
____________ are autotrophs “self-feeders” of an ecosystem.
 Producers use ________ from their environment to convert simple chemical substances
like __________ into complex organic substances like _________.
 Producers rely on two methods to trap energy:
1. ___________ occurs when organisms trap light energy from the _____ to
convert ______ and ______ into _______. This gives off _______ to the
atmosphere. Producers who do this include plants, algae and some bacteria.
2. ____________ occurs when ________ energy in hot springs and __________
are use by prokaryotic organisms to make ________.
___________ are heterotrophs “other-feeders” of an ecosystem. They must eat other
organisms to get their ___________.
 ___________ are plant eaters. Ex. caterpillar
 ___________ are animal eaters. Ex. lion
 __________ are both plant and animal eaters. Ex. Most Humans
 __________ eat dead matter (saprophytes) Ex. buzzard
 __________ break down dead organic matter. Ex. bacteria
Feeding Relationships
Trophic
biomass
productivity
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herbivore
carnivore
food chains
producers eating
food web
organic matter
heat eating
pyramids
energy
Energy flows through an ecosystem in this manner: ___________ to consumers.
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___________ are a series of steps in which organisms transfer energy by ______ or
being eaten.
o Ex. producers
o Ex. consumers
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A ___________ links all of the food chains in an ecosystem.
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__________ levels are feeding levels.
o 1st trophic level is always a ___________
o 2nd trophic level is a ___________
o 3rd trophic level is the first __________ and so on.
Ecological _________ show the relative amounts of ________ or ________ within each
trophic level. There are 2 types:
 _________ pyramid shows only about 10% of energy from one trophic level is
transferred to the next. Much of the energy is lost as ________.
 _________ pyramid. Biomass is the total amount of living _________ within a given
trophic level. Expressed in k/cal.
Cycling of Matter
Biogeochemical cycles recycle the same 4 elements (carbon, nitrogen, calcuim, and phosphorous)
from the atmosphere through the environment to organisms_ and back again.
1. Water cycle: is powered by the sun’s energy.
o Evaporation- water changes from liquid to gas
o Transporation- water evaporates from leaves of plants
o Precipitation-rain, hail, sleet, of snow (atmosphere to earth)
o Infiltration/Percolation- water seeps into the ground
o Groundwater-is absorbed by roots of plants and by animals.
2. Carbon cycle; Recycles the body’s building blocks (carbon)
carbon cycle; Cycles as Carbon dioxide gas, sedimentary rock, calcium, and Petroleum
products. It involves 4 processes:
o Biological process such as photosynthesis, cellular respiration & decomposition.
o Geochemical processes such as combustion release of CO2 gas.
o Storage and burning of petroleum_products like coal and other fossil fuels add CO2
to the atmosphere.
o Human activity like deforestation &burning fossil fuelscontribute to the problem.
3. Nitrogen cycle is used by all organisms to build proteins and nucleic acids (2anwsers)
o Nitrogen Fixation occurs when bacteria living in the roots of plants converts
(N2)atmospheric nitrogen into usable nitrate (NO3)
o Nitrification occurs when other soil bacteria convert ammonia into usable Nitrates
& Nitrites which are used by plants to build amino acids.
o Denitrification occurs an anaerobic(without oxygen) soils where certain bacteria
convert the ammonia back into (N2) atmospheric nitrogen.
4. Phosphorus cycle is needed to make ATP, nucleic acids, bones & teeth.
o Phosphorous is not found in the atmosphere.
o It is found mostly in rocks, water & living organisms.
o Inorganic phosphates are found in the soil.
Roles of Climate on Ecosystem
 Greenhouse Effect
o Our atmosphere contains several greenhouse gases including: Carbon dioxide,
methane, nitrous oxide, ozone& water vapor.
o These gases trap solar heat at the Earth’s surface. This is called the Greenhouse
Effect or Global Warming.
What shapes an Ecosystem?
Parasitism
mutualism
commensalism
killing
resource
space
coevolution
together
Competitive Exclusion Principle
adaptations
 The area in which an organism lives is called its ___________.
 The niche of an organism is its ______ or way of life.
habitat
harmed
host
role
food
Community Interactions
 Competition occurs when 2 or more organisms try to use the same _______ within an
ecosystem.
 The ___________________ states that no 2 species can occupy the same ______ at
the same time.
 Predation is the act of one organism ______ another for ________.
o Predator-prey relationships often develop _________ in response to one another.
Back and forth evolutionary adjustments of these species is called __________.
 __________ occurs when the parasite lives on or in the ______. The host is usually
_________ but not killed. Ex.dog and tick
Other Interactions
 Symbiosis is a relationship where 2 species live ________. There are two types of
symbiotic relationships.
o __________ occurs when both species benefit. Ex. bee and flower.
o ___________ occurs when one member benefits but the other is not harmed or
helped. Ex. orchids and trees in the rainforest
Physical Factors in an Ecosystem
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An ecosystem may also be shaped by its biodiversity. Biodiversity is the variety of
organisms in a given area. The genetic variation within a population, the variety of species
in a community, or the variety of communities in an ecosystem is all factors that
influence biodiversity.
Ex. The tropical rain forest is very high in biodiversity.