Ecology
Essential Questions
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How can change in one part of ecosystem cause change in other parts of
the ecosystem?
How to matter and energy link organisms to each other and their
environments?
How do humans have an impact on the diversity and stability of
ecosystems?
How do environments change over time?
What are the major factors responsible for the differences between
ecosystems (biomes)?
How and why does nature recycle materials?
Mastery Objectives
Chapter 3
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Define ecology.
Define population, community, ecosystem, biome, and biosphere.
o Be able to indicate how they are related.
o Be able to identify each in a picture or description.
Be able to explain why sunlight is important in an ecosystem.
Be able to distinguish between autotrophs and heterotrophs through
definition and examples.
Define decomposer.
o List at least 2 organisms that are decomposers.
o Explain how decomposers are important in an ecosystem.
Define herbivore, omnivore, and carnivore. Be able to give examples of
each and be able to determine what type of heterotroph an organism is
when given descriptions of what they eat.
Be able to identify producers and various levels of consumers in a food
chain or food web
Be able to draw a food chain or food web and explain what the arrows
means and how energy is transferred.
Explain why only 10% of the energy is transferred from one level to the
next in a food chain.
Be able to describe and draw the carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus
cycles.
o Describe the importance of the three nutrient cycles.
o Be able to identify what forms the nutrients take in each cycle.
Turn over 
Chapter 4
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Be able to explain the difference between an organism’s habitat and
niche.
Distinguish between the 3 types of symbiosis.
o Identify what type of symbiosis is occurring when given examples.
o List at least 2 examples of each type symbiotic relationship.
Define ecological succession.
o Explain the difference between primary succession and secondary
succession.
o Define pioneer species and list examples.
o Define climate community.
o Be able to describe the succession from pioneer species to climax
community in a land biome (such as temperate forest).
Define biome.
o List the characteristic plant and animal life in the following six land
biomes: Tropical Rainforest, Grasslands, Desert, Temperate
Forest, Taiga, Tundra
o Be able to identify the type of climate in each biome.
Distinguish between abiotic and biotic factors and give examples of each.
Chapter 5
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Define logistical growth. Define exponential growth.
o Describe conditions under which logistical or exponential growth
occur.
Describe factors that play a role in population growth rate.
Define carrying capacity and be able to give an example.
Describe the long-term effects of competition on populations of two
different species competing for the same resources.
Describe the predator-prey relationship and explain how it can help control
the population.
Distinguish between density-dependent factors and density-independent
factors.
o Explain how density-independent limiting factors can affect a
population.
Explain how a limited resource can affect the survival of a species.