Guide to Ecosystem Structure
Directions: Use this guide to work through the playlist. If you master this guide, you should be set for the content
assessment!
Objective 1: Levels of Ecosystem Structure
Key Vocabulary: Define and give an example of the following words:
 Abiotic factors
 Biomes
 Biosphere
 Biotic factors
 Community
 Ecosystem
 Population
 Species
Guiding Questions:
1. List the levels of ecological organization in order.
***Take the Check for Understanding for this objective to make sure you have mastered all the content!
Objective 2: How organisms interact with the ecosystem
Key Vocabulary: Define and give an example of the following words:
 Competition
 Fundamental niche
 Habitat
 Realized niche
 Resource partitioning
Guiding Questions:
2. What is the Competitive Exclusion Principle?
***Take the Check for Understanding for this objective to make sure you have mastered all the content!
Objective 3: Symbiotic relationships
Key Vocabulary: Define and give an example of the following words:
 Commensalism
 Epiphytes
 Mutualism
 Parasitism
 Predation
Guiding Questions:
3. Describe the process of Resource Partitioning, and give an example where this might occur.
***Take the Check for Understanding for this objective to make sure you have mastered all the content!
Objective 4: Types of Species
Key Vocabulary: Define and give an example of the following words:
 Generalist species
 Indicator species
 Keystone species

Specialist species
Guiding Questions:
4. Describe some of the ways removing a keystone species can affect an ecosystem.
5. Describe the relationships between top predators and keystone species.
6. Describe the difference between a generalist and specialist species. Which one is more likely to undergo
competition? Why?
7. What is an indicator species
***Take the Check for Understanding for this objective to make sure you have mastered all the content!
Objective 5: Ecosystem Change
Key Vocabulary: Define and give an example of the following words:
 Edge effects
 Habitat Fragmentation
 Pioneer species
 Primary succession
 Secondary succession
Guiding Questions:
8. Describe the difference between primary and secondary succession.
9. What is a colonizing species?
10. How do ecological disturbances (like habitat fragmentation) affect the biodiversity in a system?
***Take the Check for Understanding for this objective to make sure you have mastered all the content!