Ch.5 Study Guide

abiotic: nonliving things that affect the organism biotic: forms of life that the organism interacts with

biotic: plants and bacteria abiotic: water and sunlight

a habitat is where an organism lives where as its niche is its role it plays within that habitat

natural selection is a process that determines which species will reproduce and pass on their genes to the next generation (survival of the fittest), and as a result, evolution occurs due to the changes seen in the genes and characteristics over time

peppered moths

a condition in which the number of sets of chromosomes in plants’ cells are increased— cannot reproduce with closely related species that have different # of sets of chromosomes

concept that two or more species can reciprocally influence evolutionary direction of the other ex. ) grazing animals and grass species ex. ) darwin’s orchid and sphinx moth

interspecific competition is competition between organisms of different species where intraspecific competition occurs between organisms of the same species

• predation • competition • symbiosis • commensalism • mutualism

interaction where one animal kills/eats another

interaction where two organisms compete to obtain the same limited resource

close, long lasting, physical relationship between two different species– at least 1 benefits

relationship in which one organism benefits and the other isn’t affected ex.) remoras and sharks

relationship in which both organisms benefit ex.) crocodile and egyptian plover bird

relationship in which one organism benefits and the other one is harmed ex.) fleas

a community is an assemblage of all interacting species in area whereas an ecosystem is a define space in which interactions take place between a community with its complex interrelationships, and its physical environment

producers, consumers, and decomposers

organisms that are able to use sources of energy to make organic material

organisms that require organic matter as a source of food; consume organic matter in order to grow and survive

organisms that digest organic molecules in detritus into simpler organic compounds while absorbing soluble nutrients

each step in the flow of energy of an ecosystem is a trophic level; only 10% of energy is transferred

a food chain is the series of organisms involved in the passage of energy from one trophic level to the next who eats who whereas a food web is intersecting and overlapping food chains (more complexity and diversity)

Carbon cycle, phosphorus cycle, and nitrogen cycle

cyclic flow of carbon from the atmosphere to living organisms then back to the atmospheric reservoir