Ecology Essential Questions
Ecology EQ’s
2. Abiotic and biotic components influence each other. For instance, temperature (abiotic factor) can make plants (biotic factor) reproduce more or reproduce less. Also water, an abiotic factor, has an effect on how animals, a biotic factor, survive in certain areas of the world.
3. Because a different niche allows multiple species of organisms to coexist. If all organisms had the same niche, then there would be heavy competition for food, shelter, etc. Having different niches gives each species a specific role in the habitat, all of which are tied into the food web, population control, and many other aspects of the ecosystem that most people overlook. The Galapagos finches are a perfect example of this. The many different (14) species of finches on the Galapagos Islands all evolved from one common ancestor. Once the population of finch got to a point where food was scarce and competition was causing many finches to die off, the need to evolve presented itself and one group of finches developed a broader beak for cracking seeds, and the niche of that particular finch changed from eating insects to eating seeds, so it allowed the two finches to coexist in the same ecosystem.
4. The levels of ecological organization are:
1) Organism 2) species 3) population 4) community 5) ecosystem 6) biomes 7) biosphere
5. 1. Competition-Organisms struggle, fight or search for the same basic needs and becomes more intense when basic needs become limited. Normally, they will compete for shelter, nesting sites, food, sunlight, minerals, and breeding partners. Organisms that are stronger, fitter, and better adapted to environmental changes will be successful and survive. For example: The maize plants competing with weeds for water and minerals. / The owl and the snake competing with each other for food (the rat).
2. Symbiosis-The close relationship between two organisms of different species which live closely together and interact with each other. At least one of
2. Abiotic and biotic components influence each other. For instance, temperature (abiotic factor) can make plants (biotic factor) reproduce more or reproduce less. Also water, an abiotic factor, has an effect on how animals, a biotic factor, survive in certain areas of the world.
3. Because a different niche allows multiple species of organisms to coexist. If all organisms had the same niche, then there would be heavy competition for food, shelter, etc. Having different niches gives each species a specific role in the habitat, all of which are tied into the food web, population control, and many other aspects of the ecosystem that most people overlook. The Galapagos finches are a perfect example of this. The many different (14) species of finches on the Galapagos Islands all evolved from one common ancestor. Once the population of finch got to a point where food was scarce and competition was causing many finches to die off, the need to evolve presented itself and one group of finches developed a broader beak for cracking seeds, and the niche of that particular finch changed from eating insects to eating seeds, so it allowed the two finches to coexist in the same ecosystem.
4. The levels of ecological organization are:
1) Organism 2) species 3) population 4) community 5) ecosystem 6) biomes 7) biosphere
5. 1. Competition-Organisms struggle, fight or search for the same basic needs and becomes more intense when basic needs become limited. Normally, they will compete for shelter, nesting sites, food, sunlight, minerals, and breeding partners. Organisms that are stronger, fitter, and better adapted to environmental changes will be successful and survive. For example: The maize plants competing with weeds for water and minerals. / The owl and the snake competing with each other for food (the rat).
2. Symbiosis-The close relationship between two organisms of different species which live closely together and interact with each other. At least one of