Name and describe two types of aquatic ecosystems.
Identify and describe the roles of producers, consumers,
and decomposers in an ecosystem.
Give examples of harmful biotic factors and explain their
impact on ecosystems.
What is biological equilibrium, and why is it important?
Construct a simple food chain and explain the flow of
energy.
What is a food web, and how does it differ from a food
chain?
Explain the non-cyclical nature of energy flow in
ecosystems.
Name two pieces of equipment used in ecological studies
and their uses.
Answers:
Commensalism is a relationship where one organism
benefits, and the other is unaffected. Examples include
barnacles on whales and epiphytic plants on trees.
Parasitism is a relationship where one organism benefits
at the expense of another. Examples include ticks on
mammals and tapeworms in intestines.
Forests are diverse habitats with many trees and animal
species. Deserts are arid ecosystems with sparse
vegetation adapted to dry conditions.
Rivers and streams are freshwater ecosystems with
flowing water. Oceans are large saltwater bodies with
diverse marine life.
Producers make food through photosynthesis. Consumers
eat plants or animals. Decomposers break down dead
material, recycling nutrients.
Invasive species like water hyacinth outcompete native
plants. Pests like locusts destroy crops, affecting food
security.
Biological equilibrium is the balance between species
and their environment, ensuring ecosystem stability and
productivity.
Grass → Grasshopper → Frog → Snake → Eagle. Energy flows
from producers to consumers, decreasing at each trophic
level.
A food web is a complex network of interconnected food
chains. Unlike a linear food chain, a food web shows
multiple feeding relationships in an ecosystem.
Energy flow in ecosystems is non-cyclical because energy
moves in one direction from producers to consumers and
decomposers, eventually being lost as heat.
Quadrats are used to sample plant populations. Transects
are used to study changes in vegetation across a
habitat.
