Ecology Vocabulary Practice Questions! Quiz

Abiotic factors refer to environmental influences that are not produced by living organisms. These factors include temperature, wind patterns, humidity, pH, substrate rock type, and other physical and chemical influences. This means that abiotic factors are non-living components of an ecosystem that can significantly impact the organisms living within it.

In a food chain, energy flows from producers (plants) to primary consumers (herbivores) and then to higher order consumers (carnivores or omnivores). Producers convert sunlight into energy through photosynthesis and are the primary source of energy in the food chain. Primary consumers obtain energy by consuming producers, and higher order consumers obtain energy by consuming primary consumers. Therefore, the correct sequence of energy flow is producers‑primary consumers‑higher order consumers.

The carbon cycle is a natural process in which carbon is constantly exchanged between the atmosphere, oceans, plants, animals, and the Earth's crust. This means that all of the carbon in existence is indeed recycled in the carbon cycle.

The biosphere is the part of Earth where living organisms exist. It includes all the ecosystems on the planet. The lithosphere refers to the solid outer layer of Earth, which includes the land and the Earth's crust. The hydrosphere includes all the water on Earth, including oceans, lakes, rivers, and groundwater. The atmosphere is the layer of gases that surround the Earth. Therefore, the correct answer is lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, as these three components make up the biosphere.

An autotroph is an organism that can produce its own food using energy from the sun or inorganic substances. Geraniums are examples of autotrophs because they can perform photosynthesis, converting sunlight into energy and using it to produce sugars for their growth and survival. This process allows geraniums to sustain themselves without relying on other organisms for food.

Parasitism is a symbiotic relationship between two organisms where one organism, the parasite, lives in or on another organism, the host, and benefits from this relationship. The parasite obtains nutrients and shelter from the host, while the host is harmed or negatively affected. This characteristic is reflected in the given answer, "One organism lives in or on another and benefits."

not-available-via-ai

In the carbon cycle, humans act as a source of carbon because we release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere through activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation. Additionally, humans also act as agents for carbon as we play a role in transferring carbon between different reservoirs. For example, through activities like agriculture and land use changes, we can transfer carbon from the atmosphere to the biosphere or from the biosphere to the atmosphere.