Competition

• What is ecology primarily about?

  Organisms and their environment interactions
• Why is it important to learn ecological terms?

  It helps in understanding ecology better
• What is a habitat?

  • The place where an organism lives
• What is a species?

  • One type of organism (e.g., humans)
• What is a population?

  • All organisms of one species in a habitat
• What is a community?

  • Populations of different species in a habitat
• What are abiotic factors?

  • Non-living environmental factors (e.g., temperature)
• What are biotic factors?

  • Living environmental factors (e.g., food)
• What is an ecosystem?

  • Interaction of a community of living organisms with non-living parts
• How do organisms compete for resources?

  They need resources from their environment to survive
• What do plants need to survive?

  • Light, space, water, and minerals from soil
• What do animals need to survive?

  • Space (territory), food, water, and mates
• What is interdependence in ecology?

  Species depend on each other for resources
• What happens if there is a change in the environment?

  It can have knock-on effects on the ecosystem
• What is a food web?

  • A diagram showing feeding relationships in an ecosystem
• What can pollution do to ecosystems?

  It can harm sensitive species
• How can pollution affect a stream ecosystem?

  It can kill organisms in the stream
• What are the effects of changes in an ecosystem?

  • Major changes can affect all living things
• What does the diagram of a food web show?

  • Part of a food web showing feeding relationships
• What is the sensitivity of stonefly larvae to pollution?

  They are particularly sensitive to pollution
• What happens if pollution kills stonefly larvae in a stream?

  It can disrupt the entire food web
• What does the table below show?

  • Some effects of pollution on other organisms in the food web
• What are larvae particularly sensitive to?

  Pollution
• What happens to larvae when pollution is present?

  Pollution can kill them in streams
• What effects might pollution have on other organisms in the food web?

  • Alters population dynamics
  • Affects species interactions
  • Impacts ecosystem health
• What is the relationship between blackfly larvae and competition for algae?

  Blackfly larvae have less competition for algae
• How does the presence of cadis larvae affect the food web?

  They are more likely to be eaten by predators
• What is the effect of decreased stonefly larvae on the ecosystem?

  It leads to increased competition for resources
• What is the role of water spiders in the food web?

  They have less food availability
• How does the presence of stickleback fish affect food availability?

  They have less food availability
• What are stable communities in ecosystems?

  • Species and environmental factors are balanced
  • Population sizes remain roughly constant
  • They can fluctuate in cycles
• What happens if a source of chocolate is removed from an ecosystem?

  It would have far-reaching effects on the ecosystem
• Why is it important to know what organisms compete for in an ecosystem?

  To understand ecosystem dynamics and balance
• If the number of mayfly larvae decreased significantly, what would be the short-term effect on the stickleback population?

  It would likely decrease due to less food
• What is the significance of knowing the interactions in a food web?

  It helps predict changes in ecosystem health
• How do stable communities maintain their balance?

  Through balanced species interactions and environmental factors
• What is the effect of environmental factors on population sizes?

  They can cause fluctuations in population sizes
• Why is it crucial to understand the food web dynamics?

  To manage and conserve ecosystems effectively
• If a new predator is introduced to an ecosystem, what might happen to the existing populations?

  They may decrease due to increased predation
• What are the potential consequences of removing a key species from a food web?

  • Disruption of food chains
  • Decrease in biodiversity
  • Altered ecosystem functions