Consider what you know about biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem. What is one of the reasons that nutrients in a vegetable patch might be considered abiotic?(1 point)

Responses

Nutrient levels can change with changing ecosystems.
Nutrient levels can change with changing ecosystems.

Nutrients can come from dead plants which have decomposed.
Nutrients can come from dead plants which have decomposed.

Nutrients are mostly obtained from the soil.
Nutrients are mostly obtained from the soil.

Available nutrients affect the carrying capacity of garden plants.
Available nutrients affect the carrying capacity of garden plants.

9 answers

The correct response for why nutrients in a vegetable patch might be considered abiotic is:

Nutrients are mostly obtained from the soil.

This is because abiotic factors include non-living components of an ecosystem, and nutrients that come from the soil—like minerals and elements—are not derived from living organisms, thus making them abiotic.

Of the following factors that impact biodiversity, which one would be considered a micro-effect?(1 point)
Responses

A forest is cleared for the construction of a suburban home division.
A forest is cleared for the construction of a suburban home division.

A hurricane destroys a coral reef.
A hurricane destroys a coral reef.

A stand of aspen trees dies and decays, leaving a clearing in the forest.
A stand of aspen trees dies and decays, leaving a clearing in the forest.

An invasive species of plant is introduced that outcompetes all local plants.

The factor that would be considered a micro-effect on biodiversity is:

A stand of aspen trees dies and decays, leaving a clearing in the forest.

This is because a micro-effect typically refers to changes or impacts that occur at a small, localized scale, affecting a specific area or community within an ecosystem, as opposed to broader, landscape-level changes. The decay of a small stand of trees would primarily affect local biodiversity in that specific area.

Why does ecology need to study the biotic and abiotic elements?(1 point)
Responses

It is studying a population.
It is studying a population.

It is studying a species.
It is studying a species.

It is studying the ecosystem.
It is studying the ecosystem.

It is studying the community.

The correct response is:

It is studying the ecosystem.

Ecology focuses on understanding how living organisms (biotic elements) interact with each other and with their physical environment (abiotic elements) within ecosystems. Studying both biotic and abiotic factors is essential to gain a comprehensive understanding of ecosystem dynamics and how various elements contribute to overall ecological balance.

The brown tree snake is an invasive species in the island of Guam. The brown tree snake feeds mainly on birds and other animals' eggs (birds and reptiles). The rapid increase of brown tree snakes has caused the extinction of several bird species. These birds mainly fed on insects. The brown tree snake does not have a natural predator.

Which of the following is an impact that the brown tree snake has on the ecosystem in Guam?

(1 point)
Responses

The population of other reptiles will increase slightly.
The population of other reptiles will increase slightly.

The small plant population will increase drastically.
The small plant population will increase drastically.

The fungi population will increase slightly.
The fungi population will increase slightly.

The insect population will increase drastically.

The correct response is:

The insect population will increase drastically.

The brown tree snake preys on birds that primarily feed on insects. As the population of these birds declines due to predation by the brown tree snake, there would be fewer birds to control the insect population, leading to a likely increase in insect numbers.

What is the difference between small, controlled lab experiments versus an ecosystem-scale experiment?(1 point)
Responses

the abiotic factors
the abiotic factors

the applicability of the results
the applicability of the results

the number of variables
the number of variables

the species of interest

The correct response is:

the applicability of the results.

Small, controlled lab experiments typically focus on specific variables and conditions, which can limit how broadly the findings can be applied to real-world ecosystems. In contrast, ecosystem-scale experiments consider a larger number of variables and more complex interactions, making their results potentially more applicable to understanding ecological dynamics in natural settings.