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Chapter 1: Problem 2

Define the terms population, community, ecosystem, landscape, biome, and biosphere.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Answer: In an ecological context, a population consists of all the individuals of a single species living in a specific location, while a community is comprised of all the different populations of different species living together and interacting in a specific area. In a community, organisms depend on each other for resources, such as food and shelter.

Step by step solution

01

Define Population

A population consists of all the individuals of a single species living in a specific location. These individuals interact with one another and depend on their environment for resources like food, water, and shelter. An example of a population would be all the deer living in a particular forest.
02

Define Community

A community is comprised of all the different populations of different species living together and interacting in a specific area. In a community, organisms depend on each other for resources, such as food and shelter. A forest community may include the population of trees, birds, insects, and mammals all living together and interacting.
03

Define Ecosystem

An ecosystem is a community of living organisms (plants, animals, and microbes) interacting with each other and the non-living physical environment (like air, water, and soil) in a particular area. The ecosystem includes both biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components that interact through a process known as the energy flow (e.g., through food chains and webs). Examples of ecosystems include ponds, coral reefs, and rainforests.
04

Define Landscape

A landscape is a broad-scale area that includes multiple, interconnected ecosystems and communities. Landscapes can be identified by their distinctive features, such as topography, vegetation patterns, and climate. A landscape can include various ecosystems like forests, grasslands, and wetlands, as well as human-altered areas like agricultural fields and urban areas.
05

Define Biome

A biome is a large geographical area characterized by distinctive plant and animal communities and having similar environmental conditions, such as climate and soil type. Biomes are often defined based on the dominant vegetation in the area, reflecting the adaptations of organisms to their environment. Examples of biomes include rainforests, deserts, grasslands, and tundra.
06

Define Biosphere

The biosphere is the global ecological system integrating all living organisms on Earth and their interactions with the surrounding environment. It extends from the deepest layers of the ocean to the upper limits of Earth's atmosphere. It functions as a closed system where energy and matter flow between the biotic and abiotic components of the environment, enabling the persistence of life across the planet.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

What is a hypothesis? What is the role of hypotheses in science?

What is a model? What is the relationship between hypotheses and models?

Given the importance of ecological research in making political and economic decisions regarding current environmental issues such as global warming, how do you think scientists should communicate uncertainties in their results to policy makers and the public?

How do ecology and environmentalism differ? In what way does environmentalism depend on the science of ecology?

An ecologist observes that the diet of a bird species consists primarily of large grass seeds (as opposed to smaller grass seeds or the seeds of other herbaceous plants found in the area). He hypothesizes that the birds are choosing the larger seeds because they have a higher concentration of nitrogen than do other types of seeds at the site. To test the hypothesis, the ecologist compares the large grass seeds with the other types of seeds, and the results clearly show that the large grass seeds do indeed have a much higher concentration of nitrogen. Did the ecologist prove the hypothesis to be true? Can he conclude that the birds select the larger grass seeds due to their higher concentration of nitrogen? Why or why not?
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