Chapter Questions
What is the difference between an organism's habitat and its niche?
Explain the significance of the following graph. Both species are occupying the same hypothetical niche.
Why are food chains limited in steps (trophic levels)? Relate your answer back to the laws of thermodynamics.
What process removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere? What processes release carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere?
Fill in the blanks: The competitive exclusion principle states that two different ____ cannot occupy the same ecological ____. The survivor is the one who was able to ____ the other.
The first trophic level in a food chain must be a ____. Explain your answer.
Choose the correct term from each pair: Earth is a(n) open/closed system in regard to matter, but a(n) open/closed system in regards to energy.
The first step of the nitrogen cycle is ____, when nitrogen gas is fixed into organic molecules. The two means of nitrogen fixation are _____ and _____.