The release of harmful chemicals into the soil, air, or water is called _______.
pollution
Pollution negatively impacts ecosystems and human health.
Cutting down too many trees results in _______.
deforestation
Deforestation can lead to habitat loss and increased carbon emissions.
The living and nonliving things in an organism’s environment provide it with needed _______.
resources
Resources are essential for survival and reproduction.
Protecting and restoring species and resources is called _______.
conservation
Conservation efforts aim to maintain biodiversity.
Energy from the sun is transferred to organisms by _______.
energy flow
Energy flow is a key concept in ecosystems.
Carbon and water are transferred through _______.
Natural cycles
Cycles are crucial for maintaining ecosystem balance.
A _______ shows the feeding relationships and the resources among organisms.
food web
Food webs illustrate the interconnectedness of species.
Each organism fills a role or _______ in its habitat.
niche
An organism’s niche includes its interactions with other organisms.
An oxpecker eating insects off a zebra is an example of _______.
symbiosis
Symbiosis involves interactions that benefit at least one organism.
A tapeworm lives in the stomach of its _______.
host
The host provides a habitat and nutrients for the tapeworm.
Both _______ and mimicry help protect organisms from predators.
camouflage
These adaptations enhance survival by avoiding detection.
A clown fish lives among sea anemones. The sea anemone provides a place to hide and the clown fish cleans the sea anemone. This is an example of _______.
symbiosis
This relationship benefits both species involved.
Lions and tigers eat from the same zebra population. This is an example of _______.
competition
Competition occurs when species vie for the same resources.
Name a human activity that causes severe imbalance in an ecosystem.
Examples: deforestation, pollution, oil spills
These activities disrupt natural processes and harm wildlife.
Explain why all organisms in an ecosystem are dependent on _______.
decomposers
Decomposers recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem.
Why is an organism’s _______ important?
niche
An organism’s niche helps meet the needs of other organisms.
Explain how pollution causes imbalance in an ecosystem.
Pollution disrupts natural cycles and can cause many organisms to die.
It can also lead to human health issues.
Name two ways in which people are restoring or preventing imbalance.
Examples:
* Conservation efforts
* Laws against pollution
These actions help protect ecosystems and biodiversity.
