Answer Key for Practice Exam

Ecology Vocabulary answer Sheet

Using the chalk board or overhead, have the students take these notes. give plenty of examples using personal interactions. For example, competition could happen when you are trying to get into line at McDonalds (Comensalism) .

I. Interactions

A. Competition: one wins and another loses [Rushing to get into line at McDonalds]

B. Comensalism: one wins and another loses nothing [The aluminum can thrown away by you could be money to another]

C. Parasitism: one wins at the expense of another [a person who always wants something from you but never helps you]

D. Symbiosis: everyone wins and nobody loses [you cut grass that your friend uses to make a hat for you to cut more grass....]

E. Coöperation: both help each other [friends who help each other get their chores done so they can have fun]

F. Compensatory: to avoid competition an organism will use other resources [They want all the Good-n-Plenty so you eat all the popcorn at the theater]

II. Habitat Origin

A. Native: an organism that was discovered in its niche as opposed to introduced to its niche.

B. Invaders: a non-native that takes over space and habitat of a native

C. Increasers: a population that is recruiting more new individuals than dying. (a net increase)

D. Decreasers: a population that is dying more than it recruiting new individuals.(a net decrease)

III. Desert Adaptations

A. Drought avoiders: plant dies off and leaves only seeds to with stand the drought.

1. Deciduous: drops its leaves.

2. Annual: lives for only a year or part of the year

B. Drought Resistant

1. Perennials: lives on year after year

2. Evergreen: never drops its leaves