Bio 100 CHAPTER 20 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED A+

Bio 100 CHAPTER 20 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED A+ The study of the interactions between living organisms and their environment is called ________. Ecology The specific place where a species resides is its ________. habitat An organism achieving its maximum reproductive potential exhibits a(n) ________ growth curve. exponential Characteristics such as the number of offspring produced, the male-to-female ratio, and the maturation time of offspring define the ________ of a population. biotic potential The maximum population size of a species that an ecosystem can sustain indefinitely is known as its ________. carrying capacity Environmental elements that restrict a species from reaching its biotic potential are termed ________ factors. environmental resistance A group of different species living together in one habitat forms a ________. community A species that has a significant impact on its community is known as a ________ species. keystone When the interaction between two species benefits both, it is called ________. mutualism The combination of all living organisms and their physical surroundings in a specific area is called an ________. ecosystem Organisms that consume producers, who make their food using sunlight and soil nutrients, are called ________. primary consumers A ________ (2 words) illustrates the complex interactions and feeding relationships among organisms in a community. food web The total biomass or energy present at each trophic level in an ecosystem is represented by a(n) ________. ecological pyramid Unlike the carbon and nitrogen cycles, the phosphorous cycle is classified as a ________ cycle because phosphorus never enters the atmosphere. sedimentary The process by which some bacteria convert nitrate to atmospheric nitrogen gas is ________. dentrification