All flashcards
Flashcard 1: Which environmental factor provides the energy source that limits plant growth in many habitats?
Answer: Light availability (sunlight). Primary energy source for photosynthesis and food production.
Flashcard 2: What term describes all living and nonliving surroundings that influence an organism’s growth?
Answer: Environment. Includes both living (biotic) and nonliving (abiotic) components.
Flashcard 3: Which abiotic factor is the amount of O2 available for cellular respiration and growth?
Answer: Oxygen availability. Most organisms need oxygen to release energy from food.
Flashcard 4: Which abiotic factor describes the concentration of salts in water that can affect growth?
Answer: Salinity. High salt levels can dehydrate cells through osmosis.
Flashcard 5: Which abiotic factor refers to dissolved mineral nutrients needed for plant growth?
Answer: Nutrient availability (for example, nitrogen and phosphorus). Plants need minerals like N and P to build proteins and DNA.
Flashcard 6: Which abiotic factor describes how acidic or basic soil or water is, affecting nutrient uptake?
Answer: pH. Extreme pH can denature proteins and affect nutrient solubility.
Flashcard 7: Identify the limiting factor: a cactus grows poorly when soil salinity becomes very high.
Answer: Salinity (salt concentration). High salt disrupts water uptake and cellular processes.
Flashcard 8: Identify the limiting factor: fish die in a warm pond because dissolved O2 becomes low.
Answer: Oxygen availability. Warm water holds less dissolved oxygen than cold water.
Flashcard 9: Which type of environmental factor includes temperature, light, water, and soil pH?
Answer: Abiotic factors. Nonliving physical and chemical factors that affect organisms.
Flashcard 10: Which environmental factor describes the supply of minerals such as nitrogen and phosphorus for growth?
Answer: Nutrient availability. Essential elements needed to build proteins, DNA, and other molecules.
Flashcard 11: What soil property affects nutrient availability and can slow growth when too acidic or basic?
Answer: pH. Extreme pH values can denature enzymes and lock up nutrients.
Flashcard 12: Which environmental factor affects growth by controlling hydration and transport of materials in cells?
Answer: Water availability. Essential for all life processes and maintaining cell structure.
Flashcard 13: What environmental factor is required for cellular respiration and can limit animal growth when low?
Answer: Oxygen availability (O2). Essential for breaking down glucose to release energy in cells.
Flashcard 14: What term describes the maximum population size an environment can support long term?
Answer: Carrying capacity. Limited by resource availability and environmental conditions.
Flashcard 15: Which biotic interaction reduces growth because organisms use the same limited resources?
Answer: Competition. Organisms compete for food, water, space, and other necessities.
Flashcard 16: Which biotic factor can decrease growth by causing illness and using host resources?
Answer: Disease (pathogens). Parasites and infections divert energy from growth to immune response.
Flashcard 17: Which biotic factor can reduce prey growth by increasing death rate and stress?
Answer: Predation pressure. Constant threat forces prey to spend energy on defense instead of growth.
Flashcard 18: Which environmental factor can limit growth when organisms are crowded and resources run out?
Answer: Population density (crowding). Too many organisms deplete resources faster than they regenerate.
Flashcard 19: Which abiotic factor can slow growth by removing water from organisms and damaging tissues?
Answer: High salinity. Causes dehydration and disrupts cellular osmotic balance.
Flashcard 20: Identify the limiting factor: a plant grows slowly because it receives only 2 hours of sunlight daily.
Answer: Light availability. Insufficient light limits photosynthesis and energy production.
Flashcard 21: Identify the limiting factor: fish in a pond gasp at the surface after algae die off and decay.
Answer: Low dissolved oxygen. Decomposing algae consume oxygen, causing fish to suffocate.
Flashcard 22: Identify the limiting factor: crops turn yellow and grow poorly in soil lacking nitrate ions.
Answer: Nitrogen deficiency (low nutrients). Nitrogen is essential for making proteins and chlorophyll.
Flashcard 23: Identify the limiting factor: seedlings wilt and stop growing during a long period with no rain.
Answer: Water availability (drought). Plants need water for photosynthesis and maintaining cell pressure.
Flashcard 24: What environmental factor is required for photosynthesis and can limit plant growth when scarce?
Answer: Carbon dioxide (CO2). Raw material plants convert into glucose during photosynthesis.
Flashcard 25: What environmental factor most directly affects enzyme activity and metabolic rate in organisms?
Answer: Temperature. Controls chemical reaction rates and protein function in cells.
Flashcard 26: Which type of environmental factor includes predators, competitors, and pathogens?
Answer: Biotic factors. Living organisms that interact with and affect other organisms.
Flashcard 27: Which abiotic factor directly supplies energy for photosynthesis and plant growth?
Answer: Light (sunlight intensity and duration). Plants convert light energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis.
Flashcard 28: What is the term for living things in an environment that affect growth?
Answer: Biotic factors. Living organisms like predators, prey, and competitors affect growth.
Flashcard 29: Which abiotic factor is most directly needed for plant cells to maintain turgor and grow?
Answer: Water availability. Plants need water for photosynthesis, transport, and cell expansion.
Flashcard 30: What is the term for nonliving conditions that affect organism growth?
Answer: Abiotic factors. Nonliving conditions like temperature, water, and light affect organisms.