Environmental Science DSST Study Questions and Answers

Scientific law A conscise statement of fact that is accepted as true and universal. Scientific theory An organized system of accepted knowledge that explains some aspects of the natural world. Ecology The study of organisms and how they interact with their surrounding environment. How many miles above and below earth's surface does the biosphere extend? 5 miles Approximately what percentage of the world's energy comes from non renewable resources? 75% When food is limited, a ________ species will compete harder than a _______ species for that resource. Specialist, generalist What is a specialist species? Species that require unique resources. What is a generalist species? Species that can make use of a variety of different resources. Competitive exclusion principle Two species cannot occupy the same ecosystem when there is a limited resource that both species need to survive. When does competition occur? When there is niche overlap between species, and the overlapping resources are limited. Mutalism Both species benefit. Predation Species A benefits Species B killed Commensalism Species A benefits Species B unaffected Parasitism Species A benefits Species B harmed