Worksheet #4
Community Ecology
Community Structure
Define community:
Define ecological niche:
Interactions between populations in a single environment
What are some interspecific interactions between individuals of different species? How will
these interactions influence the community in general? Be sure to include at least three
interactions.
Describe the different the trophic levels:
Producer
Primary consumer
Secondary consumer
Tertiary consumer
Quaternary consumer
What are the other trophic levels that depend on detritus?
How species affect their environments
What two components will define a community’s species diversity?
Define Keystone species:
How do disturbances affect a community? Are disturbances always bad?
What happens if you introduce a species to an environment that has no natural predators? How
will this introduction affect the community and species richness?
Compare the energy cycle of a vegetation to that of a meat eater. Which type of diet is better for
the environment?
The ecosystem
Outline the following chemical cycles and how each affects their environment. Include the
organisms that are involved in each.
Carbon cycle
Phosphorus cycle
Nitrogen cycle
Give some examples of how we can be more sustainable regarding the environment. Apply
what you know about populations, communities, and ecosystems to form your answer.
