03 Ecology

Question 1

Ecology

Answer 1

The study of interactions between living things and their physical and chemical environment

Question 2

Ecosystems

Answer 2

All the living and non-living parts of an environment and how they interact as a system.

Question 3

A system

Answer 3

• Something made of many parts
• The parts are all different but are interconnected and interact with each other

Question 4

Hierarchy of ecological biotic interactions within the biosphere

Answer 4

Individuals → populations → communities → ecosystems→ biosphere

Question 5

Population

Answer 5

• A group of individuals of the same species that live in the same ecosystem at the same time
• They are able to interbreed

Question 6

Ecological communities

Answer 6

Different populations that interact with one another in the same ecosystem form a community

Question 7

Biosphere

Answer 7

• All the areas on earth where life exists.
• Requires interaction of the atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere to support life.

Question 8

Species

Answer 8

Individuals belonging to groups of similar individuals capable of successfully interbreeding

Question 9

Habitat

Answer 9

• Particular species live in different habitats.
• A habitat is the home of a particular individual.

Question 10

Niche

Answer 10

• Particular species have specific roles in the ecosystem.
• The niche is the job of a particular individual.

Question 11

Biotic factors

Answer 11

• The living parts of an ecosystem
• The interactions between living parts

Question 12

Abiotic factors

Answer 12

• The non-living parts of an ecosystem
• The non-living processes in an ecosystem

Question 13

Example biotic factors

Answer 13

• Plants
• Animals
• Bacteria
• Fungi
• Protista

Question 14

Example abiotic factors

Answer 14

• Soil Particles
• Water
• Gases
• Sunlight

Question 15

Example biotic interactions

Answer 15

• Competition
• Feeding
• Pollination
• Seed dispersal

Question 16

Temperature as an abiotic factor

Answer 16

How hot or cold an area is

Question 17

Slope as an abiotic factor

Answer 17

Slope describes how steep or flat the land is

Question 18

Producers in an ecosystem

Answer 18

Plants and algae that make their own food by photosynthesis

Question 19

Consumers in an ecosystem

Answer 19

Organisms that rely on other organisms for their food (energy) requirements

Question 20

Herbivores

Answer 20

• Consumers that eat plants
• E.g. cows, elephants, locusts

Question 21

Carnivores

Answer 21

• Animals that feed on other animals
• e.g. predators, scavengers and insectivores

Question 22

Predators

Answer 22

• Carnivores that hunts other animals
• e.g. leopards, lions and eagles

Question 23

Scavengers

Answer 23

• Carnivores that feed on dead animals or decaying meat
• e.g. vultures, jackals and hyenas

Question 24

Insectivores

Answer 24

• Carnivores that feed on insects
• e.g. bat-eared foxes, pangolins and ladybirds

Question 25

Omnivores

Answer 25

• Consumers that eat both plants and animals
• e.g. humans, pigs, many birds and baboons

Question 26

Decomposers

Answer 26

• Organisms that break down or decompose the remains of organisms and their wastes
• E.g. bacteria, fungi, insects and earthworms

Question 27

Importance of decomposers

Answer 27

• They break down dead matter and wastes into simpler substances
• These substances are recycled and returned to the ecosystem
• These substances can be used by other organisms e.g. plants
• Without this recycling, there would be insufficient nutrients for more organisms to grow