1.1-c) Measuring Abiotic Factors Flashcards
1
Q
- What are terrestrial abiotic factors?
A
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Terrestrial abiotic factors
➞ nonliving factors that relate to a land-based ecosystem
1
Q
- Describe the abiotic factor ‘Temperature’ and how it is measured.
Terrestrial abiotic factor
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Temperature:
➞ a measure of heat energy (°C) - It is measured through:
➞ soil temperature (temperature probe)
➞ air temperature (thermometer)
➞ wait until the reading adjusts
➞ take several samples (increases reliability)
2
Q
- Describe the abiotic factor ‘Light intensity’ and how it is measured.
Terrestrial abiotic factor
A
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Light intensity:
➞ a measure of brightness of light - It is measured through:
➞ a light meter
➞ hold at soil surface
➞ avoid casting a shadow over the meter
3
Q
- Describe the abiotic factor ‘Edaphic factors’ and how it is measured.
Terrestrial abiotic factor
A
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Edaphic factors:
➞ factors affecting soil (e.g. moisture, pH and nutrients) - It is measured through:
➞ a moisture or pH meter
➞ insert the probe into the soil
➞ wipe probe between samples
4
Q
- Describe the abiotic factor ‘Wind velocity’ and how it is measured.
Terrestrial abiotic factor
A
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Wind velocity:
➞ is speed and direction of wind (N, E, S, W) - It is measured through:
➞ anemometer (for wind speed)
➞ weather vane (for wind direction)
5
Q
- Describe the abiotic factor ‘Precipitation’ and how it is measured.
Terrestrial abiotic factor
A
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Precipitation:
➞ is a measure of rainfall - It is measured through:
➞ a rain gauge
➞ take readings from the scale
6
Q
- Describe the abiotic factor ‘Slope’ and how it is measured.
Terrestrial abiotic factor
A
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Slope:
➞ is how steep a slope is - It is measured through:
➞ a clinometer
➞ Rise = difference between the highest and lowest point on the slope
➞ Run = horizontal distance
➞ Slope = Run/Rise
7
Q
- How do these three terrestrial abioic factors (light intensity, edaphic factors, and wind velocity) influence the biodiversity of an ecosystem?
Terrestrial abiotic factor
A
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Light intensity:
➞ Different species of plants have varying requirements for light intensity for photosynthesis.
↳ Some plants thrive in direct sunlight, while other plant species prefer more shaded conditions. This can influence the type of plants that can grow in a particular area, affecting the entire food web and ecosystem structure. -
Edaphic factors:
➞ The availability of nutrients for plant growth is determined through the composition of the soil.
↳ Many plant species may require more nutrient-rich soils whilst some plant species are able to adapt to nutrient-poor soils in dry and arid ecosystems (i.e. cacti in deserts) -
Wind velocity:
➞ Wind velocity has a major impact on seed dispersal, with the speed and direction of the wind determining where and how far the seeds are dispersed - impacting the distribution of plant species.
8
Q
- What are aqautic abiotic factors?
A
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Aquatic abiotic factors
➞ nonliving factors that relate to an aqautic ecosystem
9
Q
- Describe the abiotic factor ‘Water temperature’ and how it is measured.
Aquatic abiotic factor
A
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Water temperature:
➞ a measure of the heat of the water (°C) - It is measured through:
➞ a thermometer
➞ allow the reading to adjust
10
Q
- Describe the abiotic factor ‘Water flow rate’ and how it is measured.
Aquatic abiotic factor
A
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Water flow rate
➞ is the volume of water that moves in a certain amount of time - It is measured through:
➞ a flow probe/current meter
➞ carry out the float method
11
Q
- Describe the abiotic factor ‘pH’ and how it is measured.
Aquatic abiotic factor
A
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pH:
➞ is how acidic or alkaline the water is - It is measured through:
➞ a pH probe or chemical test
➞ allow the reading to adjust
12
Q
- Describe the abiotic factor ‘Salinity’ and how it is measured.
Aquatic abiotic factor
A
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Salinity:
➞ is a concentration of salt dissolved in a body of water - It is measured through:
➞ a salinity meter
➞ which gives an Electrical Conductivity (EV) value
➞ high value = high salinity
13
Q
- Describe the abiotic factor ‘Tidal effects’ and how it is measured.
Aquatic abiotic factor
A
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Tidal effects:
➞ is how high tide and low tide affect the ecosystem - It is measured through:
➞ a tide guage
➞ to compare the rising and falling tide to a ‘benchmark’ level.
14
Q
- How do these three aquatic abioic factors (water temperature, water flow rate, and tidal effects) influence the biodiversity of an ecosystem?
Aquatic abiotic factor
A
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Water temprature:
➞ The temperature of the water affects photosynthesis rates in plants.
➞ Lower water temperatures indicated typically higher dissolved oxygen. -
Water flow rate:
➞ Many organisms can only survive at certain water flow rates, and struggle when rates are too high or too low.
➞ The flow of water is responsible for moving oxygen to some organisms’ gills, and even helps food like plankton flow into the mouths of other aquatic animals. -
Tidal effects:
➞ Organisms in coastal areas can be threatened by wave action, light exposure, and drying out.
