2. Ecology pt2 Flashcards
Explain how sewage treatment uses decomposers?
- in sewage treatment plants are designed to provide optimum conditions for microorganisms to break down the human waste
- ideally the final product will be safe to be released into rivers or the sea (but here most of it’s burnt)
Explain how biogas generators uses decomposers?
-biogas generators collect animal waste and plant waste which is broken down by bacteria to release a flammable gas that could be used for heating, cooking or to produce electricity
All organic molecules within organism contain ………… .
Carbon
Explain why the earth is a carbon cycle?
-because the total amount of carbon on the planet is fixed and so must be move between organism and the environment
Explain the carbon cycle?
- CO2 is in the air and dissolved in oceans
- CO2 Is removed from the air into organic C in green plants by photosynthesis
- but returns to the air by plant respiration
- plants feed consumers so there’s organic C in the consumers
- the consumer does respiration into the air
- when plants and animals die the organic C in them goes to decomposers who do respiration
- carbon in fossil fuels comes from dead plants and animals when undergo combustion release CO2
What’s the only process in the carbon cycle that removes carbon from the environment and adds it to food chains?
Photosynthesis
What are the 2 main processes that return carbon to the atmosphere?
Respiration and combustion
Explain how removing trees affect CO2 levels?
- by deforestation your reducing the process that takes on CO2 from the atmosphere
- by burning fossil fuels we are putting more CO2 into the atmosphere from the carbon sinks
- this leads to the greenhouse effect and may cause global warming
Explain the water cycle
- transpiration from plants forms clouds
- respiration, sweat and urine as well as rivers, lakes and oceans all evaporate
- it cools and condenses into clouds
- these clouds then precipitate (rain, snow, etc)
What does the carbon cycle do?
It returns carbon from organisms to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide to be used by plants in photosynthesis
What does the water cycle do?
It provides fresh water for plants & animals on land before draining into seas
Water is continuously evaporated & precipitated
What’s the importance of microorganisms in cycling materials through ecosystems?
They return carbon to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide & mineral ions to the soil
Why are materials recycled in the living world?
To provide building blocks for future organisms
What do farmers & gardeners try to do?
Provide optimum conditions for rapid decay of waste biological material
The compost produced is used as a natural fertiliser for growing garden plants or crops
What is mainly burnt in biogas?
- Methane
- anaerobic decay produces methane, so waste from sewage or sugar factories can be used to make biogas on a big scale
What produces biogas?
Biogas generators which can be used to produce methane gas as a fuel
How does global warming impact biodiversity?
- higher temp causes sea level to rise, it will flood habitats in low lying areas
- as temp increases & rainfall changes the distribution of animals may change. Some might be more widely distributed while others less
- changes in migration patterns(birds might have to migrate further north)
- biodiversity will decrease as some species might become extinct as they are unable to survive the climate
Where can pollution happen?
- in water: from sewage, fertiliser or toxic chemicals
- in air: from smoke & acidic gases (sulfur dioxide causes acid rain)
- on land: from landfills & from toxic chemicals (from farming or nuclear waste)
How does pollution affect biodiversity?
Pollution kills plants & animals which reduces biodiversity
Why is there so much pollution?
- rapid growth of the human population & an increase in the standard of living results in more resources being used
- so more waste is produced
- resources come from the environment, we’re using raw materials more quickly
- unless waste & chemical materials are properly handled, more pollution will be caused
What 2 gases are contributing to global warming?
Carbon dioxide
Methane
What’s global warming?
- gases in the atmosphere naturally act as an insulating layer
- it absorbs energy that would be radiated into space and re-radiate it in all direction (including back to earth), increasing the temp
- levels CO2 & methane are increasing
- so the earth is beating up too much
What do humans use land for?
-building
-quarrying
-farming
-dumping waste
So there’s less land available for other animals
What’s peat?
- partly rotted plants gradually build up in a bog to form peat
- the carbon is stored on the plants
Why are areas of peat destroyed?
- to produce garden compost
- which reduces the area of this habitat & thus the variety of p,ants, animals & microorganisms that live there (biodiversity)
What does the decay or burning of peat cause?
The peat realises carbon dioxide into the atmosphere
Why is deforestation happen in topical areas ?
- provide land for cattle & rice fields (farming)
- grow crops for biofuels
What problems does deforestation cause?
- less carbon dioxide taken in: cutting down trees realises the carbon
- more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere: when trees are burnt to clear land
- less biodiversity:forest are habitats for lots of species so when they are destroyed some species are in danger of extinction
What’s good about a great biodiversity?
-it ensures the stability of ecosystems by reducing the dependence of a species on just another for food, shelter & the maintenance of the physical environment
Approximately how much biomass is transferred from each trophic level?
10%
