3.1 ecosystems Flashcards
what is a species
a group of similar organisms that are able to interbreed and produce fertile offspring
biodiversity
the total number of different species living in a particular area
population
the number of one species present in a area
producer
an organism (green plant) that carries photosynthesis to make its own food using light energy from sun
consumer
an organism that has to eat other organism in order to gain energy
herbivore
an consumer that only eats plants/producers to gain energy
carnivore
a consumer that eats animals to gain energy
omnivore
a consumer that eats plant and animals to gain energy
predator
an animal hunts another animal for food
prey
an animal that gets hunted for food
food chain
simple flow diagram that shows energy transfer between series of organisms that depend on the next as a source of food starting with producer and ending with top predator
food web
a complex diagram showing energy transfers between organisms in a habitat
ecosystem
made up of all the organisms living in a particular habitat and all non living components with which the organisms interact
main parts of an ecosystem
all organisms living in a particular habits eg community
non living components that which the organisms interact eg soil type
community
all living organisms present in a particular habitat area
habitat
a place where organisms lives
food chain represents
direction of energy transfer flow between organisms in food chain food food web the arrow always points in direction of organisms that is gaining energy
niche
the role an organism plays within its community
niche of an organism
the resources that it requires in its ecosystem eeg light
it’s interaction with other organisms in community eg competition
the conditions it can tolerate eg temp
interdependence of organisms within food web
every organism within food web is linked to every other organism either directly or indirectly a change to any one population will always have knock on consequences for every other organism within food web
competition
competition is a battle between organisms requiring the same recourses
competition occurs when recourses are in short supply
two main types of conp
intra specefic - this is organism of the same species for all the recourses they require
inter specefic - this is different organisms belowong to two different species for one or a few of the same recourses they require
how is intraspecefic more intense than inter
more intense as it is a competition between members of same species who have exactly same requirements for all recourses that they need
