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Biology > 4.1 > Flashcards

4.1 Flashcards

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AP® Biology flashcards Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

what is ecology?

A

the study of relationships between living organisms & between organisms & their environment

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2
Q

what is the definition of species?

A

a group of organisms that can interbreed to produce fertile offspring

  • if species are not closely related, it is often impossible for them to breed
  • f 2 species do not live in the same ecosystem → reproductively isolated
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3
Q

What is the definition for population?

A

a group of organisms of the same species that are living in the same area at the same time

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4
Q

what is the definition of community?

A

a group of populations that are living & interacting w eachother in the same area

-

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5
Q

what are all species dependent on?

A

all species are dependent on interactions w members of other species for survival

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6
Q

what are the type of heterotrophs?

A
  • consumers
  • detritivore
  • saprotrophs
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7
Q

what is the method of nutrition for heterotrophs?

A

heterotrophs obtain their organic molecules from other organisms

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8
Q

how do detritivore obtain nutrients?

A

obtains nutrients by consuming non-living organic organic sources e.g→ humus & detritus
- internally digest

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9
Q

examples of detritivores

A

dung beetles, earthworms, woodlice & crabs

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10
Q

how do saprotrophs obtain nutrients?

A
  • live on or in non-living organic matter
  • not consumers because they do not ingest food→ unlike most heterotrophs
    • digestion is external as enzymes are secreted
  • referred to as decomposers bc they facilitate the breakdown of organic material
  • e.g of saprotrophs → bacteria & fungi
  • externally digest → digest/break down debris around them
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11
Q

What are consumers?

A
  • heterotrophs that ingest other organisms to obtain their organic molecules
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12
Q

What are the classes of consumers?

A
  • herbivores
  • omnivores
  • carnivores
  • scavengers
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13
Q

what can eat herbivores?

A

primary consumers

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14
Q

what does positive association mean?

A

species found in the same habitat

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15
Q

what does negative association mean?

A

species occur separately in differing habitats

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16
Q

what does no association mean

A

species occur as frequently apart together

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17
Q

Habitat:

A

The environment in which a species normally lives, or the location of a living organism

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18
Q

reproductive isolation

A

Organisms that live in different regions (i.e. different populations) are reproductively isolated & unlikely to interbreed, however are classified as the same species if interbreeding is functionally possible

  • reproductive isolation occurs when barriers prevent two populations from interbreeding
  • > keeping their gene pools separate
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19
Q

gene pool

A

a collection of different genes, both expressed and not expressed, present in a population of a particular species
-includes alleles

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20
Q

how do different gene pools within a species prevent the different species from interbreeding?

A

Different species may have different genes that are active in development; therefore, it may not be possible to develop a viable offspring with two different sets of directions.

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21
Q

what is interbreeding

A

breeding with another of a different race or species.

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22
Q

what does a gene pool consist of?

A

all the genes and their different alleles, present in an interbreeding population

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23
Q

how to organisms obtain chemical energy?

A
  • Organisms that make their own carbon compounds from carbon dioxide and other simple substances – autotrophic
  • Organisms that obtain their carbon compounds from other organisms
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24
Q

what is an ecosystem?

A

A community and its abiotic environment

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25
Q

Mixotrophs

A

Certain unicellular organisms may on occasion use both forms of nutrition, depending on resource availability
Euglena gracilis possess chlorophyll for photosynthesis (autotrophic) but may also feed on detritus (heterotrophic)

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26
Q

Autotrophs obtain inorganic nutrients from the abiotic environment

A

Most autotrophs derive the energy for this process from sunlight (via photosynthesis)
Some may derive the needed energy from the oxidation of inorganic chemicals (chemosynthesis)

Autotrophs obtain the simple inorganic substances required for this process from the abiotic environment

These nutrients – including carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen and phosphorus – are obtained from the air, water and soil

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27
Q

herbivores

A

feed principally on plant matter (e.g. cows, sheep, rabbits)

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28
Q

carnivores

A

consumers that feed principally on animal matter (e.g. crocodiles, wolves, tigers)

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29
Q

omnivores

A

consumers that have a principle diet composed of both plant and animal matter (e.g. pandas, humans)

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30
Q

scavengers

A

type of consumer that principally feed on dead and decaying carcasses rather than hunting live prey

Examples of scavengers include hyenas, vultures and carrion birds (such as crows)

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31
Q

What is Detritus?

A

dead, particulate organic matter – such as decaying organic material and fecal matter

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32
Q

What is humus?

A

term given specifically to the decaying leaf litter intermixed within the topsoil

33
Q

What are saprotrophs commonly referred to as?

A

decomposers

- facilitate the breakdown of dead organic materia

34
Q

examples of saprotrophs

A

bacteria and fungi

35
Q

what does nutrient refer to?

A

the material required by an organism, and include elements such as carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus

36
Q

what do species that can interbreed produce?

A

a fertile offspring

37
Q

do communities involve microbes and plants?

A

yes

38
Q

What can quadrant sampling be used for?

A
  • estimation of population density/size

- measuring the distribution of a species

39
Q

How are quadrants used

A
  • they are placed repeatedly in a sample area to provide a reliable estimate
  • they can be placed systematically to measure changing distribution
  • they can be placed randomly to estimate population density
  • both random & sampling methods are used to avoid bias in the selection sample
40
Q

what is the limitation of quadrant sampling?

A
  • large & mobile animals cannot be effectively sampled
41
Q

what is quadrant sampling most suited for?

A
  • plants

- small/slow moving animals

42
Q

null hypothesis

A

there is no significant difference between the distribution of the 2 species (i.e the distribution is random)

43
Q

alternate hypothesis

A

there is a significant difference between the distribution species (i.e species are associated)

44
Q

what are nutrients?

A

elements required by an organism for growth & metabolism (e.g carbon, nitrogen & phosphorus)

45
Q

what is the purpose of nutrient cycling?

A
  • supply of nutrients is limited & therefore ecosystems constantly recycle the nutrients between organisms
46
Q

Why are ecosystems relatively sustainable?

A

most flows of energy & nutrients in an ecosystem are between members of the biotic community
relatively few flows of energy & nutrients enter of leave from surrounding ecosystems
- therefore ecosystems to a large extent are self-contained & hence self-sustaining

47
Q

to remain sustainable, an ecosystem requires:

A
  • continuous energy availability, e.g sunlight
  • nutrient cycling, e.g saprotrophs are essential for continuous provision of nutrients to producers
  • recycling waste, e.g certain wastes are toxic, decomposing bacteria breaks down toxic waste
48
Q

What are mesocosms?

A

biological systems that contains the abiotic & biotic features of an ecosystem, but are restricted in size and/or under controlled conditions
- they are a type of experimental setup

49
Q

The restriction on mesocosms make them useful for what?

A
  • restriction make them useful for scientific investigations where the uncontrolled nature of a natural ecosystem makes it difficult to collect meaningful data
50
Q

hybrid

A

the offspring of 2 similar but different species

51
Q

if chi squared value is larger than the degrees of freedom…….

A

the results are statistically significant

  • the observed results are different from what is expected
  • in terms of species, they aren’t found together if there is a significant difference between the results
52
Q

What is the ecological role of saprotrophic bacteria?

A

To digest dead organic matter and release nutrients from it.

53
Q

what is an ecosystem

A

a community which consists of all the biotic factors such as plants and animals in an area, functioning together with all of the physical or abiotic factors of the environment

54
Q

Humus

A

decaying leaf matter mixed w soil

55
Q

What do herbivores feed on?

A

producers

56
Q

Nutrient cycling

A

Autotrophs obtain inorganic nutrients from the air, water and soil and convert them into organic compounds. Heterotrophs ingest these organic compounds and use them for growth and respiration, releasing inorganic byproducts. When organisms die, saprotrophs decompose the remains and free inorganic materials into the soil. The return of inorganic nutrients to the soil ensures the continual supply of raw materials for the autotrophs.

57
Q

Main requirements for sustainability of an ecosystem

A
  • energy availability
  • nutrient availability
  • recycling of wastes
58
Q

species that show a positive association

A

include those that exhibit predator-prey or symbiotic relationships

59
Q

How can the presence of 2 species in an environment be determined?

A

quadrant sampling

60
Q

what are 2 ways quadrant sampling can be used?

A
  1. population density

2. distribution of a species

61
Q

Levels of an ecosystem (smallest to largest)

A

species, population, community, ecosystem, biome, biosphere

62
Q

mutualism

A

a type of relationship where both organisms benefit

63
Q

commensalism

A

a type of symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits & the other is unaffected

64
Q

parasitism

A

a type of symbiotic relationship where one organism is benefitted and the other is harmed

65
Q

photoautotrophic

A

All green plants, and some bacteria, are photoautotrophic – they use sunlight as a source of energy

66
Q

trophic level 1

A

producer

67
Q

trophic level 2

A

primary consumer

68
Q

trophic level 3

A

secondary consumer

69
Q

trophic level 4

A

tertiary consumer

70
Q

what does a food chain show

A

the linear feeding relationships between species in a community

71
Q

what do the arrows in a food chain represent?

A

the transfer of energy and matter as one organism is eaten by another (arrows point in the direction of energy flow)

72
Q

how is the energy stored in organic molecules released

A

can be released by cell respiration to produce ATP

73
Q

Not all energy stored in organic molecules is transferred via heterotrophic feeding?

A
  • Being excreted as part of the organism’s faeces

- Remaining unconsumed as the uneaten portions of the food

74
Q

The chemical energy produced by an organism can be converted into a number of forms, including:

A 
Kinetic energy (e.g. during muscular contractions)
Electrical energy (e.g. during the transmission of nerve impulses)
Light energy (e.g. producing bioluminescence)
75
Q

All of these reactions are exothermic and release thermal energy (heat) as a by-product

A

Living organisms cannot turn this heat into other forms of usable energy
This heat energy is released from the organism and is lost from the ecosystem (unlike nutrients, which are recycled)
Hence ecosystems require a continuous influx of energy from an external source (such as the sun)

76
Q

Biomass

A

the total mass of a group of organisms – consisting of the carbon compounds contained in the cells and tissues

77
Q

what is a pyramid of energy

A

a graphical representation of the amount of energy at each trophic level of a food chain (expressed in units of energy per era of time)

78
Q

what is the carbon cycle?

A

a biogeochemical cycle whereby carbon is exchanged between the different spheres of the Earth

79
Q

what are the 4 spheres?

A

atmosphere (air), lithosphere (ground), hydrosphere (water / oceans) and biosphere (living things)

Biology (28 decks)

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