4.4.2 Ecology Flashcards

1
Q

What is an ecosystem?

A

All the living and non-living components in an environment

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2
Q

Give an example of a natural ecosystem.

A

Grassland, desert, forest, stream, tundra, pond, coral reef

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3
Q

What is a population?

A

Total number of one species in an ecosystem

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4
Q

What type of organism are producers?

A

Plants and algae

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5
Q

Explain why all food chains begin with a producer.

A

They make their own food using energy from the Sun

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6
Q

What does it mean if an organism is a tertiary consumer?

A

It eats secondary consumers

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7
Q

Construct the food chain:

A

Leaf -> caterpillar -> bird -> cat

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8
Q

Which word refers to an animal that kills and eats other animals?

A

Predator

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9
Q

Why are organisms in the same habitat in competition?

A

Because there are limited resources

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10
Q

Identify three resources dandelions may compete for.

A

Space, mineral ions, water, light

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11
Q

Identify three resources badgers may compete for.

A

Territory, food, water, mates

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12
Q

What is interspecific competition?

A

Competition between members of different species

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13
Q

Give an example of interspecific competition.

A

Zebra and wildebeest competing for grass. Lions and hyenas competing for prey on the African savannah

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14
Q

What is intraspecific competition?

A

Competition between members of the same species

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15
Q

What is interdependence?

A

How species within a community depend on each other

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16
Q

What is the term for a community where the population sizes remain constant?

A

Stable community

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17
Q

What is an abiotic factor?

A

A non-living factor in an ecosystem

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18
Q

What is a biotic factor?

A

A living factor in an ecosystem

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19
Q

Is the mineral content of soil a biotic or abiotic factor?

A

Abiotic

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20
Q

How would lack of light affect plants?

A

Reduce photosynthesis so less plants growing or plants grow smaller

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21
Q

How would lack of light affect animals?

A

Reduce photosynthesis so less plants growing or plants grow smaller so less food available for animals to eat

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22
Q

What is distribution?

A

Where organisms are found in a habitat

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23
Q

Name two factors that affect the distribution of an organism.

A

Light, water and nutrient availability.

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24
Q

How can the distribution & abundance of species in an ecosystem be determined?

A

Sampling

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25
Q

Why is it difficult to sample animals?

A

Because the are mobile

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26
Q

What is a quadrat?

A

A square frame of a known size used for sampling

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27
Q

Why must quadrats be placed randomly?

A

To improve the validity of the study

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28
Q

Described 2 ways that a transect can be used for sampling.

A

Count the number of organisms that touch the line, or place quadrat at intervals along the line

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29
Q

What is the mean number of organisms if the following are found in 6 quadrats – 1,5,15,20,42,37?

A

20

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30
Q

What is high biodiversity?

A

a wide range of different plant and animal species living in an ecosystem

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31
Q

Why is high biodiversity important?

A

allows a wide variation of food sources to help a species to survive, provide us with food and other products

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32
Q

What effect are humans having on biodiversity?

A

Reducing it

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33
Q

What are extremophiles?

A

Organisms that can survive in extreme conditions

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34
Q

How do human actions affect global warming?

A

Deforestation has increased CO2 in the atmosphere causing global temperatures to rise

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35
Q

How might global warming affect biodiversity?

A

Decrease it for species that are sensitive to temperature changes e.g. coral

36
Q

What effect does deforestation have on biodiversity?

A

Reduces it as destroys habitats

37
Q

Give an example of a human activity that is reducing biodiversity.

A

Waste production /deforestation/ global warming

38
Q

Give an example of a long-lived environmental change.

A

destruction of peat bogs/ deforestation

39
Q

Give an example of a short-lived environmental change.

A

freshwater pollution

40
Q

Suggest what will happen if human populations keep rising.

A

More of the Earth’s resources will be used up, resulting in a decrease in the land available for other organisms.

41
Q

Describe an impact of fertiliser run-off.

A

Algal growth increases, prevents light from reaching plants, which die. Bacteria respire and use up oxygen

42
Q

What is the impact on the environment of using peat as a fuel?

A

Removal of carbon store.

43
Q
A

Loss of peat bogs reduces biodiversity.

44
Q

How might using peat-free compost reduce this impact?

A

Would prevent the destruction of peat bogs, and organisms that live there would survive.

45
Q

Name one way by which the destruction of peat bogs can be reduced.

A

Use peat-free compost

46
Q

How can people reduce the amount of waste that goes into landfill?

A

Recycle

47
Q

How do breeding programmes help reduce the negative effects of humans on biodiversity?

A

Breed endangered species so they don’t become extinct

48
Q

How are ecosystems and biodiversity protected?

A

Introducing breeding programmes /Protecting and regenerating rare habitats/ Introducing wider field margins / Reducing deforestation and CO2 emissions / recycling resources / cloning plant species

49
Q

How do hedgerows increase biodiversity?

A

Provide habitats

50
Q

Why are conservation programmes introduced?

A

To protect endangered species, to minimise damage to food chains, protect food supplies

51
Q

How do breeding programmes help endangered species?

A

They save species from extinction and ensure genetic diversity is maintained.

52
Q

Why is it important to protect biodiversity?

A

Protects species from environmental change and ensures sustainability for all life forms

53
Q

Name a species apart from giant pandas that have been in a captive breeding programme.

A

Arabian oryx, California condor, golden lion tamarin, red wolf, amur leopard

54
Q

What is a stable community?

A

The size of the population remains constant over time.

55
Q

Give an example of an abiotic and biotic factor.

A

A – LI, temperature, CO2 levels, soil pH B – food, predators, diseases, competition

56
Q

What type of organism is always found at the start of a food chain?

A

Producer

57
Q

What is a quadrat?

A

A square grid of known area

58
Q

What is deforestation?

A

The cutting down of trees

59
Q

What is a monoculture?

A

One type of crop grown year after year

60
Q

Name 3 things plants compete for.

A

Light, space, nutrients, water

61
Q

What term matches this definition? Environmental factors which are non-living

A

Abiotic factors

62
Q

What term matches this definition? How many organisms are found in an area

A

Abundance

63
Q

What term matches this definition? The variety of species in an area

A

Biodiversity

64
Q

What term matches this definition? Environmental factors which are living

A

Biotic factors

65
Q

What term matches this definition? When multiple organisms are trying to obtain limited resources

A

Competition

66
Q

What term matches this definition? Where organisms are found in an area

A

Distribution

67
Q

What term matches this definition? The abiotic and biotic factors in an area

A

Ecosystem

68
Q

What term matches this definition? When organisms eat or are eaten by other organisms

A

Feeding relationship

69
Q

What term matches this definition? The place where an organism lives

A

Habitat

70
Q

What term matches this definition? All organisms in an area depend on each other for survival

A

Interdependence

71
Q

What term matches this definition? A living thing

A

Organism

72
Q

What term matches this definition? A process by which plants use energy from the Sun to make glucose

A

Photosynthesis

73
Q

What term matches this definition? Contaminating air, water or land with harmful substances

A

Pollution

74
Q

What term matches this definition? The number of individuals of a species in an area

A

Population

75
Q

What term matches this definition? Animal that hunts other animals for food

A

Predator

76
Q

What term matches this definition? Animal that is hunted by other animals

A

Prey

77
Q

What term matches this definition? The first consumer in a food chain

A

Primary consumer

78
Q

What term matches this definition? An organism that makes its own food

A

Producer

79
Q

What term matches this definition? A square frame used to sample organisms on the ground

A

Quadrat

80
Q

What term matches this definition? Used to estimate distribution and abundance of organisms in an area

A

Sampling technique

81
Q

What term matches this definition? The second consumer in a food chain

A

Secondary consumer

82
Q

What term matches this definition? Similar individuals which can reproduce to produce fertile offspring

A

Species

83
Q

What term matches this definition? The third consumer in a food chain

A

Tertiary consumer

84
Q

What term matches this definition? A line across an area

A

Transect

85
Q

What is a population?

A

group of individuals of one species living in a habitat

86
Q

What are the top consumers in a food chain called?

A

top predators.