5.1 - What is an ecosystem? Flashcards
What is the biosphere?
The part of the earth and its atmosphere that is inhabited by living organisms
What is an ecosystem?
A functional unit that tends to be fairly self sustaining
What is a population?
A group of interbreeding individuals of the same species found in an area
What makes up a community?
the various populations sharing a habitat or an ecosystem
Give examples of abiotic fibres
solar energy input, climate, topography, oxygen concentration, edaphic factors, pollution and catastrophes
give examples of biotic factors
competition, grazing, predation, disease, parasitism and mutualism
what are anthropogenic factors?
those arising from human factors
what is primary succession?
when new habitats form where there has never been a community before
what are the first organisms that occur in succession?
pioneer species eg. lichens
what happens after the pioneer species form?
they break up rock surface and allow soil to form from organic material, this allows wind blown spores start growing
what is the final stage of succession?
a climax community
where does secondary succession occur?
on bare soil where an existing community has been cleared
give adaptations of the pioneer species (eg. Groundsel) in secondary succession
seeds can widely disperse by wind, rapid growth, short life cycle and abundant seed production
what is deflected succession?
a community that remains stable only because human activity prevents succession from running its course
why would ecosystems need to be actively managed?
to prevent succession that would result in a loss or change in biodiversity in certain habitats
