Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

GCSE > 6 ECOLOGY + ENVIROMENT > Flashcards

6 ECOLOGY + ENVIROMENT Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
GCSE Geography - AQA flashcards GCSE Religious Studies - Edexcel Route B flashcards GCSE Religious Studies - Eduqas Route A flashcards GCSE Religious Studies - Edexcel Route A flashcards GCSE Religious Studies - Eduqas Route B flashcards
1
Q

Define an ecosystem

A

The community, and the habitat in which it lives

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Define a habitat

A

The place/area where an organism lives

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Define a population

A

The total number of individuals of one species in a particular habitat at a particular time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Define a community

A

All the populations of different organisms that live together in a habitat

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is an abiotic factor

A

Non-living factors which affect growth and survival of living things

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is an abiotic factor

A

Non-living factors which affect growth and survival of living things

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is a biotic factor

A

Living factors which affect growth and survival of living things

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

3 examples of abiotic factors

A

Temperature, sunlight intensity, mineral content in soil

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

3 examples of biotic factors

A

Disease, predetation, trampling

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Describe how to investigate population size of an organism using quadrats

A
  • Calculate area of habitat
  • Measure individuals in one quadrat
  • Place quadrat in 10 different locations using RANDOM SAMPLING
  • Calculate average number of individuals in a quadrat
  • Calculate how many quadrats fit into total area
  • Multiple average number of individuals by how many quadrats fit into area
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

How to do a random sample

A
  • Divide area into 0-10 co-ordinate grid
  • Use a random number generator to get a pair of numbers
  • Use them as co-ordinates to place your qudrat
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Describe nitrogen fixation

A

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria in soil and roots of leagumes absorb nitrogen, and make it into ammonia

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Describe nitrification

A

Ammonia is converted to nitrates by nitrifying bacteria

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Explain denitrification

A

Nitrates are converted in nitrogen gas by denitrifying bacteria

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Explain decompostion (as part of the nitrogen cycle)

A

Bacteria and fungi decompose dead matter by saprotrophic feeding, and ammonia is released into the soil

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Explain decompostion (as part of the nitrogen cycle)

A

Bacteria and fungi decompose dead matter by saprotrophic feeding, and ammonia is released into the soil

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Define Biodiversity

A

The measure of how many different species live in an ecosystem

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

How to measure the biodiversity of an area

A
  • Calculate area of habitat
  • Record number of each different species
  • Place quadrat in 10 different locations using RANDOM SAMPLING
  • Calculate average number of different species in a quadrat
  • Calculate how many quadrats fit into total area
  • Multiple average number of different species by how many quadrats fit into area
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

How would you investigate the effect of an abiotic or biotic variable on biodiversity

A
  • Select at least two areas where variable is different
  • Measure the variable in each area
  • Estimate biodiversity using quadrat method
20
Q

What is leaching

A

When a lot of fertiliser is washed out of the soil when it rains into a river

21
Q

Describe eutrophication and the effects of leached minerals

A
  • Nitrates are absorbed by algae in water
  • Multiply rapidly and cover water - algal blood
  • Blocks sunlight for other plants
  • They are unable to photosynthesise and die
  • Algae on surface die
  • Dead remains are good source of food for bacteria
  • Multiply rapidly
  • Large population of bacteria respire, increaisng B.O.D, using oxygen in water
  • Decreases level of oxygen for fish and they die as they cannot respire aerobically
22
Q

Describe pollution of water by sewage and it’s biological consequences

A
  • Sewage provide good source of food for bacteria
  • Bacteria multiply rapidly
  • Large population of bacteria respire, increasing B.O.D, using up oxygen in water
  • Decreases the level of oxygen for fish and they die as they cannot repsire aerobically
23
Q

What is B.O.D

A

Biological oxygen demand

24
Q

What is the difference between eutrophication and pollution of water by sewage

A

Eutrophication involves an algal bloom

25
Q

What does an arrow represent on a food web chart

A

THey dhow the direction that energy and biomass moves

26
Q

Names of the trophic levels

A
  • Producer
  • Primary Consumer
  • Secondary Consumer
  • Tertiary Consumer
27
Q

Why is the energy transfer from sun to proucers inefficent

A
  • Light miss the plant and the chloroplasts
  • Light reflected by the cuticle
  • Light has wrong wavelength to be absorbed by chlorophyll
28
Q

Why is only 10% of energy transferred from one trophic level to the next

A
  • Not all the organism is eaten
  • Some parts are not digested and absorbed - egested as faeces
  • Energy respired and lost as heat energy
  • Some plants are indigetable like lignin
29
Q

Carbon cycle: respiration

A

Glucose broken down into carbon dioxide and released into air

30
Q

Carbon cycle: eating

A

Carbon in food eaten and then respired back into atmosphere

31
Q

Carbon cycle: decomposers

A

When a plant or animal dies, decomposers feed on them, and then respire the carbon into atmosphere

32
Q

Carbon cycle: Combustion

A

Fossil fuels release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere

33
Q

Name the greenhouse gases

A
  • Water vapour
  • Carbon dioxide
  • Nitrous oxide
  • Methane
  • CFC’s
34
Q

Human activities that release carbon dioxide

A

Burning fossil fuels and slash and burn forest clearance

35
Q

Human activities that release methane

A

Cattle (from anaerobic activity of bacteria in their gut), and bacteria in waterlogged rice fields

36
Q

Human activities that release nitrous oxides

A

Burning fossil fuels

37
Q

Human activities that cause CFC’s

A

A solvent in aerosols and in fridges and freezers

38
Q

Consequences of the enhanced greenhouse effect

A
  • Melting of polar ice caps
  • Destruction of habitats
  • Drought and desertification
  • Increased extreme weather events
  • Spread of disease
  • Change in crops
  • Increase in heat related illness + death
39
Q

Biological consequnces of pollution of air by sulfur dioxide

A
  • The sulfur dioxide dissolves into the rainwater in the air
  • The dilute acid dissolves limestone buildings
  • Decreases pH of river and lakes
  • Denature enzymes casuing death
40
Q

Biological consequences of pollution of air by carbon monoxide

A
  • Causes haemoglobin to bind more strongly to it than oxygen
  • Less oxygen to muscles for aerobic respiration
  • Can cause death
41
Q

Effects of deforestation

A
  • Leaching - mineral ions in soil run off into rivers and lakes, which can also cause eutrophication
  • Soil erosion - The top soil contains the minerals are lost making regrowth of plants difficult
  • Evapotranspiration - Transpiration cannot occur as there are no plants, so evaporation doesn’t occur, so rain doesn’t occur causing draughts
42
Q

Consequences of the enhanced greenhouse effect

A
  • Melting of polar ice caps
  • Destruction of habitats
  • Drought and desertification
  • Increased extreme weather events
  • Spread of disease
  • Change in crops
  • Increase in heat related illness + death
43
Q

Describe pollution of water by sewage and it’s biological consequences

A
  • Sewage provide good source of food for bacteria
  • Bacteria multiply rapidly
  • Large population of bacteria respire, increasing B.O.D, using up oxygen in water
  • Decreases the level of oxygen for fish and they die as they cannot repsire aerobically
44
Q

What is leaching

A

When a lot of fertiliser is washed out of the soil when it rains into a river

45
Q

How to do a random sample

A
  • Divide area into 0-10 co-ordinate grid
  • Use a random number generator to get a pair of numbers
  • Use them as co-ordinates to place your qudrat

GCSE (71 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions