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Biology > 6.5-ecosystems :) > Flashcards

6.5-ecosystems :) Flashcards

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1
Q

what is an ecosystem?

A

any group of living or non living things and the relationships between them.

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2
Q

what are the components of an ecosystem?

A

habitat
population
community

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3
Q

what is a population?

A

all the organisms of 1 species who live in the same place at the same time and breed together.

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4
Q

what is a community?

A

all the populations of different species who live in the same place at the same time and who can interact with eachother.

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5
Q

what is the niche of a species?

A

the role of each species in an ecosystem.

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6
Q

what are the biotic factors affecting an ecosystem?

A

producers
consumers
decomposers

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7
Q

how do biotic factors affect ecosystems?

A

affect other organsisms’ food supplies
predation
disease

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8
Q

what are examples of abiotic factors affecting ecosystems?

A

pH
relative humidity
temperature
pollutant conc

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9
Q

what are the 3 types of change in ecosystems?

A

cyclic
directional
unpredictable

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10
Q

what are cyclic changes?

A

changes that repeat themselves in a rhythm, eg tides

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11
Q

what are directional changes?

A

changes which go in 1 direction+are usually longer lasting than the lifetimes of organisms.

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12
Q

what are 2 examples of directional changes?

A

deposition of silt in an estuary

erosion of a coastline

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13
Q

what is a trophic level?

A

the level at which an organism feeds in a food chain.

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14
Q

why is biomass lost at each trophic level?

A

metabolic processes eg respiration
waste material
parts that can’t be digested

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15
Q

ecological efficiency=?

A

(biomass at higher trophic level/biomass at lower trophic level) x 100

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16
Q

what is productivity?

A

the rate of production of new biomass by producers.

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17
Q

what is gross primary productivity?

A

the rate at which plants convert light energy to chemical energy through photosynthesis

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18
Q

get your notes on net primary productivity

A

do it

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19
Q

what are saprotrophs?

A

organisms that feed on decaying/dead organic matter.

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20
Q

what is nitrogen fixation?

A

when nitrogen gas in the air is converted to useful organic nitrogen compounds

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21
Q

chemical symbol for nitrates?

A

NO3-

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22
Q

chemical symbol for nitrites?

A

NO2-

23
Q

when can nitrogen fixation occur?

A

lightning
bacteria
haber process

24
Q

what free living bacteria in the soil do nitrogen fixation?

A

Azotobacter

25
Q

what bacteria that live in root nodules do nitrogen fixation?

A

Rhizobium

26
Q

how do nitrogen fixing bacteria in nodules work?

A

use nitrogen reductase to turn n2 into nh4+ which is used by plant

27
Q

what does Nitrobacter bacteria do?

A

oxidises nitrites to nitrates

28
Q

what does Nitrosomonas bacteria do?

A

oxidises NH4+ to nitrites

29
Q

what does Azotobacter bacteria do?

A

nitrogen fixing (lives free in soil)

30
Q

what does Rhizobium bacteria do?

A

nitrogen fixation in root nodules

31
Q

what are the 4 processes of the nitrogen cycle?

A

nitrogen fixation
nitrification
decomposition/ammonification
denitrification

32
Q

what are chemoautotrophic bacteria?

A

bacteria which get their energy not from sunlight but from chemical reactions, eg oxidising NH4+ to NO2- or No2- to N03-.

33
Q

what is nitrification?

A

oxidation of ammonia or ammonium to nitrite followed by the oxidation of the nitrite to nitrate.

34
Q

what is denitrification?

A

turning nitrates to nitrogen gas.

35
Q

what part of the nitrogen cycle needs well aerated soils?

A

nitrification: requires oxygen.

36
Q

what can nitrates be used for in a plant?

A

making nucleotide bases and amino acids.

37
Q

under what conditions does denitrification take place?

A

anaerobic, eg waterlogged soils.

38
Q

why does denitrification take place?

A

no o2: bacteria use nitrates as source of o2, producing n2 and n20.

39
Q

what do aquatic plants use for photosynthesis?

A

dissolved carbonates.

40
Q

what is a climax community?

A

the final stable community that exists after the process of succession has occurred.

41
Q

what are pioneer species?

A

species that begin the process of succession, often colonising an area as the 1st living things there.

42
Q

what is succession?

A

progressive change in a community of organisms over time.

43
Q

what is primary succession?

A

development of a community from bare rock.

44
Q

what is a pioneer community?

A

all the living organisms that occupy an area undergoing primary succession in the beginning stages

45
Q

where does secondary succession take place?

A

on a previously colonised but disturbed or damaged habitat.

46
Q

what is the sub climax community 9result of deflected succession) called?

A

plagioclimax

47
Q

what 2 types of data can you collect using a quadrat?

A

% distribution

abundance (no of individuals)

48
Q

how can you make your quadrat more accurate?

A

use a point frame

49
Q

what are the 2 types of transect?

A

line

belt

50
Q

what do you do with a line transect?

A

make a note of which species is touching it at eregular intervals

51
Q

what do you do with a belt transect?

A

place quadrat next to it

52
Q

what’s an interrupted belt transect?

A

when you place the quadrat next to it at regular intervals.

53
Q

what is a continuous belt transect?

A

when you just move the quadrat along the transect.

Biology (25 decks)

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