6.6 Ecosystems Flashcards
What is ecology?
The study of the relationship between organisms and their relationships
What is an ecosystem?
Made up of all living organisms interacting with each other and physical factors in the area
The boundaries of an ecosystem are defined by who?
The person studying them
What are the 2 types of factors that can affect an ecosystem?
Biotic and abiotic
What are biotic factors?
Living factors
What are abiotic factors?
Non living factors
Biotic factors involve interactions such as what?
Competition for food and resources
Give examples of abiotic factors:
Light Temperature Water availability Oxygen availability Edaphic soil
(Abiotic) plants are directly affected by light - why?
Required for photosynthesis
(Abiotic) what strategies do plants have to cope with different light intensities?
Large leaves or pigments requiring less light in low light intensities
Reproductive systems operating at only optimum light availability
(Abiotic) temperature affects what?
Enzymes controlling metabolic reactions
(Abiotic) plants and ectothermic animals develop more rapidly where?
In warmer temperatures
(Abiotic) changes in the temperature of an ecosystem can trigger what?
Migration or hibernation
(Abiotic) in plants temperature can trigger what?
Leaf fall
Dormancy
Flowering
(Abiotic) in aquatic conditions fast flowing water contains high what?
Concentrations of oxygen
(Abiotic) if water is too warm or flow rate is too slow what can happen?
Aquatic organisms can suffocate
(Abiotic) in waterlogged soul air spaces are what?
Filled with water reducing oxygen availability
(Abiotic) edaphic soil - different types of soil have different what?
Particle sizes affecting an organisms ability to survive in them
(Abiotic) clay has what?
Fine particles
Easily waterlogged
Forms clumps when wet
(Abiotic) what does loam have?
different sized particles
Retaining water
Doesn’t become waterlogged
(Abiotic) sand has what?
Well separated particles allowing draining so it doesn’t retain water and is easily eroded
