7.1 Adaptations, interdependence and competition Flashcards
State the levels of organisation in an ecosystem
● Individual
● Population
● Community
● Ecosystem
What is an ecosystem?
The interaction between the living and the non-living components
State the factors that plants may compete for
● Light
● Space
● Water
● Mineral ions from
soil
State the factors that animals may compete for
● Food
● Mates
● Territory
What is intraspecific competition?
Competition within a species
What is interspecific competition?
Competition between different species
What is interdependence?
Different species in an ecosystem depend on each other for various resources, if one species is removed, the whole community may be affected.
What is a stable community?
A community in which all the biotic factors (all the different species) and all abiotic factors are balanced so that population sizes remain relatively constant.
What are abiotic factors?
Non-living factors
State the abiotic factors that may affect an ecosystem
● Light intensity
● Temperature
● Moisture
● Soil pH and
mineral content
● Wind intensity and direction
● Carbon dioxide level
● Oxygen level
Why might light intensity affect an ecosystem?
Different species of plants may have different optimum light intensities for growth
Why does temperature affect an ecosystem?
Different species of plants and animals may have different optimum temperatures for growth and survival.
How does soil pH affect an ecosystem?
Certain plants may grow better in either alkaline or acidic soil.
Soil pH may affect the appearance of the plant e.g. colour of hydrangea
How does moisture level affect an ecosystem?
Many plants cannot survive in waterlogged soil as their roots cannot respire.
Certain plants are adapted to high moisture.
How does wind intensity affect an ecosystem?
Plant seeds are more likely to germinate in locations with lower wind intensity, which may also attract animals that depend on the plant to live nearby.
How does soil mineral content affect an ecosystem?
Most plants require a high level of soil minerals to grow well.
Give an example of a type of plant that has adapted to low soil mineral content
Carnivorous plants catch insects to compensate for the low level of soil mineral content
How does carbon dioxide concentration affect an ecosystem?
Higher carbon dioxide concentration leads to more plant growth
How does oxygen concentration affect an ecosystem?
Aquatic animals cannot survive in areas with low oxygen concentration
State the biotic factors that may affect an ecosystem
● Food
● New predators
● New pathogens
● Competition
What are adaptations?
Features that enable organisms to survive in their living environment
What are organisms living in extreme environments called?
Extremophiles
Give three factors of extreme living environments
● High temperature
● High pressure
● High salt
concentration
State an example of where extremophile bacteria can be found
In deep-sea vents
