7.1 Ecology (adaptations, interdependence and competition)

Question 1

State the levels of organisation in an ecosystem

Answer 1

individual, population, community, ecosystem

Question 2

What is an ecosystem?

Answer 2

the interaction between the living components and non-living components

Question 3

State the factors that plants may compete for?

Answer 3

• light
• space
• water
• mineral ions from soil

Question 4

State the factors that animals might compete for?

Answer 4

• food
• mates
• territory

Question 5

What is intraspecific competition?

Answer 5

competition within a species

Question 6

What is interspecific competition?

Answer 6

competition between different species

Question 7

What is interdependence?

Answer 7

different species in an ecosystem depend on each other for various resources, if one species is removed, the whole community may be affected

Question 8

What is a stable community?

Answer 8

A community in which all the biotic factors (the different species) and all abiotic factors are balanced so that population sizes remain relatively constant

Question 9

What are abiotic factors?

Answer 9

non-living factors

Question 10

State the abiotic factors that may affect an ecosystem

Answer 10

• light intensity
• temperature
• moisture
• soil pH and mineral content
• wind intensity and direction
• carbon dioxide level
• oxygen level

Question 11

Why might light intensity affect an ecosystem?

Answer 11

different species of plants may have different optimum light intensities for growth

Question 12

Why does temperature affect an ecosystem?

Answer 12

different species of plants and animals may have different optimum temperatures for growth and survival

Question 13

How does soil pH affect an ecosystem?

Answer 13

• 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

Question 14

How does moisture level affect an ecosystem?

Answer 14

• many plants cannot survive in waterlogged soil as their roots cannot respire
• certain plants are adapted to high moisture levels

Question 15

How does wind intensity affect an ecosystem?

Answer 15

Plant seeds are more likely to germinate in locations with lower wind density, which may also attract animals that depend on the plant to live nearby

Question 16

How does soil mineral content affect an ecosystem?

Answer 16

most plants require a high level of soil minerals to grow well

Question 17

Give an example of a type of plant that has adapted to low soil mineral content

Answer 17

carnivorous plants catch insects to compensate for the low level of soil mineral content

Question 18

How does carbon dioxide concentration affect an ecosystem?

Answer 18

high carbon dioxide concentration leads to more plant growth

Question 19

How does oxygen concentration affect an ecosystem?

Answer 19

aquatic animals cannot survive in areas with low oxygen concentration

Question 20

State the biotic factors that may affect an ecosystem

Answer 20

• food
• new predators
• new pathogens
• competition

Question 21

What are adaptations?

Answer 21

features that enable organisms to survive in their living environment

Question 22

What are organisms living in extreme environments called?

Answer 22

extremophiles

Question 23

Give 3 examples of extreme living environments

Answer 23

• high temperature
• high pressure
• high salt concentration

Question 24

State an example of where extremophile bacteria can be found

Answer 24

in deep sea vents

Question 25

What are biotic factors?

Answer 25

living factors, e.g. species