Adaptations and Ecology Flashcards
What do animals compete for
food, water, space and mates
What do plants compete for
light, space, water and minerals
What are adaptations
specific features of living organisms that help them survive and reproduce in their environment
what are structual adaptations
physical features that help an organism survive
What are behavioural adaptations
the things organisms DO to survive
How do animals in hot dry climates adapt
large thin ears thin fur little body fat large surface are to volume ration(more heat loss) long limbs often only come out at night
What are the adaptations of a cactus
thick waxy cuticle to prevent water loss
no leaves or spines to reduce water loss
widespread to collect water
How do animals in cold climates adapt
thick fur
fat under the skin fr insulation
fat,round body with short legs (reduce heat loss)
small ears
What are the adaptations to feeding
herbivorous mammals have strong long back teeth to grind food
body colours to camoflouge from predators
eyes on side for wide field vision
carnivourous mamals have
eyes facing the front to judge distance better and cath prey
canine teeth to stab their prey
What do food chains show
the flow of energy: arrow goes from food to feeder
what is the inital source of energy
light energy from the sun
why is the first level always a producer?
its the only stage that uses light energy and converts it to chemical energy (phtosynthesis)
what happens if organisms die
energy flows to decomposers (fungi,bacteria)
why cant food chains have more than 5 levels
only 10% of energy is transferred from one level to the next so after the 5th level there is no sufficient energy to sustain yet another level
Why isnt all the energy and biomass transferred between levels
the organism used some of the energy when alive
not all part are eaten (bones,hair)
some lost as faeces
some lost a waste products(co2, urea)
what is bioaccumulation
toxic substances accumulate in food chains (mercury)
why does bioaccumulation happen
because higher trophic levels eat more individuals from the level below because biomass is lost so the concentration increases.
what do food webs show
show the complex feeding relationships in a community
what do pyramids of biomass represent
the biomass transferred between each trophic level (the length of the bar represents the biomass in a tropic level)
what do pyramids of numbers represent
the number of species in the food chain in a habitat (The length of each bar represents the number of individuals in a trophic level)
birth rate > death rate
population increases
birth rate < death rate
population decreases
birth rate=death rate
population stays constant
how do you study plants or sessile animals in a habitat
using a quadrat or a line transect
