Adaptations, interdependence and competition - done

Question 1

What is an individual organism?

Answer 1

A single member of a species

Question 2

What is a population?

Answer 2

A number of individuals of the same species living in the same area at the same time

Question 3

What is a community?

Answer 3

Multiple populations (of different species) living and interacting in the same area

Question 4

What is an ecosystem?

Answer 4

The interaction between a community (the living, biotic part) and the non-living (abiotic) parts of the environment

Question 5

What is intraspecific competition?

Answer 5

Competition can be between members of the same species

Question 6

When are animals said to be competing?

Answer 6

If a group of organisms all need the same resource in order to survive and reproduce but there is a limited amount of the resource available

Question 7

When is an animal said to be adapted to its habitat?

Answer 7

If an organism has certain features, behaviors, or other characteristics that help it to survive and reproduce in its habitat

Question 8

What is interspecific competition?

Answer 8

Competition between members of different species

Question 9

What do plants compete for? (4)

Answer 9

• Light
• Space
• Water
• Mineral ions

Question 10

Why do plants compete for light?

Answer 10

Plants require light for photosynthesis in order to produce glucose, which provides them with energy for growth

Question 11

Why do plants compete for space?

Answer 11

Plants require space above soil (so leaves can absorb maximum sunlight) and below soil (so roots can absorb water and mineral ions)

Question 12

Why do plants compete for water?

Answer 12

Water is essential for photosynthesis and therefore plant growth

Question 13

Why do plants compete for mineral ions?

Answer 13

Plants require various mineral ions such as nitrate ions (protein-synthesis) and magnesium (to make chlorophyll)

Question 14

Why do animals compete?(3)

Answer 14

• food
• mates
• territory

Question 15

Why do animals compete for food?

Answer 15

Food provides animals with the energy they require for growth and reproduction.

Question 16

Why do animals compete for mates?

Answer 16

Animals require mated in order to reproduce and pass on their genes

Question 17

Why do animals compete for territory?

Answer 17

Some animals compete for territory, this is an area of habitat that provides an individual with resources such as water, food, shelter and mates

Question 18

What is interdependence in a community?

Answer 18

Within a community, each species depends on other species for food, shelter, pollination. If one species is removed it can affect the whole community.

Question 19

What is a stable community?

Answer 19

is one where all the species and environmental factors are in balance so that population sizes remain fairly constant

Question 20

What is an abiotic factor?

Answer 20

An abiotic factor is a non-living factor

Question 21

Examples of abiotic factors? (8)

Answer 21

• light intensity
• temperature
• moisture levels
• soil ph and mineral content
• wind direction and intensity
• carbon dioxide levels
• oxygen levels

Question 22

How does light intensity affect the community?

Answer 22

Light is needed by plants for photosynthesis. More light leads to an increase in rate of photosynthesis and an increase in plant growth rate

Question 23

How does temperature affect the community?

Answer 23

Affects the rate of photosynthesis in plants

Question 24

How does moisture levels affect the community?

Answer 24

Plants and animals require water to survive

Question 25

How does soil ph and mineral content affect the community?

Answer 25

Different species of plants are adapted to different soil ph levels and nutrient concentration levels

Question 26

How does wind intensity and direction affect the community?

Answer 26

Wind speed affects transpiration rate in plants. Transpiration affects the rate of photosynthesis as it ensures water and minerals ions are transported to the leaves.

Question 27

How does Co2 levels affect the community?

Answer 27

CO2 is required for photosynthesis in plants. CO2 concentration affects the rate of photosynthesis

Question 28

How does O2 levels affect the community?

Answer 28

Some aquatic animals such as fish can only survive in water with high oxygen concentrations.

Question 29

What are biotic factors?

Answer 29

A biotic factor is a living factor

Question 30

Examples of biotic factors: (4)

Answer 30

• food availability
• new predators
• new pathogens
• competition

Question 31

How does food availability affect the community?

Answer 31

More food means organisms have a higher chance of surviving and reproducing. This means their populations can increase.

Question 32

How does new predators affect the community?

Answer 32

In balanced ecosystems, predators catch enough prey to survive but not so many that they wipe out the prey population. If a new predator is introduced to the ecosystem it may become unbalanced.

Question 33

How does new pathogens affect the community?

Answer 33

Can wipe out a species if it doesn’t have immunity to it. This can cause the community to become unstable

Question 34

How does competition affect the community?

Answer 34

If two species compete for the same resources and one is better adapted to take advantage of theses resources then that species will out compete the other. This may continue until there are too few members of the lesser adapted species to breed successfully

Question 35

What are the three types of adaptations?

Answer 35

• structural
• behavioral
• functional

Question 36

What is a structural adaptation?

Answer 36

A physical part or feature of an organism
- white fur
- thick layer of fat

Question 37

What is a behavioral adaptation?

Answer 37

The way an organism behaves

Question 38

What is a functional adaptation?

Answer 38

Biological processes within the organism
- venom

Question 39

Adaptations to the cold regions: (2)

Answer 39

have a small surface area : - - volume ratio to minimise heat loss to their surroundings
- A thick layer of fat or fur insulates against the cold

Question 40

Adaptations to desert regions: (3)

Answer 40

• specially adapted kidneys which produce very concentrated urine, helping the animal to retain water
• only active in the early mornings, late evenings or at night when it is cooler
• have structures to increase their surface area : volume ratio to aid heat loss

Question 41

What are extremophiles?

Answer 41

Organisms that can live in extreme environments such as at very high or low temperatures, pressures, or high salt concentration

Question 42

What is biodiversity?

Answer 42

A change in where an organism lives

Question 43

What does a change in distribution mean?

Answer 43

Is the variety of different species of organisms on Earth, or within an ecosystem

Question 44

Different species depend on each other for: (3)

Answer 44

Food
Shelter
Maintenance of the physical environment

Question 45

How does high biodiversity ensure the stability of ecosystems?

Answer 45

By reducing the dependence of one species on another

Question 46

How to estimate population size?

Answer 46

no. of organisms in all quadrants x (total area where organisms live/ total area of quadrats)