Adaptations, interdependence and competition Flashcards

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1
Q

What’s an ecosystem

A

the interaction between a community of living organisms and their environment

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2
Q

How to identify an ecosystem

A

It will have 2 or more populations or organisms in their environment

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3
Q

What’s a community

A

Two or more populations of organisms

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4
Q

Factors that make animals and plants interdependent

A

Plants produce food by photosynthesis
Animals eat plants
Animals pollinate plants
Animals eat other animals
Animals use plant and animal materials for shelters
Plants need nutrients from animal droppings

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5
Q

What is a stable community

A

A stable community is one where all the species and environment factors are in balance so that population sizes remain fairly constant
Number of species remains relatively constant, so does population size

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6
Q

Abiotic Factors in plants

A
Light intensity
Temperature
Moisture levels
Soil pH and mineral content
Wind intensity and direction
Availability of O2
Availability of CO2
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7
Q

How does light intensity affect the community and how are plants adapted to this?

A

Photosynthesis limited, adapted plants -> more chlorophyll or bigger leaves

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8
Q

How does temperature affect communities?

A

Photosynthesis and growth limited

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9
Q

How do moisture levels affect communities?

A

No water -> little life or no life, in desert plants grow, flower and make seeds quickly when it rains -> then eaten by animals

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10
Q

How does soil pH and mineral contents affect communities?

A

Distribution of plants, Carniverous plants trap and digest animal prey -> nitrates break down animal protein and struggle to grow, low pH in its decay

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11
Q

How does wind intensity and direction affect communities?

A

Shape of trees, plants transpire fast

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12
Q

How does availability of oxygen affect communities?

A

Water-living organisms affected

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13
Q

How does availability of CO2 affect communities?

A

Photosynthesis, growth, distribution of organisms (mosquitos attracted to food by high CO2 levels)

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14
Q

Biotic factors affecting communities

A

Availability of food
New pathogens of parasites
New predators arriving
Interspecific competition

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15
Q

How does availability of food affect communities?

A

Plenty of food = breed

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16
Q

How do new pathogens and parasites affect communities?

A

Organisms have no resistance to the disease

Wipe out populations

17
Q

How do new predators arriving affect communities?

A

No defences = get wiped out

18
Q

How does interspecific competition arriving affect communities?

A

Numbers become too low

Grey squirrels and red squirrels

19
Q

Measure the population size of a common species in a habitat method

A

1) choose starting point where grass is cut
2) use random numbers to generate a set of coordinates to play your first quadrant
3) count numbers of different plant species within quadrant
4) return to starting position and repeat previous steps 14 times using different random numbers
5) repeat previous steps where grass is uncut
6) compare results and calculate a mean

20
Q

What do animals compete for?

A

Food
Water
Territory

21
Q

What foods to different species compete for?

A

Herbivores = plants
Carnivores = prey
Prey = competes for not being caught
=have adapted warning colours, predators avoid
Introduction of a new herbivore = reduce amount of plant material available for the animals

22
Q

Competition form territory

A

Nest
Space needed for an animal to find food and reproduce
Most animals cannot reproduce successfully if they have no territory

23
Q

Competition for mate

A

Impression the females
Win privilege of mating with a female
Birds adaptations = extravagant tail feathers
Lizards = bright colours

24
Q

What makes a successful competitor?

A

Many animals are successful because they avoid competition
Feed in a way that no other local animals do
Eat type of food other animals avoid

25
Q

What do plants compete for?

A

Light
Water
Nutrients
Space

26
Q

How do plants compete for space?

A

Spread seeds = seeds have special adaptations for flight, use animals and water too carry them far away
Some desert plants produce chemical in roots to stop seeds germinating
Have shallow roots or long deep roots

27
Q

How do plants compete for light?

A

Grow very tall
Broad leaves
Grow and flower early in year when there is plenty of light
It growing in shade of another they grow taller with broader leaves

28
Q

How do plants compete for nutrients and water?

A

Shallow and broad roots to get nutrients and soil near surface of water
Dormant trees take little water from soil
Leaves shed and rot down providing mineral ions