ALE Flashcards

1
Q

List Abiotic Features

A

Temperature, rainfall, wind, light intensity, day length, humidity, pH or salinity of water/soil, availability of gases or ions, nesting materials, landforms, soil type, water drainage

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2
Q

List Biotic features

A

Competitors, predators, food sources, disease causing pathogens, decomposes.

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3
Q

What is viscosity?

A

The thickness of the medium, and it’s ability to resist internal movement through it.

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4
Q

What is buoyancy?

A

The force giving an upwards thrust

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5
Q

What is pressure?

A

The force exerted on a body by its medium

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6
Q

Describe the viscosity of aquatic environments

A

Water has high viscosity, makes it more difficult for organisms to move through it so many aquatic organisms are streamlined

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7
Q

Describe the viscosity of terrestrial environments

A

Air has low viscosity, makes it easier for organisms to move through it

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8
Q

Describe the buoyancy of an aquatic environment

A

Organisms living in water experience an upward force which provides them with support

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9
Q

Describe the buoyancy of terrestrial environments

A

Organisms that live on land do no experience an upward force, they must have structures to give them support e.g skeleton

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10
Q

Describe the temperature variation in aquatic environments

A

Temp of water varies slightly, decreases as depth increases. The larger the body of water, the smaller the temperature variation.

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11
Q

Describe the temperature variation of terrestrial environments

A

Temperature of air varies

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12
Q

Why is temperature variation important

A

Many chemical reactions are temperature dependent, if the temp attire rises too high, enzymes denature and if the temp drops too low enzymes become inactive

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13
Q

Describe the availability of gases in aquatic environments

A

The amount of dissolved gases depends on factors such as temperature, depth and turbulence. A lower concentration of oxygen than carbon dioxide

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14
Q

Describe the availability of gases in terrestrial environments

A

A higher concentration of oxygen and carbon dioxide than water.

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15
Q

What role does the availability of gases play

A

Will determine whether a particular environment is suitable for a specific species. Among other factors: depends on the rate of diffusion.
Diffusion of gases is about 10000 times faster in air than though water

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16
Q

Describe the availability of ions in aquatic environments

A

Ions are readily available in salt water but not in fresh water.

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17
Q

Describe by ehe availability of ions in terrestrial environments

A

Ions are readily available in soul but not air

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18
Q

Describe the availability of water in awaiting environments

A

Can be a problem as water moves by a process of osmosis and organisms in salt water tend to lose water by osmosis whole organisms in fresh water gain water by osmosis. Water is not readily available

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19
Q

Describe the availability of water in terrestrial environments

A

Determines extent and depth of root systems of many land plants. Varies depending on rainfall and exposure to sun

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20
Q

Describe light penetration in aquatic environments

A

Critical factor as light only penetrates to about 100 metres (algae and photosynthesis rarely occur below that). Decreases as depth increase

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21
Q

Describe light penetration in terrestrial environments

A

Most have good light penetration although many plants have specific adaptions full sun/partial sun/shade. Light intensity is high.

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22
Q

Describe the pressure variation in aquatic environments

A

The deeper the water, the higher the pressure

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23
Q

Describe pressure variation in terrestrial environments

A

Air pressure decreases as height/altitude increases

24
Q

What is distribution?

A

Describes where a species is found

25
Q

What is abundance?

A

How many members of the species live throughout the ecosystem

26
Q

What impacts organisms distribution?

A

Organisms occupy the areas where the biotic and abiotic factors of the environment suit them. They live where their requirements for survival are met, their chances of survival are high and they are able to avoid predators

27
Q

Is any species distribution even throughout an ecosystem?

A

No species is spread evenly throughout an entire natural ecosystem.

28
Q

Does abundance change throughout an area/over time?

A

Abundance is not the same throughout the area and changes over time.

29
Q

When will species increase in abundance?

A

If their birth rate exceeds their death rate.

30
Q

Cause of Increase and decrease in animal abundance

A

Increases - caused by Birth and immigration

Decrease - caused by death and emigrations

31
Q

Cause of Increase and decrease in plant abundance

A

Increase through germination of seeds or spores. Decrease by plants dying or beige consumed

32
Q

What are some abiotic factors that affect the distribution and abundance of a species?

A
  • amount of light
  • amount and strength of rain and windfall
  • temperature: daily and seasonal variations
  • effect of topography, altitude and depth
  • strength of tides, currents and waves
  • water: amount, salinity, pH and availability
  • type and availability of substrate
  • availability of space and shelter
  • oxygen availabilty
33
Q

What are some biotic factors that affect the distribution and abundance of a species?

A
  • seasonal availability and abundance of food for animals: suitable plants for herbivore and suitable prey for carnivores
  • number of competitors: these may be from the same species of other species with similar requirements::birth and death rate may be important here
  • number or mates available: animals need to find mates for the species to survive and reproduce
  • number of predators
  • number and variety of disease causing organisms
34
Q

How does water temperature impact the distribution and abundance of organisms in aquatic environments?

A
  • warmer oceans support a greater number of aquatic organisms, decrease in abundance at lower temperatures
  • has a direct impact on the life cycles of aquatic insects
35
Q

How does oxygen availability impact the distribution and abundance of organisms in aquatic environments?

A
  • dissolved oxygen is more abundant in surface waters therefore most aquatic life is found there
  • as water depth increases, dissolved oxygen decreases therefore life at the bottom of a body of water is often restricted to worms, insect larvae and protozoan
36
Q

How does salinity impact the distribution and abundance of organisms in aquatic environments?

A
  • some fish species are adapted to low salinity (e.g. the European Carp), and some are restricted to areas of high salinity (e.g. bream)
37
Q

How does competition and predation impact the distribution and abundance of organisms in aquatic environments?

A
  • competition for same resources: cause a certain species to move therefore impacting distribution, or not enough food for all the competitors and some die there impacts abundance
  • Predator-prey relationships can affect population density such as birth and mortality rates, may decrease the abundance of the organism they eat
38
Q

How does the pH and calcium content of water impact the distribution and abundance of organisms in aquatic environments?

A
  • species adapted a certain pH and/or calcium content of water
39
Q

How does vegetation and substrate present in a particular environment impact the distribution and abundance of organisms in terrestrial environments?

A
  • populations tend to decrease as the surrounding shrub land becomes older and is replaced by thicker undergrowth
40
Q

How does temperature impact the distribution and abundance of organisms in terrestrial environments?

A
  • impacts organism reproduction times
  • some organisms can’t survive in warm temperatures and some the other way around
  • plants require a certain temperature for their seeds to develop and grow
41
Q

How does available water impact the distribution and abundance of organisms in terrestrial environments?

A
  • as rainfall varies, so does the vegetation type and the animals that inhabit each habitat
  • can be extremely scarce in desert regions, consequently organisms need to be physically adapted to cope with water stress
  • distributed around areas where more water is available if it is crucial to their survival
42
Q

How does predation and competition impact the distribution and abundance of organisms in terrestrial environments?

A
  • predation increase and can be a threat to the survival of species, their numbers may decrease or they could be forced to relocate
  • same goes for competition of resources
43
Q

What is photosynthesis?

A

The chemical process used by chlorophyll-containing cells to convert inorganic raw materials into organic compounds, using light energy.

44
Q

What is respiration?

A

A series of chemical reactions which releases energy from complex carbohydrates.

45
Q

What is the role of photosynthesis in ecosystems?

A
  • provides food for plants, the energy the plants receive is then transferred to the animal that consumes it
  • converts carbon dioxide to oxygen: important ecologically and environmentally in nature today
  • returns oxygen to the atmosphere for the use of all organisms in respiration
46
Q

What is the role of respiration in ecosystems?

A
  • carbon dioxide and water is released
  • releases energy as heat
  • enables organisms to obtain energy from carbohydrates, this energy is necessary for growth, movement and all vital functions (makes energy for metabolism)
  • forms a major part of the carbon cycle: latter process using oxygen and returning carbon dioxide to the air
47
Q

What is the equation for photosynthesis?

A

Carbon dioxide + water –> glucose + oxygen

6CO2 + 6H2O –> C6H12O6 +6O2

48
Q

What is aerobic respiration?

A

The complete breakdown of molecules such as sugars, using oxygen to form carbon dioxide and water.

49
Q

When does anaerobic respiration occur?

A

When there is no oxygen available, or the cell has insufficient oxygen.

50
Q

What is the general equation for aerobic respiration?

A

glucose + oxygen –> carbon dioxide + water + energy

C6H12O6 + 6O2 –> 6CO2 + 6H2O + ATP

51
Q

What is misleading about the general equation of aerobic respiration?

A

The process does not occur in one step as the general equation might show. It is a series of controlled chemical reactions with about 50 different stages, each catalysed by a different enzyme.

52
Q

What is an enzyme and its function?

A

A chemical made by living thins and its function is to control the rate of specific chemical reactions that occur in the body.

53
Q

Respiration can be divided in two main stages. What happens in the first stage of respiration?

A

Break down of glucose, a 6 carbon sugar, into two 3 carbon molecules called pyruvate. A small amount of energy is released at this stage.

54
Q

Respiration can be divided in two main stages. What happens in the second stage of respiration?

A

Break down of the 3 carbon molecule into a 1 carbon molecule, carbon dioxide. This stage uses oxygen and releases a much larger amount of energy.

55
Q

What is ATP?

A

Adenosine Triphosphate (one adenosine attached to three phosphate groups.)

  • This is the energy carrier in all cells
  • The energy produced by respiration is kept in these molecules
  • The energy is stored in the phosphate bonds
56
Q

How do you calculate abundance using the quadrat method?

A

Average number in quadrat over area of quadrat times the total area

57
Q

What is the formula used to estimate the number of organisms in a sample area after using the capture-recapture method?

A

Number of animals initially captured and marked times number of animals recaptured (tagged and untagged) all over number of marked animals in recapture. Average numbers are to be found.