B15 + B16 Adaptations, interdependence + competition Flashcards
Define a community?
Made up of the populations of a different species of animals, plants, fungi, bacteria that are all interdependent in habitat
Define an ecosystem?
Made up of a community of organisms interacting with the abiotic elements of their environment
What is interdependence?
If one species is removed or becomes very numerous, it can affect the whole community
Give 3 factors of a stable community?
Environmental factors staying constant
Population sizes remain constant
Examples include tropical rainforests, mature coral reefs
What are abiotic factors?
Light intensity - photosynthesis
Temperature
Moisture levels
Soil pH + mineral contents
Carbon dioxide and oxygen availability
What are biotic factors?
Food availability
New pathogens
New predators arriving
Interspecific competition
Give a method for quadrats - random sampling
Mark out an area
Divide into squares
Use random no. gen
Thrown a quadrat
Count organisms within it
Take a mean
Multiply this by no. of squares in area
What is transect sampling?
More consisten and orderly fashion of measuring other things as well such as soil pH and light levels
What is the difference between interspecific snd intraspecific?
Inter - Between different organisms
Intra - between same species
Give examples of interspecific competition?
Food, shelter, space, territory
Give examples of intraspecific competition?
Sex, food, hibernation space
What do plants compete for?
Light, water, minerals, space
Why is seed dispersal needed in plants?
Reproduce successfully without leaving no space to grow for parent plant
What are the 4 types of seed dispersal?
Wind
Explosive
Animals
Water (coconuts)
What are some adaptations of a camel?
Stores fat for metabolic water
Thick fur for cold nights
Eyelashes to keep out sand
Wide feet to avoid sinking in sand
What are some adaptations of a polar bear?
Hibernate to avoid harsh conditions
Thick fur to stay warm
What are plants and algae known as in the food chain?
Producers also phytoplankton
What do primary consumers eat?
Producers
What do secondary consumers eat?
Primary consumers, often carnivores
What do tertiary consumers eat?
Secondary consumers
What graph is needed for food chain?
Prey and predator graph
What are decomposers?
Group of organisms that break down the waste of dead animals and plants
What chemicals are decomposers typically made up of?
Carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen
Describe the decay process?
Where the same material is repeatedly recycled leading to a stable community or organisms
What do decomposers give to the soil and air?
Restore mineral ions including nitrates to solid and give off carbon dioxide into air
What is the water cycle?
Ocean - condensation - precipitation - percolation - ocean
What is the decaying process?
Aerobic respiration
