B15 - Ecology Flashcards
What is an ecosystem?
The interaction of a community of living organisms(biotic) with the non-living(abiotic) parts of their environment
What are the abiotic factors the affect communities?
Light intensity - Affects distribuition of plants and animals because of limit photosynthesis
Temperature - Limiting factor in photosynthesis
Moisture levels - Needs to be water for life
Wind intensity and direction - The shape of tree and landscape
Availability of oxygen -
Soil PH and mineral content - impacts distribution of plants and animals
Biotic factors that affect communities?
Avaliablitity of food - More food more organisms
New pathogens - New pathogen can harm community as there is no defence against it
New predator - No defence
Interspecific competition - may outcompete another species
Within a community how are animals and plants interdependent and by what?
Plants produce food
Animal eats plants
Animals pollinate plants
Animals eat other animals
Animals use plant and animal material to build nest and shelter
Plants need the nutrients from animal droppings and decay
What is a quadrat?
A square frame used for messuring the size of a population of plants
Why should you choose sample areas at random?
Your results will reflect the true distribution of the organisms and any conclusions will be valid
What is the best way of getting a random area?
Random generator
What is quantative sampling?
Finding the mean of your organisms per m2
Why would you use a transect?
You put it where you expect to be a change in number of organisms and go down the line measuring how many there are
What do animals compete for?
Food,territory and mates
What do plants compete for
Light for photosynthesis
Water for photosynthesis and keeping tissue rigid
Nutrients to make all the chemicals they need in cells
Space to grow
What do each organism need to survive and reproduce (plant,animal and microorganism)
Plant - light,co2,water,oxygen,minerals
Animals - food,water,oxygen
Microorganisms - A range of some plant or animal or neither
What are some examples of organisms adapting to the environment
Some sea birds gets rid of salt from sea water by getting rid of it through their tears
Animals and plants that in extreme winters often produce chemicals to act as anti-freeze for their cells
Some plants like water lillies has big air spaces to float and get light for photosynthesis
What are some animal adaptions to survive
Structural - e.g. shape or colour
Behavioural - e.g. migration
Functional - e.g. reproduction and metabolism
