B15 - Ecology Flashcards
Habitat:
The part of an ecosystem where an organism lives.
Species:
This is a group of organisms that can breed together to produce fertile offspring.
Population:
This is the organisms of the same species that share a particular habitat.
Community:
This is made up of all the organisms that share a particular habitat.
Competition:
A word that describes the fact that organisms often need the same resources.
Interdependent:
A word that describes how organisms rely on and impact upon each other.
Biotic Factors:
Other living things that can affect a particular population. e.g. a new pathogen or parasite.
Abiotic Factors:
Non-living things that can affect a particular population. e.g. light-intensity.
Give three examples of biotic factors that affect communities:
Food availability, new pathogens or parasites, and new predators arriving.
Give three examples of abiotic factors that affect communities:
Light intensity, temperature, and moisture levels.
What resources do animals compete for?
Carnivores compete for prey, prey compete to be the one that isn’t caught. Animals compete for food, territories and mates
What resources do plants compete for?
Plants compete for many abiotic resources like light, water, minerals and space to grow as they do not want to compete with other plants or their seedlings.
What is an extremophile?
Extremophiles are organisms that are adapted to survive and reproduce in extreme environments and conditions, which include extreme temperatures, pH levels and salinity (salt content). Many extremophiles are microorganisms, like archaea.
What is a structural adaptation?
Structural adaptations are features related to physical structures - shape, colour etc.
What is a behavioural adaptation?
Behavioural adapatations are features related to short or long-term behaviours - migration, basking, tool use etc.
