B16 & B17 - Adaptations, Interdependence & competition & Organising an ecosystem 2️⃣✅ Flashcards
What is a species?
Similar organisms that are able to breed together to produce fertile offspring
What is a habitat?
A place where an organism lives (both living and non living factors)
What is a community?
All the different populations of living organisms within the same habitat/ ecosystem
What is a population?
All the members of the same species living in the same habitat at the same time
What is an ecosystem?
The community/ interacting organisms and the biotic/ abiotic conditions
What is a biotic factor?
a living factor; done by an organism such as a human trampling a plant
What is an abiotic factor?
a non living factors; not done by an organism such as temperature, sunlight, water or the climate
What does interspecific mean?
Competition between different species ER for diffERent
What does intraspecific mean?
Competition between organisms of the same species A for sAme
What do plants compete for?
Sunlight, water, mineral ions
What do animals compete for?
Territory, mates, food, water
What is an adaptation?
A special feature an organism possesses which help them to survive in their habitat better
Why do organisms have adaptations?
To out compete other organisms (inter/intra)
What are the 3 main types of adaptations?
Structural
Behavioural
Functional
What is a metabolic process?
A process that happens inside the body e.g respiration proteinsynthesis
What is the structure for a good answer for an adaptation question?
I dentify adaptation
D escribe
E xplain link to environment/ what Q asks
A dvantages
S urvival value
What is an extremophile?
An micoorganism that lives in an environment that is very extreme where most other organisms could not survive
What are decomposers?
Organisms that break down living materials
What are examples of decomposers?
fungi or bacteria
What are detritivores?
Organisms that eat dead materials
What are examples of detritivores?
Earthworms, flies, woodlice
Give an example of a structural adaptation
Sharp teeth to hunt prey, camouflage to hide or hunt
Give an example of a behavioural adaptation
Making nests to attract mates, courtship dances to attract a mate, working together in packs
Give an example of a functional adaptation
Photosynthesis in plants, production of poisons or venom
What is interdependence?
Is when all species in a community or ecosystem depend on each other and therefore when one is removed the whole community is affected
How do you work out the number of quadrats that would fit inside a field?
Area of field ÷ area of 1 quadrat
How do you work out the total estimated number of daisies in a field?
mean number of daises per quadrat x number of quadrats that fit in the field
What is the advantage to random sampling?
Unbiased coordinates, every part of the field/ chosen area has an equal chance to be sampled
What is a disadvantage of random sampling?
By chance, the coordinates may not have been equally distributed across the field
What is anerobic decay?
Anaerobic decay occurs when bacteria and fungi break down dead matter without oxygen.
Why would some people be apposed to using anerobic decay?
Because anerobic decay produces methane and carbon dioxide, both greenhouse gasses - therefore deeming anerobic decay not eco-friendly and a contributer to climate chane & global warming
What is the form of sampling called that isnt random?
A transect
List 5 abiotic factors that affect communities
- light intensity
- temperature
- moisture/ water levels
- avainability of oxygen
- wind intensity
List 4 biotic factors that affect communities
- avainability of food
- new pathogens/ disease
- new predators
- interspecific competiton
List 4 adaptations that animals who live in cold climates would have
- White fur to camoflauge
- Feet with large surface area of distritube weight across snow to prevent sinking
- small ears to reduce heat loss
- thick fur/ blubber for insulation to retain heat
List 4 adaptations that animals who live in dry climates would have
- Feet with large surface area of distritube weight across snow to prevent sinking
- long eyelashes to keep sand out of eyes
- large and thin ears for optimum heat transfer to surroudings to help cool down
- kindeys produce very concentrated urine to reduce need for water
What is a functional adaptation for plants in dry climate
- to collect as much water as possible in dry climates plants can have adapted root systems; their roots can spread over a wide area or far down to maximise the ammount of water they can when it rains
What are the 5 main stages of the water cycle?
- condensation
- precipitation
- evapouration
- transpiratrion
- respiration
How does the water cycle work?
- Energy from the sun causes water to evapourate into water vapour from oceans, lakes, and plants (transpiration)
- As water vapour accumulates in the sky it starts to condense to form clouds
- Water will fall back down to earth as a liquid (precipitation) to then flow into rivers/ oceans/ lakes or be absorbed again by plants
- **cycle repeats itself **
Label this carbon cycle
What is a saprophyte?
Something that feeds off of dead organic matter
Why is decompostion so important in the carbon cycle/ in general?
As it recycles materials on earth that allow for all other organisms to thrive and survive e.g. recycles carbon, nitrogen ions and magnesium ions
What are the 3 factors that affect the rate of decomposition?
- oxygen avainability
- temperature
- water
How does oxygen avainability affect the rate of decomposition?
Higher oxygen ➔ more aerobic respiration ➔ more energy available ➔ faster growth and decomposition
How does temperature affect the rate of decomposition?
Higher temperature ➔ particles have more kinetic energy & enzymes are closer to optimum temperature ➔ higher rate of reactions ➔ more decomposition
What happens to the rate of decay if temperature rises too high?
Enzymes would become denatured, decreasing the rate of reaction and therefore the rate of decomposition
How does water avainability affect the rate of decomposition?
Decomposers need water to survive, so the rate of decomposition increases in moist conditions.
What happens to the rate of decay if water content rises too high?
If soil becomes waterlogged due to too much water then oxygen levels will fall which will decrease the rate of decomposition as it relys on aerobic respiration
What are the ideal conditions for decomposition?
plenty of oxygen, warm, and moist (plenty of water)
Which is the main gas in biogas?
Methane gas
How is biogas produced?
Via anerobic decay by microorganisms
