B17 Organising an ecosystem Flashcards
What are the producers of biomass for life on Earth?
Photosynthetic organisms
What eats producers? Give examples
Primary consumers - like herbivores such as sheep or fish
What eats primary consumers? Give examples
Secondary consumers - carnivores such as lions or seals
What eats secondary consumers?
Tertiary consumers
Producer > primary consumer > secondary consumer > tertiary consumer (replace with examples of organisms)
Plankton > fish > seal > killer whale
What happens to the numbers of predators and prey in a stable community?
They rise and fall in cycles
Give examples of decomposers and state what they do
Bacteria and fungi - break down waste material and dead organisms
Give an example of a detritivore and state what they do
Maggots - start the process of decay by eating the waste or dead organisms
What does the water cycle do?
Provide fresh water for animals and plants on land before draining into the seas and oceans
What does the carbon cycle do?
Returns carbon from organisms to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide
How does temperature affect the rate of decay by decomposers?
If its cold enzymes work slowly, if it’s too hot enzymes denature
List three factors that affect the rate of decay by decomposers
Temperature, moisture and oxygen
How does moisture affect the rate of decay by decomposers?
Most microorganisms grow faster in moist condition
How does oxygen affect the rate of decay by decomposers?
Many microorganisms need a supply of oxygen for aerobic respiration
How can anaerobic respiration by used as a fuel?
Anaerobic respiration produces methane, conditions are controlled in a biogas generator to produce methane as a fuel
