B17(Organising An Ecosystem) Flashcards
What are producers
Organisms that produce their own food using energy from the Sun
What is a consumer
An organism that obtains its energy by feeding on other organisms
What is a food chain
the feeding interactions between the organisms in a community
What are primary consumers
producers are eaten by primary consumers (herbivores/omnivores)
What are secondary consumers
primary consumers are eaten by secondary consumers (carnivores/omnivores)
What are Tertiary consumers
secondary consumers are eaten by tertiary consumers (carnivores/omnivores)
What is the source of all energy in a food chain
Light energy from the sun
What are predators
Consumers that kill and eat other animals
What is prey
Organisms that are killed and eaten by consumers
What is the pattern of predator-prey cycles
-The number of predators increases as there is more prey available
-The number of prey then decreases as there are now more predators
-The number of predators decreases as there is now less prey available
-The number of prey increases as there are now fewer predators
-The cycle now repeats
What are the processes of the carbon cycle
-Carbon is taken out of the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide by plants and algae during photosynthesis
-This carbon is passed on to animals when they feed on plants and algae
-It is returned to the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide, during respiration by plants, animals and microorganisms
-If animals and plants die in conditions where decomposing microorganisms are not present, the carbon in their bodies can be converted, over millions of years and significant pressure, into fossil fuels
-When wood or fossil fuels are burned the carbon within them combines with oxygen and carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere
What are the processes of the water cycle
What is decomposition
Decomposition is the process by which dead organisms are broken down and the materials they contain are returned to the environment
What are decomposers
Decomposers include microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) and detritus feeders
What are detritus feeders
organisms that obtain nutrients from decomposing plant and animal material, and faeces
What are the Factors affecting rate of decay
What are the Uses of Decomposition
-Compost
-Biogas generators
What is the process of biogas generators
-Some decomposing microorganisms can break down biological material without oxygen
-Anaerobic decay produces methane gas (as well as carbon dioxide) – together these products are given the term ‘biogas’
-The methane produced can be burned as a fuel:
What are the environmental factors that can affect the distribution of organisms
Temperature
Availability of water
Composition of atmospheric gases
How does temperature effect the distribution of organisms
-Organisms have adaptations that enable them to survive within a certain temperature range
-As climate change occurs and average temperatures rise, the distribution of species is changing
How does the Availability of water effect the distribution of organisms
All organisms require water to survive, either directly or indirectly (water may provide a habitat for species and is essential for the growth of plants that support whole food chains and food webs)
How does the Composition of atmospheric gases effect the distribution of organisms
Oxygen is required for aerobic respiration in plants and animals
Carbon dioxide is required for photosynthesis
