B3.3 Flashcards
What is an ecosystem
All of the living organisms plus non living things such as soil and air found in one place
What is habitat
The area in which an organism lives
What is population
Number of one species living in a habitat or community
What is community
All of the organism of all the species that live together in a habitat
What factors affect how well an organism survives
Competition for food Predation Space Water Light Shelter Mates Pollinators Seed dispersers
What do food webs show
The transfer of energy between organisms
What is each level in a food web called
A trophic level
What do the two pyramids show and which is better
Pyramids of biomass show the mass of all organisms in a trophic level, whereas pyramid of numbers shows how many there are and doesn’t take the size of the organism into account. Pyramids of biomass are more accurate since it shows you the size
Is wet mass as accurate as dry mass and why
No wet mass changes it’s mass too much on a daily and seasonal basis
Where is energy lost
Heat loss through cellular respiration
Egestion
Excretion
Therefore energy transfer is not efficient
How do you calculate percentage efficiency
(Average energy in higher trophic level/average energy in lower trophic level) *100= percentage efficiency
What does energy transfer explain
The shape of a pyramid of biomass
What is decomposition
The process catalysed by enzymes released by microorganisms (bacteria and fungi)
What is decomposition affected by
Temperature- affects enzymes and rate of reaction
Water- microorganisms need water to survive
Oxygen- needed for oxygen to respite
What can methane be used for
Cooking and heating
How can decomposition be improved on a landfill site
Good oxygen and constant temperature
What do recycling and reusing do
Reduce waste going to landfill sites
Why is methane produced in landfill sites
As landfill sites are often oxygen deficient there is an increase in anaerobic decomposition which produces methane which contribute lyes to global warming
What happens to faeces and dead organisms
Detrivoree break down large bits into smaller bits ie worms and wood lice
Micro organisms decompose it ie bacteria and fungi
What is the dry mass of organisms called
Biomass
What is the unit of energy measurement
Joules
What is the process when undigested food leaves the body
Egestion
What do you call an animal that eats dead things
Detritivore
What is the carbon cycle
The process in which carbon enters the food chain in photosynthesis and returns to the air when plants and animals respite
What do decomposes like bacteria and fungi release in respiration
Carbon dioxide
What happens to some plants and animals after millions of years
They form fossil fuels like coal oil and gas and release carbon dioxide
What does feeding pass along the food chain
Carbon dioxide pesticides and energy
How do soil and bacteria release carbon dioxide into the air
When they act as decomposers
