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Biology > B4 > Flashcards

B4 Flashcards

1
Q

What is an ecosystem?

A

An ecosystem is all of the living organisms and physical conditions in an area

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2
Q

What is a community?

A

A community is the organisms within the ecosystem

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3
Q

What is a habitat?

A

A habitat is an area in which organisms live

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4
Q

What is a population?

A

A population is the total number of organisms of each species

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5
Q

What are producers?

A

Producers are organisms that make their own food by photosynthesis

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6
Q

What are consumers?

A

Consumers are organisms that can’t make their own food. They have to eat other organisms to gain energy

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7
Q

What are decomposers?

A

Decomposers are a special group of consumers, that gain their energy by feeding on dead or decaying material

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8
Q

What to arrows in a food chain show?

A

The arrows show the transfer of biomass, and therefore energy transfer

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9
Q

What are the steps in a food chain known as?

A 
Trophic levels, and these include
producers
primary consumers
secondary consumers
tertiary consumers
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10
Q

What are biotic factors?

A

Biotic factors are the living factors of an ecosystem

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11
Q

What are abiotic factors?

A

Abiotic factors are the non-living or physical factors of an ecosystem

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12
Q

How can biotic factors affect ecosystems?

A

Biotic factors can be affected by predators and the amount of food in an ecosystem

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13
Q

What 4 abiotic factors affect ecosystems?

A

Temperature, light intensity, moisture levels and soil pH affect ecosystems

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14
Q

Light intensity

A

Light is required for photosynthesis, so the greater the light intensity, the greater the success of the plant

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15
Q

Temperature

A

Plants develop more rapidly in warmer temperatures as their metabolisms will be faster

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16
Q

Moisture level

A

For most plant and animal species a lack of water leads to death, due to osmosis. Plants also need water for photosynthesis

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17
Q

Soil pH

A

The pH of soil affects the biological activity in soil and the availability of certain minerals

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18
Q

What is the importance of interdependence in a community?

A

In order to survive, organisms need to depend on each other

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19
Q

Interdependence - Predation

A

This the relationship between a predator and prey species. the size of the predator population greatly affects the size of the prey population

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20
Q

Interdependence - Mutualism

A

In a mutualistic relationship both organisms benefit from the relationship

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21
Q

Interdependence - Parasitism

A

In a parasitic relationship only one organisms gains from the relationship while the other suffers

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22
Q

What do pyramids of numbers show?

A

Pyramids of numbers show the population at each trophic level

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23
Q

Describe pyramids of biomass

A

Pyramids of biomass take into account both the number and size of organisms present

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24
Q

How do you calculate biomass?

A

Measure the average mass of organism and multiply it by the number of organisms present

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25
Q

How do you draw a pyramid of biomass?

A

You decide on a sensible scale and plot the biomass accordingly for each trophic level

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26
Q

How is biomass lost between trophic levels?

A 
Biomass is lost when:
Not all of an organism is eaten
Respiration
Egestion
Excretion
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27
Q

How much biomass is converted into new body tissue by food?

A

only around 10%

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28
Q

Why is biomass lost in respiration? (2)

A

Respiration produces ATP, and muscles use this ATP to produce movement. Respiration also causes energy to transfer to the environment.

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29
Q

How is energy transferred to producers?

A

by sunlight

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30
Q

How much energy do producers transfer into chemical stores?

A

only around 1%

31
Q

How is energy that isn’t transferred to chemical stores used by producers? (3)

A

Lots of light is reflected from the leaf
Up to half the energy transferred by photosynthesis is transferred by respiration
The remaining energy is transferred to increase the plants biomass

32
Q

Why is biomass lost through egestion?

A

Egestion is where undigested parts of an organism are removed from the body in faeces

33
Q

Why is biomass lost through excretion?

A

Excretion is when waste products are lost by the body

34
Q

How do we calculate the efficiency of biomass transfer?

A

efficiency of biomass transfer (%) = biomass available after transfer (amount gained/lost - kg or g) / biomass available before transfer (kg or g) x 100

35
Q

How does the efficiency of biomass transfer affect the number of trophic levels in a food chain?

A

It is affected because the number of trophic levels are determined by the amount of energy that can be transferred to sustain life processes.

36
Q

Many different materials …

A

cycle through the biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem

37
Q

Give 3 examples of materials that are cycled through the ecosystem

A

nitrogen, carbon and water

38
Q

Draw a diagram to summarise nutrient cycling + label processes

A

see p.g. 140, absorption, digestion and feeding, death, decomposition need to be included as processes

39
Q

Explain the importance of carbon to living organisms

A

Carbon is used to make carbohydrates, fats proteins and DNA which are essential to organisms

40
Q

Explain the importance of nitrogen to living organisms

A

Nitrogen is used by organisms to make DNA and proteins

41
Q

Explain the importance of water to living organisms

A

All living organisms need to drink or absorb water to survive
Water also determines the physical characteristics of many habitats necessary for particular organisms to survive

42
Q

Draw a labelled diagram of the nitrogen cycle

A

see p.g. 141

43
Q

Draw a labelled diagram of the water cycle

A

see p.g. 141

44
Q

How does nitrogen pass into animals?

A

When a plant is eaten the nitrogen compounds are passed onto the animal

45
Q

How does nitrogen pass into decomposers and what do they do to them?

A

When plants and animals die the nitrogen compounds get broken down and are released back into the soil as ammonia

46
Q

How does nitrogen pass back into the soil?

A

Nitrifying bacteria converts the ammonia into nitrites, and then into nitrates

47
Q

How does nitrogen pass back into the air?

A

Denitrifying bacteria releases nitrogen into the air

48
Q

What is a way in which nitrogen is passed into plants through bacteria?

A

Nitrogen passes into plants using nitrogen fixing bacteria, which combine nitrogen from the air with oxygen to form nitrates

49
Q

What is a way in which nitrogen is passed into plants through bacteria?

A

Nitrogen passes into plants using nitrogen fixing bacteria, which combine nitrogen from the air with oxygen to form nitrates

50
Q

What does the water cycle move through? (ROALS)

A

Rivers, Oceans, Atmosphere, Lakes, Soil

51
Q

Evaporation

A

The Sun heats the Earth’s surface and water is turned from a liquid into water vapour forming warm moist air

52
Q

Condensation

A

As moist air rises it cools. Water vapour condenses back into liquid water droplets producing clouds

53
Q

Precipitation

A

As water droplets in clouds get heavier they fall as rain, snow or hail

54
Q

Percolation

A

Water trickles through gaps in soil and rocks

55
Q

Transpiration

A

Loss of water vapour from plants directly to the atmosphere

56
Q

Transpiration

A

Loss of water vapour from plants directly to the atmosphere

57
Q

Draw a labelled diagram of the carbon cycle

A

see p.g. 142

58
Q

Photosynthesis and carbon

A

Carbon dioxide is removed from the environment during photosynthesis. Carbon dioxide and water are converted into glucose and oxygen

59
Q

Glucose and carbon

A

Glucose is a simple sugar that can be used to make complex carbohydrates such as starch, fats and proteins. This enables plants to grow and develop, and carbon is part of the extra biomass

60
Q

Animals and carbon

A

When animals eat plants, carbon in the plant is transferred to the animal

61
Q

How is carbon released into the atmosphere?

A

Respiration
Decomposition
Burning fossil fuels

62
Q

Respiration and carbon

A

All living organisms respire, and as a result carbon dioxide is released

63
Q

Decomposition and carbon

A

When plants, algae and animals die decomposers break down their remains, releasing carbon dioxide as they respire

64
Q

Burning fossil fuels and carbon

A

When fossil fuels burn the trapped carbon in them is released

65
Q

What are decomposers?

A

Decomposers are microorganisms, which break down or decay dead organic material. They also break down animal waste

66
Q

What is decomposition?

A

Decomposition is the process in which decomposers break down material and nutrients are released which can then be recycled

67
Q

What are detritivores?

A

Detritivores are small animals that speed up decomposition by shredding organic material into very small pieces

68
Q

What are micro-organisms role in releasing nutrients?

A

Microorganisms release enzymes that break down substances in the organic matter. They then absorb the soluble nutrients into their bodies and use them for growth as an energy store

69
Q

What are micro-organisms role in releasing nutrients?

A

Microorganisms release enzymes that break down substances in the organic matter. They then absorb the soluble nutrients into their bodies and use them for growth as an energy store

70
Q

What factors affect the rate of decomposition?

A

Temperature, Moist environments and aerobic/anaerobic conditions
affect the rate of decomposition

71
Q

Warm temperatures for decomposition

A

At warm temperatures, enzymes for decomposition work best.
High - enzymes denature
Low - enzyme reaction are slow

72
Q

Moist environments for decomposition

A

If not enough water is available reactions will slow down or be prevented, which will stop the process of decomposition

73
Q

Aerobic/Anaerobic conditions for decomposition

A

Aerobic conditions - decomposition takes place as microorganisms can respire
Anaerobic conditions - decomposition is prevented as micro-organisms cannot survive

74
Q

How do you calculate the rate of decay of biological material?

A

rate of decay (g/day) = change in mass (g) / time (days)

Biology (11 decks)

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