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GCSE Biology > B4 - ecosystems > Flashcards

B4 - ecosystems Flashcards

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1
Q

what is a habitat

A

a place where plants, animals and microorganisms live

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2
Q

what does abiotic mean

A

non living elements of an ecosystem such a climate, temperature, water and soil type

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3
Q

what is an ecosystem population

A

all the members of a single species that live in a particular habitat

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4
Q

what is an ecosystem community

A

all the organisms that live in a habitat (plants and animal)

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5
Q

what is an ecosystem

A

the living organisms in a particular area, together with the non living components of the environment

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6
Q

what does biotic mean

A

living elements of an ecosystem, such as plants and animals

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7
Q

what are some examples of biotic elements

A

organic matter, living things, oysters, jellyfish, zooplankton

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8
Q

what are some examples of abiotic elements

A

climate, non living things, sunlight, temperature, humidity, soil

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9
Q

how do you measure temperature

A

with a thermometer or temperature probe

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10
Q

what effect does temperature have on living organisms

A

in low temperatures, chemical reactions happen too slowly, meaning all metabolic reactions slow down

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11
Q

how do you measure nutrients/soil pH

A

chemical analysis/ indicator paper

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12
Q

what effect do nutrients/ soil pH have on living organisms

A

plants and microorganisms need nutrients to make other chemicals they need to grow

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13
Q

how do you measure the amount of light

A

with a light meter or light sensor

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14
Q

what effect does light have on living organisms

A

plants need light for photosynthesis

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15
Q

how do you meausure water

A

with a rain gauge/ dehydrate soil sample

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16
Q

what effect does water have on living organisms

A

needed by all organisms for living processes

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17
Q

how do you meausure oxygen

A

with a gas probe

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18
Q

what effect does oxygen have on living organisms

A

needed by all organisms for aerobic respiration

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19
Q

how do you meausure carbon dioxide

A

with a gas probe

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20
Q

what effect does carbon dioxide have on living organisms

A

needed by plants for photosynthesis

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21
Q

what is a quadrat

A

a square frame of know area used for sampling abundance and distribution of slow or non moving organisms

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22
Q

what are transects used for

A

transects are used to investigate changes in population from one area to another, for example down a rocky seashore or along sandunes or marshland

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23
Q

what is used for transects

A

a measuring tape or chord is marked at regular intervals is laid out across the area

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24
Q

how are organisms samples when using transects

A

organisms are sampled by placing a quadrat at regular intervals along the line

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25
Q

what is distribution

A

the spatial arrangement of a population across an area

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26
Q

what are the 3 different types of distribution

A

uniform, random, clumped

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27
Q

what does a pitfall trap do

A

traps small invertebrate animals living on soil

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28
Q

what does a pooter do and what is the fine mesh used for

A

collects insects

the fine mesh is used to prevent inhalation of organisms in the container by the user

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29
Q

what does a tullgren funnel do

A

collects insects

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30
Q

how is a pooter used

A

1) insects are pulled into the container through a metal tube
2) inhale through the flexible tube

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31
Q

what is a tullgren funnel

A

an apparatus for collecting small organisms from soil or leaf litter

32
Q

what is a net (kick sampling) used for

A

used to sample invertebrates living on the bottom of flowing water, using a net to capture organisms which can then be identified

33
Q

what are decomposers

A

organisms that gain their energy by feeding on dead or decaying material

34
Q

what is a detritivore

A

a small animal which breaks down organic matter into small pieces. they can help speed up decomposition

35
Q

what are some examples of decomposers

A

bacteria, fungi, snails, some insects

36
Q

how is temperature a factor affecting rate of decomposition

A

too high - denatured enzymes.
prevents decomposition.
death of microorganism.

37
Q

how is water content a factor affecting rate of decomposition

A

little water would slow down reactions

reduces/stops decomposition

38
Q

how is oxygen availability a factor affecting rate of decomposition

A

oxygen needed for respiration.
anaerobic conditions prevent most decomposition.
microorganisms cannot survive in anaerobic conditions

39
Q

what is the equation to calculate the rate of decay

A

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

40
Q

what is the water cycle

A

the continuous journey water takes from the sea, to the sky, to the land and back to the sea

41
Q

why is the water cycle important

A

because it ensures the availability or water for all living organisms, and regulates weather patterns on our planet

42
Q

what is transpiration

A

the loss of water from a plant. transpiration is caused by the evaporation and diffusion of water from a plant’s surface. most transpiration happens at the leaves

43
Q

what is evaporation

A

the process where liquid changes to a gas

44
Q

what is condesation

A

the process where gas changes to a liquid

45
Q

what is precipitaion

A

any form of moisture that falls to the ground. this includes rain, snow, hail and sleet. precipitaion occurs when water vapour cools

46
Q

what are some key facts about carbon

A

the atmosphere contains 0.04% of carbon.
carbon is a material in photosynthesis.
animals eat plabts, therefore absorbing carbon

47
Q

how is carbon dioxide returned to the atmosphere

A

by plants, animals and decomposers respiring.
by combustion of fossil fuels and wood.
by volcanoes as they release carbon dioxide from the earth’s core into the atmosphere

48
Q

what is the process of the carbon cycle

A

1) photosynthesis and eating of plants
2) death of plants and animals and excretion
3) respiration
4) decay and respiration
5) combustion

49
Q

what are some key facts about nitrogen

A

atmospher contains 78.09% nitrogen (also in soil).
plants take in nitrogen and store it.
animals need it for proteins.
bacteria can decompose plants and animlas

50
Q

what is the role of decomposers

A

to return the nitrates in plants and animals to the soil

51
Q

how do decomposers return nitrates in plants/animals to the soil

A

1) when plants and animals die and decay, decomposers break their proteins down, releasing ammonia
2) animal wastes, urea and faeces, contain nitrogen. they convert it to ammonia

52
Q

what is the role of denitrifying bacteria

A

are in the soil and break down nitrates, releasing nitrogen into the air

53
Q

what is the role of nitrogen fixing bacteria

A

convert nitrogen gas into a useable form by the plants

54
Q

what is the role of nitrifying bacteria

A

convert the ammonia (in urine) to nitrates

55
Q

why must nitrogen in the air be turned into

A

nitrogen in the air must be turned into a form that plants can use by nitrogen fixation

56
Q

what does lightning do in the nitrogen cycle

A

lightning fixes nitrogen in the air and turns it into nitrates in the soil

57
Q

what is decomposition

A

the process by which dead animals and plants are turned into nitrates by putrefying bacteria

58
Q

how are ammonia compounds turned into nitrates

A

ammonia compounds are turned into nitrates by nirtifying bacteria

59
Q

what are producers

A

plants that begin the food chain by making energy from carbon dioxide and water

60
Q

what is the role of primary consumers

A

eat producers for example plants and algae

61
Q

what is the role of secondary consumers

A

eat the primary consumers to obtain energy

62
Q

what are omnivores

A

animals that eat plants and animals

63
Q

what is an example of a food chain

A

sun-grass-grasshopper-shrew-owl

64
Q

what does energy do in a food chain

A

energy moves through (along) food chain

65
Q

what do trophic levels describe

A

trophic levels describe the feeding positions in the food chains. energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next, along the food chain

66
Q

what does parasitism mean

A

when one organism benefits but the other is harmed by the relationship

67
Q

what does mutusalism mean

A

where 2 organisms of different species exist in a relationship, where each species benefits from the activity of the other

68
Q

what does predatation mean

A

a biological interaction where a predator (an organism that is hunting) feeds on prey (the organism that is attacked)

69
Q

what are the 3 different stages of decomposers releasing nutrients

A

1) enzymes released by fungus
2) enzymes digest the dead matter and make it soluble
3) soluble products absorbed by the fungus

70
Q

Why aren’t food chains long

A

Energy is lost at all levels in food chains

Animals at the top of a long food chain would not have enough energy to survive

71
Q

What does the area of each bar represents in a pyramid of numbers

A

The number of organisms at each trophic level in a specified area

72
Q

What does the area of each bar represent in a pyramid of biomass

A

The amount of organic matter,biomass, at each trophic level in a specified area

73
Q

What happens at each trophic level in a pyramid of biomass

A

At each trophic level the amount of biomass and every available is reduced, giving a pyramid shape

74
Q

What are 4 disadvantages of pyramids of biomass

A

1) organisms need to be collected and killed to measure dry mass
2) it is difficult to catch and weigh the organisms
3) biomass varies
4) some organisms are omnivores and feed at more than one level

75
Q

Why is biomass lost

A

Some plant material, which cannot be digested, leaves the body as faeces.
Some animal material cannot be digested e.g. bone,horn, hooves, claws and teeth.

Biomass eaten by animals is also used in respiration to release energy, and leaves the animal as carbon dioxide and water

76
Q

What is the equation for energy efficiency

A

Efficiency of energy transfer =

(Energy transferred to next level (output) ÷ energy in the previous level (input)) X 100

GCSE Biology (14 decks)

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