B4 Form and Function : Ecosystems

Question 1

natural selection

Answer 1

The process in which different environments influences the survival and reproduction of organisms due to the presence of variations or adaptations.

Question 2

pneumatophores

Answer 2

Specialised aerial roots that grow vertically from the underwater roots of certain plants, such as mangroves.

Question 3

halophyte

Answer 3

A plant species that has adapted to grow in high-salt environments, such as coastal areas, salt flats or salt marshes.

Question 4

belt transect

Answer 4

Used to study the distribution and abundance of organisms in a particular habitat by placing a long, narrow belt over the area of interest and counting the number of individuals within the belt.

Question 5

observational transect

Answer 5

Used in environmental monitoring to observe and record data along a designated linear path or transect in a specific habitat or ecosystem.

Question 6

line intersect sampling

Answer 6

Used to measure the abundance and distribution of plant species in a particular habitat by recording the points where a line or tape intersects with plant stems or foliage.

Question 7

convergent evolution

Answer 7

Pattern of evolution where distantly related organisms evolve similar traits in response to environmental similarities.

Question 8

ecological niche

Answer 8

where an organism lives and its role and its impacts on the ecosystem.

Question 9

obligate anaerobes

Answer 9

Organisms that can only survive in environments that lack oxygen.

Question 10

facultative anaerobe

Answer 10

Organisms that can survive in environments that contain or lack oxygen.

Question 11

obligate aerobe

Answer 11

Organisms that can only survive in environments that contain oxygen.

Question 12

autotrophic

Answer 12

An organism that can produce its own chemical energy using light, inorganic compounds or other energy sources.

Question 13

heterotrophic

Answer 13

Organisms that cannot produce their own food, consumers; they must ingest nutrients from other organic sources.

Question 14

holozoic

Answer 14

Organisms that consume food via the process of ingesting, digesting and assimilating the nutrients.

Question 15

mixotrophic

Answer 15

An organism that can use a mix of different sources of energy and carbon, instead of having a single trophic mode on the continuum from complete autotrophy at one end to heterotrophy at the other.

Question 16

saphrotroph

Answer 16

Organisms that obtain nutrients by secreting digestive enzymes followed by absorbing and assimilating the nutrients.

Question 17

halophiles

Answer 17

A plant species that has adapted to grow in high-salt environments, such as coastal areas, salt flats or salt marshes.

Question 18

phytochemicals

Answer 18

Chemical compounds produced in plants.

Question 19

fundamental niche

Answer 19

The range of environmental conditions in which a particular species can live.

Question 20

realised niche

Answer 20

The environmental condition in which the species actually lives.

Question 21

competitive exclusion principle

Answer 21

States that if two species with identical niches compete, then one will inevitably drive the other to extinction.

Question 22

niche partitioning

Answer 22

The process by which competing species use the environment differently in a way that helps them to coexist. This may be spatial or temporal.