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biology > B4.2 - ecological niches > Flashcards

B4.2 - ecological niches Flashcards

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1
Q

symbiotic

A

mutually beneficial for both organisms in their relationship with each other

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2
Q

secondary compounds

A

molecules made by an organism that are not necessary for growth but provide some benefit

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3
Q

obligate

A

restricted to a particular function

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4
Q

facultative

A

capable of but not restricted to a function of life

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5
Q

herbivory

A

act of feeding on plants

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6
Q

chemosynthesis

A

releasing energy from reactions involving inorganic molecules without the use of light

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7
Q

assimilation

A

process by which nutrient molecules are converted into molecules that are required by a cell as an aspect of their metabolism

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8
Q

autotroph

A

an organism that uses external energy sources to synthesise carbon compounds from simple inorganic substances

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9
Q

heterotroph

A

an organism that uses carbon compounds obtained from other organisms to synthesise carbon compounds they require

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10
Q

canine teeth

A

used for ripping and tearing tough materials

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11
Q

incisor teeth

A

front teeth used for cutting bite sized pieces of food, mostly plants

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12
Q

molar teeth

A

used for grinding food

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13
Q

pre molar teeth

A

used for crushing or slicing food

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14
Q

what is an ecological niche?

A

role or functional position of a species in an ecosystem, including biotic (with the community) and abiotic interactions ( with the habitat) that can influence growth, survival and reproduction including how a species obtains food

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15
Q

what is special about niches?

A
  • no 2 species can occupy the same niche
  • a niche can be fundamental or realised
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16
Q

what can impact tolerance of oxygen?

A

type of respiration and organism undergoes

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17
Q

what is an obligate anaerobe?

A

single-celled organisms that have no tolerance to oxygen and are positioned by it
- live in habitats where air cannot reach such as animal intestines, soil or deep water

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18
Q

what are facultative anaerobes?

A

organisms that carry out both aerobic and anaerobic respiration and aren’t affected by oxygen

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19
Q

what are obligate aerobes?

A

organisms that require oxygen and cannot release energy from food nutrients without it
- can only carry out aerobic respiration

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20
Q

what type of nutrition is photosynthesis?

A

autotrophic nutrition where organisms use light energy to make their own food from inorganic molecules
- mode of nutrition for plants, algae and photosynthetic prokaryotes

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21
Q

what are photosynthetic producers?

A

producers that form the first trophic level of a food chain as the carbon compounds form the biomass

22
Q

what is holozoic nutrition?

A

food is ingested before being digester internally, absorbed and assimilated
- all animals are holozoic so are heterotrophic and consumers
- nutrients are obtained but eating living or recently killed organisms
- enzymes are secreted into the gut where digestion occurs

23
Q

what is mixotrophic nutrition?

A

organisms are both autotrophic and beterotrophic and can be either obligate or facultative
- euglena is photosynthetic in the presence of light but predates on other small organisms in the absence

24
Q

what is saprotrophic nutrition?

A

food is digested externally and then the digested material is absorbed and assimilated
- enzymes are secreted into the surroundings to carry out external digestion
- can be referred to as decomposes and recycle nutrients
- bacteria and fungi are sapotrophs and so are heterotrophic

25
Q

what is archaea?

A

one of the three domains of life that are metabolically diverse, using light, oxidation of organic compounds or inorganic chemicals to provide energy for ATP production

26
Q

what are 3 ways in which archaea transfer energy?

A
  1. Using light in the process of photosynthesis ( autotrophic)
  2. Oxidation of inorganic chemicals in the process of chemosynthesos such as extremophiles (autotrophic)
  3. Oxidation of carbon compounds to prilovide energy for ATP production in respiration (heterotrophic)
27
Q

what are the types of autotrophic nutrition and which organisms undergo these?

A
  • photosynthesis - plants, algae, photosynthetic prokaryotic
  • mixotrophic - euglena, oceanic plankton, rare plants
28
Q

what are the types of heterotrophic nutrition and what organisms undergo these?

A
  • holozoic - animals
  • sapotrophic - bacteria and fungi (decomposers)
  • mixotrophic - euglena, oceanic plankton, rare plants
29
Q

what is a fundamental niche?

A

potential of a species based on adaptations and tolerance limits in the absence of competition

30
Q

what is a realised niche?

A

actual extent of a species niche when in competition with other species
- includes impact of human activity on the habitat of that species

31
Q

what are similarities and differences between realised and fundamental niches?

A

similarities - both describe the habitat, relationship and role occupied by a species
differences - fundamental niche is the potential role but a realised niche is the actual role / fundamental niche depends on adaptation of species but realised niche is limited by competition and predators / realised niche is smaller than fundamental niche

32
Q

what is competitive exclusion?

A

no 2 species can occupy the same niche in the same location

33
Q

What does competition between 2 species result in?

A
  1. Restriction of both species to a part of their fundamental niche , which is called a realised niche due to limited resources
  2. Elimination of one of the competing species which would be driven from the habitat as one of the 2 species will always have an advantage - could be through extinction , displacement or evolution of the disadvantaged species
34
Q

What are the adaptations of plants for harvesting light?

A
  • leaves are flat, broad and angled to the sun
  • chloroplast is concentrated in the palisade layer towards the tops of leaves
35
Q

What is the relationship between dentition and diet in members of the Homidae family?

A
  • observations of living mammals led to theories relating dentition to herbivorous or carnivorous diets , which allowed the diet of extinct organisms to be deduced
36
Q

What is the dentition and diet of orangutans (Pongo) ?

A
  • omnivores, but mostly leaves and fruit
  • long , pointed canines but don’t eat meat
37
Q

What is the dentition and diet of gorillas?

A
  • herbivores
  • large canines, but don’t eat meat
38
Q

What is the dentition and diet of chimpanzees (Pan) ?

A
  • omnivores ; eat animals, fruits, stems and leaves
  • small incisors and Iong pointed canines
39
Q

What is the dentition and diet of humans (Homo)?

A

-mostly omnivores
- canines are too small and blunt, premolars and molan are wide with rounded ridges , associated with
shearing and crushing plant material

40
Q

What are examples of plants adaptations for harvesting light?

A

Lianas - grow from the forest floor and use the tree as a scaffold to grow into the canopy to absorb light
Epiphytes - grow on branches of trees to reach the canopy
Strangler epiphytes - grow stems downwards to reach the ground and grow roots
Herbs - growing from forest floor are adapted to yow in the shade
Shrubs - adapted to absorb red wavelength of light that pass through leaves above
Canopy trees - sturdy wooden trunks allow leaves to be positioned above their competition

41
Q

What are examples of adaptations of herbivores for feeding on plants?

A
  • Aphids have mouthparts (stylets) which a now it to pierce into the phloem to drink sucrose-rich cap
  • Leaf-eating insects use sharp pinching motions to cut into leaves and ingest them
  • Cows have specialised back teeth which are broad and flat for grinding plant material
    _ Cows have ruminant digestive systems (regurgitation of grass) and a symbiotic relationship with bacteria and archaea to break down cellulose
  • Giraffes have tough tongues to resist thorns of acacia tree
42
Q

What are examples of animal adaptations for detoxifying toxins produced by plants?

A
  • Insects very on microbes in digestive system to breakdown toxins
  • Moose have proteins in saliva to neutralise plant toxins (tannins)
  • Liver neutralises toxins that travel through the blood
43
Q

What are physical adaptations of plants for resisting herbivory?

A

-Thorns and spikes to injure and deter herbivores
- Cellulose cell wallas they cannot be digested by many organisms
- Thick bark prevents penetration

44
Q

What are chemical reactions of plants for resisting herbivory?

A
  • Leaves and stems have ting silica hain which break when rubbed and release chemical irritants
  • Ricin ( phytoxin) is toxic (castor bean seeds)
  • Alkaloids produced by lupin which cause damage to digestive reproductive, immune and central nervous system
45
Q

What are chemical adaptations of predation for finding prey?

A
  • Snakes use neurotoxins to paralyse and ingest it’s prey
    -Spiders produce chemicals that mimic set pheromones of moths to lure them in
46
Q

What are examples of physical adaptations of predators for finding prey?

A
  • excellent senses; sight and smell
  • echolocation and ability to detect changes in electromagnetic fields called by nervous system of prey
  • can move quickly and precisely to catch prey
47
Q

What are behavioural adaptations of predators for finding prey?

A
  • Decision making based on energy expenditure and gain
  • Pack predation involves teamwork and a leader
  • Ambush predation involves hiding and pouncing on prey
  • Pursuit predators outrun their prey
    -persistence hunting
48
Q

What are chemical adaptations of prey resisting predation?

A
  • Frogs produce poison on skin to disrupt muscle function and cause death of predator
49
Q

What are physical adaptations of prey resisting predation?

A
  • Camouflague to reduce the likelihood of detection
  • Aposemitism is the use of bright and unusual colours to indicate that a species is dangerous
  • Mimicry is the use of warming colours and patterns
  • Growth of a protective shell or exoskeleton
50
Q

What are behavioural adaptations of prey resisting predation?

A
  • Running or hiding from predators
  • Forming groups
  • Warning calls to alert prey or deter predators

biology (28 decks)

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