B4.2 Ecological Niches Flashcards
what is a ecological niche?
An ecological niche is the role a species fulfills in an ecosystem
what are the two zones/variables of tolerence it contains?
abiotic and biotic variables
what do these variables determine?
the habitat (where it lives).
what do speicies need to do to occupy a niche?
adapt their behaviour
What is a biotic variable
Living Organisms Interacting
Organisms compete for resources like food, water, and space.
how does the biotic intercations influence growth, survival and reproduction?
It affects as it is losing competitors and they may die or relocate
Limited resources
slow growth
increase mortality
and reduce reproduction.
What are abiotic variables
are the non-living physical and chemical factors in an environment that affect the growth, survival, and reproduction of organisms.
Temperature, water availability, sunlight, soil composition, pH levels, oxygen, and salinity.
how does the abiotic intercations influence growth, survival and reproduction?
These factors shape ecosystems by determining which organisms can thrive in a given environment because of the envriomental conditions that either help them thrive or not
what are biotic and abiotic intercations that affect growth, survival and reprouduction?
Biotic- competition
Abiotic- Tempreture
Biotic- Predation
Abiotic- resoruce availiabity
Biotic- Pollination
Abiotic-Climate
Biotic- Herbviory
Abiotic- Soil moisture
Example of the animal for biotic and abiotic
Abiooric- Fish in the correct saline, Ph, tempreture level, will surive well as thrive, whereas when in levels of stress that arent optium, they will not survive. Biotic- Species interactions such as predation, parasitism, mutualisms, etc may result in this species not being found throughout its entire fundamental niche
What are organisms that are obligate anaerobes?
They are killed by O2
They only live in anoxic enviroments
What are organisms that are obligate aerobes?
Require O2
require continous O2 and therefore live in oxic enviroments
What are organisms that are facultative anaerobes
Grow better with O2 but can live without it
Use oxygen when has it meaning it lives in oxic and anoxic enviroments
Types of plants that use photosysthesis
algae, ferns, Eukaryotic algae ,bacteria
What are the three groups of photosynthesizers
Ferns, mosses, flowering plants
Eukaryotic algae: seaweed: Chloerlla
Bacteria:
What is Holozoic nutrition
food is ingested, digested internally, absorbed and assimilated
what are the three main modes of nutrition
Autotroph
Heterotroph
Mixotroph
What is Autotroph and what are the other two types
Synthesize organic compounds (sugars, amino acids, fats) by using other sources of energy.
Photoautotroph- Produce organic compounds from CO2, water and light energy through photosynthesis
Chemoautotroph- Produce organic compounds from other elements (e.g. iron or NH3) through chemosynthesis.
What is Heterotroph and what are the other three types
Obtain organic compounds by consuming other organism internally or externally.
Saprotrophs- Obtains food from dead and decaying matter by secreting enzymes & digesting externally.
Parasites- Obtains food from other organism without killing
Holozoic- Complex food particles are taken in and broken down.
All animals are ….. and most but no all are …….
Heterotroph
Consumers
What are Mixotrophs
Perform both modes of nutrient uptake depending availabiliy – photosynthesis and by consuming
Explain better the Holozoic nutrition
The large food molecules must be broken down into smaller ones
Then they can be absorbed into the blood stream
Then transported to cells in the body where they are needed.
What is the sequence of the Holozoic nutrition?
Ingestion- taking in of food
Digestion- The breakdown of the food
Absorbtion- The nutrients being absorved into the blood stream
Assimilation-The food becoming apart of the cell
Egestion- The removal of the unsued food
Example of a organism that uses Holozoic nutrition
Many single celled organism such as amoeba
What is the Saptotrophic nutrition in some fungi and bacteria
Give me the process of how they digest
What are they known as and why
They secrete enzymes into dead organic matter and digest extrenally
They absorb the products of digestion
They are known as decomposers as they break down carbon compounds in dead organic weight and release elememts such as Nitrogen allowing it to be reused.
What are the two types of Mixotrophs
Facultative mixotrophs- Can be entirely autotrophic, entirely heterotrophic or use both modes
Obligate mixotrophs- Must use both modes of nutrition. This is often the case if a type of nutrient cannot be synthesized by themselves.
What is Euglena
What will it do in autotroph
What will it do in Heterotroph
What type of Mixotroph it is?
is a single-celled eukaryotic algae
that will photosynthesize (autotroph) in sufficient light,
but can also ingest particles of food by phagocytosis, which it then digests. (heterotroph).
It is facultative mixotroph.
What are the three ways All living things can be categorised
Archea- Unicellullar and no nucleus
bacteria
eukaryotes
What are the three variteys that the Archea include?
What does Archea shows diversity in nutrition? If it is…
Phototrophic- Uses light enery to syntheizies sugars
Chemotrophic- Uses inorganic chemicals to produce sugars
Heterotrophic- obtains from other organisms and digesting them.
How to know if the skulls seen are from a omnivour or Herbivours and infer their diet
Teeth of herbivores are large and flat to grind dibrous plant material
Omnivores tend to have a mix of different types of teeth to break down both meat and plants in their diet
Adaptations of herbivores for feeding on plants and of plants for resisting herbivory:
Question: What are the adapations herbivores have to eat plants?
Insects with jaw-like mouthparts and Insects with tubular moutparts
What are the two types of herbivores and how are they
Insects with jaw-like mouthparts: for biting off, chewing and ingesting pieces of leaf
Insects with tubular moutparts: for piercing leaves or stems to feed on the phloem sap
What are the adaptations of the Aphids for feeding on plants and of plants for resisting herbivory
Aphids have modified peircing mouth parts called stylets.
These secrete the enzyme pectinase
it breaks down the polysaccharide pectin which holds together the cell wall of plants.
That way the style can easily pass between cell walls and access the plant’s sap
What are the adaptations of the Cacti and Stining nettels for feeding on plants and of plants for resisting herbivory
Cacti- have spines to stop predators from accessing their water store.
What are the adaptations of the Stining nettels for feeding on plants and of plants for resisting herbivory
Stining nettels- have thin long holloe hairs that contains an acid that causes a pianful stinging and burining sensation
What are the adaptations of the Deadly nightshade for feeding on plants and of plants for resisting herbivory
Deadly nightshade- it contains toxins in its leaves stem and berries which caise paralysis i the involuntary muscles of the body
another adapation of herbivores
It produces a number of phytotoxins made from secondary compounds
The toxins can cause nausea, cardiac problems or hallucinations when ingested.
Adaptations of the castor bean for feeding on plants and for resisting herbivory
The castor bean (Ricinus communis) produces seeds that contain ricin, which is highly toxic.
In the manufacture of castor oil the toxin is removed.
How are these toxins detoxifyed
Some ruminants have microbes in their guts which can detoxify the toxins
or proteins in the saliva which can destroy the toxin.
The liver in some mammals can also neutralize some toxins.
Give/Define a physical type of behavioural adaptation in predators and preys
and example
sight
smell
electrolocation
Speed
Sensitivtiy
Camouflage
Owls have eyes that are well adapted to identify prey in low light and vision
Dolphins and bats use electrolocation to produce ultrasonic vibrations so their brains can process the how the waves bounce off to precive the enviroment
Birds have good eyesite to ideinify prey
Cheetas have high speed to catch prey
Give an example of physical type of behavioural adaptation in predators and preys
Predators:
Vampire bats: unique dentention with small molars but large incisors and canines on the upper jaw to pierce pray so he can feed on blood
Prey:
Buff-tip moth: it resembles broken twigs and therefore it camolflages from any predators
Give/Define a Chemical type of behavioural adaptation in predators and preys
is when an organism produces or uses chemicals to aid in predation (catching prey) or to defend against predators
for example:
Injceting toxins
Using chemical compounds to lure their prey
Give an example of Chemical type of behavioural adaptation in predators and preys
Predator:
Black mambas:
They produce a venom, The venom paralyzes prey when injected via poison fangs. The snake can then swallow the prey without it resisting.
Caterpillars of the cinnabar moth:
feed on ragwort and accumulate toxins from it.
Their black and yellow stripes are warning coloration which deters predators.
Give/Define a Behavioral type of behavioural adaptation in predators and preys
A behavioral adaptation is a change in an organism’s behavior that increases its chances of survival and reproduction in its environment.
Hiding
ambushing
Give an example of Behavioral type of behavioural adaptation in predators and preys
Predators:
Grizzly bears: learn ambush strategies for catching salmon either by trial and error or copying others. Some bears wait at the top of waterfalls for a fish to jump out of the water. Others put their heads underwater and watch for a fish swimming past.
Prey:
Blue-striped snappers(fish):
swim in a tight group, often with sudden changes of direction. This “schooling” behavior reduces the chance of predation because threats are more likely to be detected, and it is difficult for a predator to catch any one individual in the bewildering shoal.
what are the adaptations of plant form for harvesting light of the four layers
Emergent Layer: The tallest trees in the forest have adaptations like large branches that extend above the canopy to access sunlight. They are often equipped with thick bark
to withstand environmental stress.
Canopy Layer: This layer contains the thickest vegetation including trees with broad leaves that
maximize light absorption
Understory Layer: Plants in the understory, like smaller shrubs and trees, are adapted to low-light conditions. These plants often have larger or more efficient leaves
to absorb the minimal sunlight that filters through the canopy.
Forest Floor: In the darkest part of the forest, plants are adapted to very low light levels. They tend to be shade-tolerant and may have specialized leaves or growth patterns that allow them
to capture any available light.
Adaptation of the Lianas to adapt to harvest light
Lianas are vines that take root on the forest floor and use trees as a scaffold to grow up high into the canopy.
This adaptation helps lianas survive in dense forests where sunlight is limited on the ground, allowing them to compete effectively for light without needing a strong, self-supporting trunk.
Adaptation of the Epiphytes to adapt to harvest light
It goal is to get up into the understorey or canopy to access sunlight.
Their roots attach to the tree trunks and collect water passing along the branch.
What is the Fundamental niche?
It is the potential of a spiecies based on its adaptations and tolerance to limits
What is the Realized niche?
It is the actutal extent of a species when in competetion with other species
What is competitive exclusion?
When two fundamental niches overlap and one species is expected to exlcude the other
