B7 Flashcards
Adaptations
Features that enable organisms to survive in the conditions in which they normally live. They could be behavioural, structural or functional
Behavioural adaptations
A behaviour that aids survival eg hibernating in long winters, or being nocturnal in very hot environments
Structural adaptations
A body structure that aids survival eg having very thick fur in a cold environment or strong claws for digging burrows
Functional adaptations
An aspect of body chemistry that aids survival eg having enzymes that can operate at higher temperature
Decomposers
Organisms that break down dead plant and animal matter by secreting
enzymes into the environment
Carbon cycle
Returns carbon from organisms to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide to be used by plants in photosynthesis
Biodiversity
The variety of all the different species of organisms on earth, or within an ecosystem
Deforestation
Cutting down trees to clear land for crops or housing
how is Carbon dioxide taken out of the atmosphere
- by photosynthesis and is used to build the body of plants and trees
- CO2 also dissolves in the sea and is used to make the shells of sea creatures
- When a plant is eaten some of the carbon is used to build the body of the animal, and if
that animal is eat will continue through the food chain. - Carbon can also be stored as fossil fuels (coal/ oil/gas)- the preserved remains of
plants and microorganisms, and in peat bogs
describe how Carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere
- Whenever any organism does aerobic respiration
- When fossil fuels are burnt
- When wood is burnt
- When plants or animals are eaten and respired by decomposers
why does pickling stop decay
a low ph kills microbes
why does salting and sugaring stop decay
removes water, microbes can’t live without water
why does drying stop decay
removes water microbes can’t live without water
why does a fridge stop decay
microbes reproduce very slowly at low temperatures
why does freezing stop decay
microbes do not reproduce at extreme low temperatures
