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Biology > B7- Ecology > Flashcards

B7- Ecology Flashcards

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1
Q

What are producers of biomass for life on Earth?

A

Photosynthetic organisms

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2
Q

What do all food chains begin with?

What organism is it usually?

How do they make their glucose?

A

A producer

A green plant or algae

Photosynthesis

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3
Q

How is the distribution of a species in
an ecosystem investigated?

How is the abundance of a species in
an ecosystem investigated?

A

Transects

Quadrats

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4
Q

What are predators?

A

Consumers that kill and eat other animals

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5
Q

What is prey?

A

An animal that is eaten by a predator

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6
Q

What happens to the numbers of predators and prey in a stable community?

A

In a stable community the numbers of predators and prey rise and fall in cycles.

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7
Q

What is an ecosystem?

A

A community of biotic and abiotic components that interact with each other and their environment

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8
Q

What do plants compete for?

A

Light
Space
Water
Mineral ions from the soil

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9
Q

What do animals compete for?

A

Food
Mates
Territory

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10
Q

What do species within an ecosystem rely on each other for?

A

Food,
Shelter
Pollination
Seed dispersal

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11
Q

What is interdependance?

A

Different species within an ecosystem relying on each other

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12
Q

What is a stable community?

A

A community where all the species and environmental factors are in
balance so that population sizes remain fairly constant

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13
Q

What are abiotic factors?

A

Non-living factors which can affect a community

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14
Q

Give some examples of abiotic factors (7)

A

-light intensity
-temperature
- moisture levels
- soil pH and mineral content
- wind intensity and direction
- carbon dioxide levels for plants
- oxygen levels for aquatic animals.

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15
Q

What are biotic factors?

A

Living factors which can affect a community

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16
Q

Give some examples of biotic factors (4)

A

-availability of food
-new predators arriving
-new pathogens
-one species outcompeting another so the numbers are no longer
sufficient to breed
-human activity

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17
Q

What are adaptations?

A

Features that enable organisms to survive in the conditions in which they normally live

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18
Q

What are the three types of adaptation?

A

Structural
Behavioural
Functional

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19
Q

What are structural adaptations?

Give some examples

A

Physical characteristics that an organism has to help it survive

For example:
-camouflage through the colour of fur
-cacti having spikes

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20
Q

What are behavioural adaptations?

Give some examples

A

Behaviour that certain species use to survive in an environment

For example:
-migration
-hibernation
-hunting in packs

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21
Q

What are functional/physiological adaptations?

Give some examples

A

Internal processes or systems in an organism that help it survive

For example:
-high reproductive rate
-high metabolic rate in response to danger

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22
Q

What are extremophiles?

What kind of organism are they usually?

A

Organisms that are adapted to live in extreme environments.

They are usually microorganisms

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23
Q

What types of environment do extremophiles usually live in?

A

High temperature (like inside volcanoes)
High pressure
High salt concentration
Very acidic
Radioactive

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24
Q

How does carbon enter the carbon cycle?

A

Photosynthesis

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25
Q

How is carbon returned to the atmosphere in the carbon cycle?

A

Respiration (animals, plants, decomposers)
Combustion

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26
Q

What does the water cycle provide? For who?

A

Fresh water for plants and animals on land

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27
Q

How do decomposers return carbon to the atmosphere?

A

Respiration

28
Q

How does temperature affect the rate of decay of biological material?

A

Decomposition happens faster at warmer temperatures because the enzymes used work faster in warm conditions. However, if it is too hot, the enzymes will denature so decomposition can’t occur

29
Q

How does water availability affect the rate of decay of biological material?

A

Decomposition occurs faster in moist conditions because many of the chemical reactions that it requires need water.

30
Q

How does oxygen availability affect the rate of decay of biological material?

A

Decomposers need oxygen to aerobically respire so there must be sufficient supply of oxygen in order for decomposition to occur.

31
Q

What is compost?

What is it used for?

A

Compost is decayed organic matter

It is used as a natural fertiliser

32
Q

What does anaerobic decay produce?

A

Methane

33
Q

What is the methane produced from anaerobic decay also known as?

A

Biogas

34
Q

How is biogas produced?

A

Biogas generators can be
used to produce methane from the anaerobic respiration of decomposers that are breaking down waste materials such as food waste and animal manure.

35
Q

What is biogas used for?

A

To provide fuel for homes

36
Q

Two advantages of having a biogas generator underground

A

-Maintains warm temperature
-Removes visual pollution

37
Q

What is biodiversity?

A

The variety of all the different species of organisms on Earth, or within an ecosystem

38
Q

Why is good biodiversity important?

A

It ensures the stability of ecosystems by reducing the dependence of one species on another for food, shelter and the
maintenance of the physical environment

39
Q

Why is more waste now being produced?

A

Rapid growth in the human population and an increase in the standard
of living mean that increasingly more resources are used and more
waste is produced

40
Q

What are the three causes of pollution?

A

-in water, from sewage, fertiliser or toxic chemicals
-in air, from smoke and acidic gases
-on land, from landfill and from toxic chemicals

41
Q

Why does pollution reduce biodiversity?

A

Pollution kills plants and animals which can reduce biodiversity

42
Q

How do humans reduce the amount of land available for other animals and
plants?

A

-building
-quarrying
-farming
-dumping waste in landfill
-destruction of peat bogs, and other areas of peat to produce garden compost

43
Q

What does the decay or burning of the peat release?

A

Carbon dioxide

44
Q

What has large-scale deforestation in tropical areas occurred for?

A

-to provide land for cattle and rice fields
-grow crops for biofuels.

45
Q

What are the consequences of global warming?

A

-reduced biodiversity and therefore less stable ecosystems
-migration and changed distribution of species
-habitat loss
-extinction

46
Q

What programmes are being put in place to reduce the negative effects of humans on ecosystems and biodiversity?

A

-breeding programmes for endangered species
-protection and regeneration of rare habitats
-reintroduction of field margins and hedgerows in agricultural areas
where farmers grow only one type of crop
-reduction of deforestation and carbon dioxide emissions by some
governments
-recycling resources rather than dumping waste in landfill.

47
Q

What are apex predators?

A

Carnivores with no predators

48
Q

What are producers?
What trophic level are they found on?

A

Plants and algae that make their own food through photosynthesis
They are found on the first trophic level

49
Q

What are primary consumers?
What trophic level are they found on?

A

Herbivores that eat plants/algae
They are found on the second trophic level

50
Q

What are secondary consumers?
What trophic level are they found on?

A

Carnivores that eat herbivores
They are found on the third trophic level

51
Q

What are tertiary consumers?
What trophic level are they found on?

A

Carnivores that eat other carnivores
They are found on the fourth trophic level

52
Q

What do pyramids of biomass represent?

A

The relative amount of biomass in each level of a food chain

53
Q

Where is the first trophic level found on a pyramid of biomass?

A

At the bottom of the pyramid

54
Q

How much of the biomass from each trophic level is transferred to the level above it?

A

10%

55
Q

How much of the light that producers take in from light is transferred to the next trophic level?

A

1%

56
Q

Why isn’t all of biomass from each trophic level transferred to the level above it?

A

-not the full organism is eaten
-some glucose is used in respiration
-some energy is used for movement
-some energy is used to maintain a body temperature
-excretion

57
Q

What is food security?

A

Having enough food to feed a population

58
Q

What are the biological factors
affecting levels of food security? (6)

A

-the increasing birth rate has threatened food security in some countries
-changing diets in developed countries means scarce food resources are transported around the world
-new pests and pathogens that affect farming
-environmental changes that affect food production, such as widespread famine occurring in some countries if rains fail
-the cost of agricultural inputs
-conflicts that have arisen in some parts of the world which affect the availability of water or food.

59
Q

How can the efficiency of food production be improved?

A

-limiting the movement of animals so less energy is used
-controlling the temperature of the
surroundings of the animals so less energy is used to maintain body temperature
-some animals are fed high protein foods to increase growth

60
Q

How can fish stocks be conserved at a sustainable level?

A

-fishing quotas
-smaller nets with bigger holes

61
Q

What how does modern biotechnology help meet the demands of the growing human population?

A

It enables large quantities of
microorganisms to be cultured for food

62
Q

What fungus is used to produce mycoprotein?

A

Fusarium

63
Q

What does Fusarium produce? What is it?

A

It produces mycoprotein, which is a protein-rich food suitable for vegetarians

64
Q

How is mycoprotein produced?

A

The fungus (Fusarium) is grown on glucose syrup, in aerobic conditions, and the biomass is harvested and purified

65
Q

How can genetic modification help treat diabetes?

A

A genetically modified bacterium produces human insulin

66
Q

How can genetically modified crops help meet the growing demand for food?

Give an example of a GM crop and why it helps

A

It could provide more food or food with an improved nutritional value such as golden rice which has added vitamin A which helps reduce the chance of blindness

67
Q
A

Biology (9 decks)

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