B7- Ecology Flashcards
Which level of organisation contains the smallest number of organisms?
A population
What is a community?
All the populations of different species in a habitat
Slugs rely on bushes for food
What else could a slug rely on bushes for?
To have shelter
What are the four things that animals need?
Space
Food
Water
Mates
What four things do plants need?
Light
Water
Mineral ions
Space
What is the definition of a habitat?
The place where an organism lives
What is the definition of a population?
All the organisms of one species in a habitat
What is the definition of an ecosystem?
The interaction of a community of organisms with the non-living parts of their environment
What is interdependence?
When animals and plants rely on eachother for food, shelter, pollination and seed dispersal
What will happen if there is a change in the community?
It will affect the whole community as they will be interdependent on eachother
What is a stable community?
When there is a balance between specs and environmental factors. The population sizes will stay about the same
Which three factors are biotic in the environment?
Competition
Pathogens
Predator
Suggest one abiotic factor that could affect the distribution of animals living in water
Oxygen level
Suggest two abiotic factors that could affect the distribution of plants growing in soil
Moisture level
Soil ph
Describe how the introduction of the new pathogen is likely to affect a plant population
The pathogen is likely to decrease the number of plants in the population
Bees in the ecosystem rely on the flowering plants for a source of food. Explain how the introduction of the pathogens is likely to affect the bee population
The amount of plants will decrease, meaning the population of bees will decrease if there are no other sources for food
What is the name given to organisms that live in extreme environments?
Extremophiles
Name one group of organisms that can live in deep sea vents where temperatures are very high
Bacteria
Describe one extreme condition other than high salt concentration or a high temperature, that some organisms can tolerate
High pressure
What is a behavioural adaptation?
These are ways that organisms behave
What is a functional adaptation?
These are things that go on inside an organism
Suggest how the production of concentrated urine helps the camel to survive in desert conditions
The concentrated urine doesn’t contain much water, so they won’t lose much water through urine
What are the three types of precipitation?
Rain, snow and hail
What are the stages of the water cycle in order?
Evaporation from plants and oceans, seas and lakes
This water condenses into clouds
Clouds release this water
This process is repeated
What is meant by the term precipitation?
Water that falls from clouds
Explain why precipitation is an important stage in the water cycle
It provides fresh water to plants and animals
Suggest how the water in plants can be passed on to animals
When an animal eats the plant
What are the five stages in the carbon cycle?
Remember your method
- Carbon dioxide in the air
- Plants use this for photosynthesis to make carbon compounds
- Animals will eat the plants (respiring releases carbon dioxide) plants will also respire producing oxygen
- when the animal or plant dies, the microorganisms in soil will break this down (they’re also respiring, producing co2)
- Then humans release co2 by burning fossil fuels
State two reasons why humans are using more resources
The standard of living has increased
The population is increasing rapidly
What types of pollutant pollute the air?
Acidic gases
Smoke
What type of pollutant pollute land?
Pesticides
Household waste
What types of pollutant pollute water?
Sewage and toxic chemicals
Explain how pollution affects biodiversity
Pollution kills animals and plants. Therefore it reduces biodiversity
