Biodiversity & Photosynthesis 2: Food chains & Leaching of fertilisers Flashcards
What is a food chain?
It contains information about the feeding relationships and the energy flow in an ecosystem.
In a food chain what are plants known as and why?
Plants are known as producers, this is because they trap light energy to make their own food by photosynthesis. Then they provide food for other living things.
What is the first consumer on a food chain called?
Primary consumer and it is always a herbivores or omnivores.
Define herbivore
An animal that eats only plants
Define omnivore
An animal that eats both plants and animals.
Define carnivore
An animal that eats only other animals.
What do the arrows in a food chain represent?
The transfer of energy from one organism to another.
What measures do farmers use to make sure their plants are big and strong
They use fertilisers (chemical ones, compost and manure etc) and pesticides (these stop insects eating the crops)
When is the use of fertiliser a problem?
When the fertiliser from the farmland leaches (washes out by rain) into nearby rivers, lochs or the sea.
What is an algal bloom?
An algal bloom is the overgrowth of algae or algae-like bacteria (this is because these organisms act like plants and use the fertiliser to grow and reproduce very fast, there are quickly too many).
Why can an algal bloom reduce biodiversity?
Algal blooms reduce or block light in the water, which in turn kills aquatic plants. Bacteria feed on the dead plants and algae, using up large quantities of oxygen. This means less oxygen is available to other organisms and can result in the death of the animals and plants.
