C1. Ecosystems Flashcards
An ecosystem is____________________________________________________________________________________________
Ecosystems include both biotic and abiotic conditions:
The place where an organism lives within an ecosystem is known as its _________-for example, an area of reeds at the edge of a pond. Within a habitat each species has its own niche.
An ecosystem is all the organisms living in a community,
plus all the non-living (abiotic) conditions in the area in which they live.
- Biotic conditions are the living features of an ecosystem, for example,
the presence of predators or food. - Abiotic conditions are the non-living features of an ecosystem, such as the temperature and soil.
What is a niche?
A niche is the role of a species within its habitat, for example, what it ____, and _______and _____it _____. The niche a species occupies includes:
Every species has its own unique niche - a niche can only be occupied by one species. It may look like two species are filling the same niche (e.g. they’re both eaten by the same species), but there’ll be slight differences (e.g. variations in what they eat).
If two species try to occupy the same niche, they will __________with each other. One species will be more successful than the other, until only one of the species is left.
- Its biotic interactions-e.g. the organisms it eats, and those it’s eaten by.
- Its abiotic interactions-e.g. the temperature range an organism can live
in, the time of day when an organism is active.
Every species has its own unique niche - a niche can only be occupied by one species. It may look like two species are filling the same niche (e.g. they’re both eaten by the same species), but there’ll be slight differences (e.g. variations in what they eat).
If two species try to occupy the same niche, they will compete with each other. One species will be more successful than the other, until only one of the species is left.
Adaptations
An adaptation is a feature that members of a species have that increases their chance of survival and reproduction. These features can be _______________(processes inside their body), _______________(the way an organism acts) or ________________(structural features of their body). . This increases their chance of ____________when food is scarce. Organisms with better adaptations are more likely to survive, reproduce and pass on the advantageous alleles that determine these adaptations. This increases the frequency of these alleles in the population, which means the adaptations become more common. This is called __________ ____________.
Every species is adapted to use an ecosystem in a way that no other species can- it has its own unique niche. Organisms are adapted to both the abiotic conditions (e.g. how much water is available) and the biotic conditions (e.g. what predators there are) in their ecosystem.
An adaptation is a feature that members of a species have that increases their chance of survival and reproduction. These features can be physiological (processes inside their body), behavioural (the way an organism acts) or anatomical (structural features of their body). . This increases their chance of survival when food is scarce. Organisms with better adaptations are more likely to survive, reproduce and pass on the advantageous alleles that determine these adaptations. This increases the frequency of these alleles in the population, which means the adaptations become more common. This is called natural selection.
Every species is adapted to use an ecosystem in a way that no other species can- it has its own unique niche. Organisms are adapted to both the abiotic conditions (e.g. how much water is available) and the biotic conditions (e.g. what predators there are) in their ecosystem.
Adaptations to biotic conditions
- Chimpanzees use twigs to fish termites out of termite mounds (see Figure 3). This increases their chance of survival because it gives them access to another source of food.
- Male frogs produce mating calls to attract females- this makes sure they attract a mate of the same species. This increases their chance of reproduction by making successful mating more likely.
- Some bacteria produce antibiotics - these kill other species of bacteria in the same area. This increases their chance of survival because there’s less competition for resources.
- Chimpanzees use twigs to fish termites out of termite mounds (see Figure 3). This increases their chance of survival because it gives them access to another source of food.
- Male frogs produce mating calls to attract females- this makes sure they attract a mate of the same species. This increases their chance of reproduction by making successful mating more likely.
- Some bacteria produce antibiotics - these kill other species of bacteria in the same area. This increases their chance of survival because there’s less competition for resources.
Adaptations to abiotic conditions
Otters have webbed paws —this means they can both walk on land and swim effectively. This increases their chance of survival because they can live and hunt both on land and in water.
Seals have a thick layer of blubber (fat)—this helps to keep them warm in the coldest seas. This increases their chance of survival because they can live in places where food is plentiful.
Hedgehogs hibernate-they lower their rate of metabolism over winter. This increases their chance of survival because they can conserve energy during the coldest months.
Otters have webbed paws —this means they can both walk on land and swim effectively. This increases their chance of survival because they can live and hunt both on land and in water.
Seals have a thick layer of blubber (fat)—this helps to keep them warm in the coldest seas. This increases their chance of survival because they can live in places where food is plentiful.
Hedgehogs hibernate-they lower their rate of metabolism over winter. This increases their chance of survival because they can conserve energy during the coldest months.
