Chapter 1 - Populations Flashcards
What are biotic factors?
Living components of an environment such as competition and predation.
What are abiotic factors?
The non-living components of an environment such as temperature and rainfall.
What is the biosphere?
The life-supporting layer of land, air and water surrounding the earth.
What is an ecosystem?
- All the abiotic and biotic components in a specific area, such as an oak woodland, a pond or a lake.
- An ecosystem has a flow of energy and elements within it. There are many different habitats containing communities of separate populations of species.
What is a population?
A group of interbreeding organisms of one species in a specific habitat.
What is a community?
All the populations of different organisms living and interacting in a habitat.
What is a habitat?
The place where a community of organisms lives. Each habitat contains it’s own micro habitats.
What is an ecological niche?
This is where an organism lives and what it does there, including all the biotic and abiotic conditions required for it to survive.
- No two species can occupy the same niche.
What should you consider when sampling using a quadrat?
1) Quadrat size
2) Number of samples in study area
3) Position of the quadrats (random sampling)
How do you undertake random sampling in order to avoid bias and collect valid data?
1) Measure out study area
2) Obtain coordinates by using random number generator
3) Place quadrat at coordinates
