Chapter 16 - Adaptions, interdependence and competition Flashcards
1
Q
definition of communities
A
the populations of different species living in a habitat
2
Q
definition of habitat
A
where an organism lives
3
Q
definition of population
A
all the organisms of one species living in a habitat
4
Q
definition of abiotic factors
A
non-living factors of the environment eg soil
5
Q
definition of biotic factors
A
living factors of the environment eg food
6
Q
definition of ecosystem
A
the interaction of a community of abiotic factors with the biotic parts of the environment
7
Q
what is the main source of energy transferred through ecosystems?
A
the sun
8
Q
3 examples of interdependence
A
plants produce food (by photosynthesis)
animals eat plants
animals pollinate plants
9
Q
definition of interdependence
A
how other species rely on eachother for survival
10
Q
what is a stable community?
A
an ecosystem with large biodiversity
11
Q
example of a stable community
A
a tropical rainforets
12
Q
example of a place with low biodiversity
A
the arctic
13
Q
characteristics of a stable community 2
A
complex food webs
less prone to changes (if one species dies, there are others)
14
Q
characteristics of a place with low biodiversity 3
A
harsh conditions
simple food chains
vulnerable to change
15
Q
8 examples of abiotic factors affecting communities
A
wind intensity moisture levels soil pH light intensity temperature oxygen concentration CO2 concentration (air) pollution
16
Q
how does wind intensity affect a community?
A
strong winds = high transpiration rate = more water lost = unhealthy plants
17
Q
2 ways in which organisms compete
A
plants compete for light,nutrients and space to grow
animals compete for space, mates and nutrition
18
Q
how can moisture levels affect a community?
A
with little water, there will be little or no life
19
Q
how can soil pH affect a community?
A
impacts rate of decay and release of mineral ions
20
Q
how can CO2 concentration affect a community?
A
limiting factor for photosynthesis
21
Q
how can pollution affect a community?
A
lichen can’t grow
22
Q
how can O2 concentration affect a community?
A
huge impact on marine organisms, fish needs lots of oxygen
23
Q
how can temperature affect a community?
A
limiting factor in photosynthesis
melting arctic ice
24
Q
how can light intensity affect a community?
A
limiting factor for photosynthesis
25
6 biotic changes that can affect a community
```
new pathogens
new predator
competition
new species
loss of predator
food availability
```
26
how can a new pathogen impact a community?
organisms have no resistance so can die out
27
how can competition impact a community?
a new species may outcompete for food, eg squirrels
28
how can food availability impact a community?
animals struggle to survive and breed
29
how can loss of a predator impact a community?
numbers of other species spiral out of control
30
how can a new predator impact a community?
organisms that have no defences will be quickly wiped out
31
how can a new species impact a community?
new parasites
| new competition
32
3 examples of what animals compete for
food
territory
mates
33
why are animals that eat a wide range of food more likely to be successful?
if one food source dies out, they have many others
34
why will animals compete for territory?
they are often unable to reproduce successfully if they don't have it
35
why do animals need a territory?
so they can breed and reproduce then ensure their young can find uncompeted food
36
how can animals compete for a mate? 2
males will fight between themselves
| they will display themselves (eg peacock) to try and stand out
37
what makes a successful competitor? 3
it needs to be better at finding food than other members of its species
must be able to breed successfully
or, they compete with other animals as little as possible
38
what do plants need to survive? 5
```
light
CO2
water
oxygen
mineral ions
```
39
what do animals need to survive? 3
food
water
oxygen
40
what is an adaptation?
it allows an animal to survive in their habitat
41
what is an extremophile?
an animal that is adapted to live in a very harsh environment
42
how are extremophiles adapted to live at high temperatures?
they have special enzymes that don't denature at these high temperatures
43
how are extremophiles adapted to live in very salty places?
their cytoplasm is adapted so water doesn't move out of their cells and into their environment by photosynthesis
44
how are sea birds adapted to live by the sea?
they 'cry' salty tears to get rid of extra salt
45
how are lilies adapted?
they have big air spaces in their leaves so they float on top of the water and can photosynthesise
46
how are animals/plants that live in freezing environments adapted?
they produce a special 'antifreeze' that stops the water in cells freezing
47
how are herbivores adapted?
they have special teeth for grinding up plant cells
48
how are carnivores adapted?
their teeth are adapted to tear flesh and bones
49
how are normal plants adapted?
roots allow them to get water and nutrients
50
how is the saguaro cactus adapted for pollination? 4
they rely on bats for pollination
flowers open at night
strong scent to guide bat
flowers on top of cactus for easy feeding
51
what are the 3 types of adaptation?
structural
behavioural
functional
52
what are structural adaptations?
features of an organisms body structure
53
how are arctic foxes structurally adapted?
white fur for camoflage
54
how are whales structurally adapted? 2
thick layer of blubber
| low SA:V ration to retain heat
55
how are camels adapted? 2
thin layer of fat and large SA:V ration to help lose heat
56
what are behavioural adaptations?
the ways an animal behaves
57
how are swallows behaviourally adapted?
they migrate to warmer climates during the winter
58
what are functional adaptations?
things that happen in an organisms body that can be related to processes like metabolism or reproduction
59
how are desert animals functionally adapted?
conserve water by very little sweat and small amounts of concentrated urine
60
how are brown bears functionally adapted?
they hibernate over winter and lower metabolism to conserve energy when there isn't much available food
61
how are animals in cold climates adapted? 3
small SA:V ratio (to reduce heat lost)
plenty of insulation in the form of blubber
thick fur coat
62
how does camouflage work?
the colour of the coat of the animal matches the surroundings so they don't stand out
63
what are the 2 biggest challenges of an animal in a desert?
lack of water
| stopping body temperature getting too high/low
64
how are desert animals adapted? 3
have adapted kidneys so they produce very concentrated urine
most active at night when it is cooler
large SA:V ratio
65
function of stomata
open to release gas in photosynthesis
66
how are cacti adapted to store water?
the main body is a stem where they store lots of water when it rains
they conserve this to use later
67
how can roots be adapted to collect water?
in hot conditions, the roots are wide and deep
| this means they can absorb the maximum amount of water possible
68
why do leaves try to reduce their surface area?
so less water is lost when the stomata open for photosynthesis
69
how is marram grass adapted to grow on sand dunes?
it has tightly curled leaves to reduce surface area
70
how is butcher' broom adapted to live in shady conditions under trees?
their leaves are actually stems
| stems have far fewer stomata than leaves
71
how are cacti adapted to live in deserts?
they have spines not leaves with a very small surface area so they lose minimal water
72
what are the 4 things plants compete for?
light
water
space
minerals
73
why do plants compete for light?
to make food via photosynthesis
74
why do plants compete for water? 2
to keep cells turgid
| for photosynthesis
75
why do plants compete for space?
so they can get light, water and minerals
76
why do plants compete for nutrients?
so their cells can make the chemicals they need
77
what does a plant need to do to reproduce successfully?
avoid competition
78
ways of distributing seeds? 4
wind
animal fur
explosive pods
water
79
why is it good if a plant can distribute its seeds?
so they can grow without competition from its own species
| parent plants will absorb the nutrients so seedlings can't grow
80
why do plants like daffodils flower early in the year? 3
the branches of the trees are bare so they can get sunlight
the dead tree doesn't take up much water
the leaves that are shed decompose and add to the minerals in the soil
81
how do plants adapt their roots?
if their competitors have shallow roots, they will have ones that reach deep underground and vice versa
82
how is ivy adapted?
it can climb up tall trees to reach sunlight
83
why do plants compete?
they are often surrounded by tall trees that block sunlight, absorb all the water and minerals and take up space
84
what is the distribution of an organism?
where it is found
85
what is a quadrat?
a square frame enclosing a known area
86
how to study the distribution of small organisms?
```
place a quadrat on a metre squared area
count all the organisms in the quadrat
repeat
work out mean for first area
repeat steps for different areas
```
87
what is the abundance of an organism?
the population size
88
how must you choose your quadrat sample size?
at random
89
why must you choose your quadrat sample size at random? 2
so it reflects the true distribution of organisms
| so results are valid
90
what is quantitative sampling and data?
dealing with numbers
91
how to set up a transect?
stretch a tape between two points
92
how to work out the percentage of the area of a quadrat covered by an organism?
count the little square where the organisms cover over half
divide by total number of squares
times by 100
93
what is a transect?
a line around which we measure the number of organisms
94
how to measure the distribution of an organism using quadrats and transects?
stretch a tape (a transect)in the area you want to study
at regular intervals place transect on ground and count organism number
work out the percentage area covered by an organism
95
what is a producer?
something that produces its own food using energy from the sun (eg green plants or algae
96
what is the biomass of a plant?
the energy stores in a plant (the mass of living material)
97
order of basic food chain:
producer - primary consumer - secondary consumer - tertiary consumer
98
how is energy transferred through an ecosystem?
when organisms eat eachother
99
what is the population of a species usually limited by?
the food available
100
why are predator-prey cycles always out of phase with eachother?
it takes a while foe the population to respond to the changes
101
what normally happens when the population of prey increases?
the population of the predator does too
102
what normally happens when the population of predators increase?
the number of prey decrease
