Chapter 4/5/6 - Ecology

Question 1

Ecology

Answer 1

The study of the interactions between living things and between organisms and their environment

Question 2

Biosphere

Answer 2

The part of the planet containing living organisms

Question 3

Ecosystem

Answer 3

A group of clearly distinguished organisms that interact with their environment as a unit

Question 4

Habitat

Answer 4

A place where a plant or animal lives

Question 5

Population

Answer 5

All the members of the same species living in the same area

Question 6

Community

Answer 6

All the different populations in an area

Question 7

Niche

Answer 7

The functional role an organism plays in a community

Question 8

Biotic factors

Answer 8

Living factors

Question 9

Abiotic factors

Answer 9

Non living factors

Question 10

Climatic factors

Answer 10

Weather over a long period of time

Question 11

Edaphic factors

Answer 11

Factors relating to soil

Question 12

Aquatic factors

Answer 12

Water related factors

Question 13

Abiotic factors ex

Answer 13

Temperature, light intensity, altitude, aspect, steepness, exposure

Question 14

Biotic factors ex

Answer 14

Food, competition, predation, human intervention, parasitism, pollination, seed dispersal

Question 15

Edaphic factors ex

Answer 15

Soil type, soil pH, moisture content, humus

Question 16

Climatic factors ex

Answer 16

Temperature, rainfall, light intensity, wind, humidity

Question 17

Aquatic factors ex

Answer 17

Light, currents, wave action, salt concentration, oxygen concentration

Question 18

Food chain

Answer 18

A sequence of organisms in which one is eaten by the next member in the chain

Question 19

Producers

Answer 19

Organisms that make their own food through photosynthesis

Question 20

Flora

Answer 20

All the plants in an ecosystem

Question 21

Consumers

Answer 21

Organisms that take in food from another organism

Question 22

Fauna

Answer 22

All the animals in an ecosystem

Question 23

Trophic level

Answer 23

A feeding stage in a food chain

Question 24

Food web

Answer 24

Consists of two or more interlinked food chains

Question 25

Nutrient recycling

Answer 25

The way in which element (carbon and nitrogen) are exchanged between the living and non living components of an ecosystem

Question 26

Nitrogen fixation

Answer 26

Nitrogen gas being converted to nitrates or ammonia

Question 27

Nitrification

Answer 27

The conversion of ammonia to nitrites and then nitrates

Question 28

Denitrification

Answer 28

The conversion of nitrates to nitrogen gas

Question 29

Pollution

Answer 29

Any harmful addition to the environment

Question 30

Pollutant

Answer 30

Substance that causes pollution

Question 31

Conservation

Answer 31

The wise management of the existing natural resources in an ecosystem, in order to maintain a wide range of habitats and prevent the death and extinction of organisms

Question 32

Competition

Answer 32

Occurs when organisms actively struggle for a resource that is in short supply

Question 33

Symbiosis

Answer 33

When two organisms of different species live close to one another and at least one benefits

Question 34

Habitat

Answer 34

The place where a plant or an animal lives

Question 35

Qualitative study

Answer 35

Records the presence or absence of organisms

Question 36

Quantitative study

Answer 36

Records the numbers of organisms that are present

Question 37

Adaptation

Answer 37

Any alteration that improves an organism’s chances of survival and reproduction

Question 38

Key

Answer 38

Means of naming organisms by answering a series of questions with alternative answers

Question 39

Percentage cover

Answer 39

An estimate of the amount of ground in a quadrat covered by each species

Question 40

Frequency

Answer 40

The chance of finding a named species with any one throw of a quadrat