Chapter 6: Ecology

Question 1

Ecology

Answer 1

Is the study of how living things interact with their environment and each other

Question 2

Habitats

Answer 2

The place where an organism lives is its habitat.

Question 3

Population

Answer 3

Is a group of organisms of the same species living in the same habitat

Question 4

Community

Answer 4

Is all of the different populations that live in a habitat

Question 5

Ecosystems

Answer 5

Is all the communites interacting with each other, and with their environment.

Question 6

Biome

Answer 6

An ecosystem that extends over a very large area is called a biome.

Question 7

Biosphere

Answer 7

All of the Earths ecosystems together form one large ecosystems known as the biospere

Question 8

Abiotic

Answer 8

The temperature and the type of land affects the plants and animals in a habitat

Question 9

Biotic

Answer 9

The types of organisms that live there and how they affect each other.

Question 10

Abiotic factors

Answer 10

Weather
Soil
Type of landscape

Question 11

Biotic factors

Answer 11

Competition
Predation
Symbiosis

Question 12

Competition

Answer 12

Is the struggle between organisms for things that are in short supply, such as food, space, oxygen, water, light and mates.

Question 13

Predation

Answer 13

Controls the number of organisms in an ecosystems

Question 14

Symbiosis

Answer 14

Is a relationship between organisms of different species where at least one benefits.

Question 15

Interdependence

Answer 15

Where two organisms depend on each other for an important aspect of their survival it is called interdependence.

Question 16

Adaptation

Answer 16

Is when an organism develops characteristics that make it better suited to it habitat. Adaptation is the result of evolution.

Question 17

Two types of adaption

Answer 17

Physical adaptation

Behavioural adaptations

Question 18

Example of physical adaption

Answer 18

A cheetahs powerful limbs and sharp teeth makes it an excellent predator

Question 19

Example of behavioural adaptation

Answer 19

Field mice are nocturnal. They are only active at night, to prevent them from being eaten by owls.

Question 20

Niche

Answer 20

Is the role of an organism within a habitat

Question 21

Feeding relationship

Answer 21

A feeding relationship is the way energy and nutrients are passed from one organism to another.
Producers make their own food
Consumers must get their food by eating plants or other animals.

Question 22

Herbivores

Answer 22

Are animals that eat plants only

Question 23

Carnivores

Answer 23

Are animals that eat animals only

Question 24

Omnivores

Answer 24

Are animals that eat both plants and animals

Question 25

The tree types of conumsers

Answer 25

Herbivores
Carnivores
Omnivores

Question 26

A food chain

Answer 26

1. A producer (plant)
2. The primary consumer (herbivores)
3. The secondary consumers (carnivores) (omnivores)
4. Tertiary consumer. (The top carnivores in the ecosystem)
5. The dead plant and animal material is broken down by decomposers.

Question 27

Step 1. In a Habitat study

I should think about:

Answer 27

Likely weather conditions and suitable clothing
Landowner permission
Potential hazards
Packing enough supplies

Question 28

Step 2. In a habitat study

Answer 28

A quadrat can be used to survey plants in a habitat. (A square frame made of plastic). A person throws a pen randomly over their soilder and the quadrant is then placed over the pen. The area enclosed by the quadrat is then checked for the animal or plant being surveyed.

Question 29

A qualitative survey

Answer 29

Is a list of the different species in the habitat. It does not providenthe numbers of each speces present.

Question 30

Equipment to catch animals.

Answer 30

Pooter
Pitfall trap
Cryptozoic trap
Sweep net

Question 31

Pooter

Answer 31

Operator inhales through the shorter tube and sucks the insects into the jar using the longer tube. Plastic mesh prevents the operator inhaling the insect.
It collects spiders and small insects.

Question 32

Pitfall traps

Answer 32

A jar or tin in burried level with the ground surface. The opening is covered by a piece of wood or flat rock that keeps rain out and protects trapped animals. Bedding or bait may be placed in the trap. The position of the traps should be recorded on the map
and they should be inspected regularly.
It catches small animals, like beetles and snails.

Question 33

Cryptozoic traps

Answer 33

A sheet of wooden board on the ground. The animals are attracted by the high humidity under the board and take shelter. Natural cryptozoic traps include stones, fallen branches and leaf litter. These traps can be inspected simply by turning them over.
It catches animals that sleep during the day and are active at night, such as slugs and woodlice.

Question 34

Sweep net

Answer 34

There are many types of nets that vary in mesh size depending on the organism to be collected. These include sweep nets (swept over long grass), insect nets (to catch flying insects) and plankton and fish nets.
It catches small animals and fish

Question 35

Identification key

Answer 35

It helps you if you are unsure on the species or plant.

Question 36

Step 3. Quantitative survey of species present in the habitat
A habitat study.

Answer 36

A quantitative survey
Frequency
Percentage cover
Distribution
Abundance

Question 37

A quantitive survey

Answer 37

Collects numerical data about the species in the habitat

Question 38

Frequency

Answer 38

Is the percentage chance of a species being present in a randomly chosen standard quadrat.

Question 39

Percentage cover

Answer 39

Is the area of ground covered by plants or by animals

Question 40

Distribution

Answer 40

Records fhe area(s) within a habitat where a species is found

Question 41

Abundance

Answer 41

Refers to the size of a population of a species

Question 42

Step 4. Measurement of abiotic factors in the habitat.

The habitat study

Answer 42

If a species is present in the habitat, it shows it has adapted to the abiotic factors and the reverse applies.

Question 43

Step 5. Observations of interacrions in the habitat

The habitat study

Answer 43

Variation within and between species 
Interdependece 
Competition
Predator-prey relationships
Adaptations
Feeding relationships

Question 44

Step 6. The final report

The habitat study

Answer 44

Maps
Tables
Bar charts, historgams, scatter plots, pie charts etc.
Simple statistics, such as means, ranges, correlations, etc.