Disruption to food chains Flashcards
Define interdependence
It is the way in which living organisms depend on eachhother to survive, grow and reproduce.
Define Bioaccumulation
It is the build up of toxic chemical inside oragnsisms in a food web/chain
Define ecosystem
It is the name of the interaction between plants, animals and their habitat in a particular location
Define habitat
A place of living for organisms
Define co-exist
It is when plants and animals live in the same habitat in the same time.
Define niche
Niche is the particular place or role organisms has in an ecosystem.
What do organisms in a food chain depend on to survive
They depend on each other to survive. It is called being interdependent on each other
What is the relation between population and interdependence
If the population of one organism changes, it affects the population f ther organisms. Prey: Decrease. Predator : Decrease. Prey increase: predator : increase
What does a food chain show?
The food chain shows the transfer of energy between organisms ( what eat whats)
- What do the arrows represent?
- The arrows represnt the transfer of energy between the food source to the animal eating ( consuming ) it.
- Animals in a food chain are dependent on each other to survive – what is this called?
Interdepence
- What do the numbers represent in the pyramid?
The number of organisms
- As you move up the food chain, what is happening to the number of organisms in this pyramid?
Decreasing because energy is lost as you move up each trophic level.
What type of store of energy are animals
chemical
What does a food web show
Different food chains joined together
What harmful susbtances can build up in animals
1- Plastic
2- DDT
3- Mercury
How can bioaccuulation impact organisms
It can ipact organisms growth and can eventually lead them to being sick ad die if they intake a large quantity
Give an example of bioaccumulation
High levels of DDT (insecticides) in hawks can break their eggs which decreases their population
What is happening to the levels of DDT as it moves up the food chain?
It build up (accumulates) therefore it Increases
What is happening to the number of organisms as you move up the food chain?
decreasing
Why do you think the level of DDT is changing?
The producers will take in DDT from the water.
The primary consumer will then eat a lot of the producers and will therefore have a higher level of DDT than one producer.
The secondary consumer will then eat a lot of the primary consumers and will have even more DDT in it.
Put these in order:
The level of insecticide is therefore higher in the crustaceans than in the microorganisms.
Each small crustacean eats many microorganisms.
Insecticides are sprayed onto a field.
Each small fish eats many crustaceans; again the level of insecticide increases.
Microorganisms absorb a tiny amount of insecticide.
Each large fish eats many small fish; the level of insecticide increases further.
Insecticides are washed into rivers by rain.
Top predators, such as otters, are poisoned by the high level of insecticide in their food.
Insecticides are sprayed onto a field.
Insecticides are washed into rivers by rain.
Microorganisms absorb a tiny amount of insecticide.
Each small crustacean eats many microorganisms.
The level of insecticide is therefore higher in the crustaceans than in the microorganisms.
Each small fish eats many crustaceans; again the level of insecticide increases.
Each large fish eats many small fish; the level of insecticide increases further.
Top predators, such as otters, are poisoned by the high level of insecticide in their food.
