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N5 Biology > Distribution of organisms > Flashcards

Distribution of organisms Flashcards

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1
Q

Why is light intensity important for plants?

A

They need light for photosynthesis

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2
Q

What does moisture describe?

A

Not just how much rain falls but also how much moisture is in the air and how much moisture stays in the soil

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3
Q

How can we shift pH?

A

Acid rain
Volcanic activity
Chemical pollution

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4
Q

What can pH impact?

A

Air
Soil
Water

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5
Q

What is acid rain linked to?

A

Air pollution

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6
Q

What does volcanic activity produce?

A

Chemicals that dissolve in water

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7
Q

What do all living things have?

A

A temperature range that they can live in

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8
Q

What happens to enzymes if temperature gets too hot?

A

They will denature and stop working

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9
Q

What could a small shift in temperature mean?

A

The difference between surviving and not surviving

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10
Q

What do abiotic factors usually do?

A

Combine, to create a huge variety of different habitats

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11
Q

What are conditions like in rainforests?

A

Hot, wet, shade

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12
Q

What are conditions like in deserts?

A

Hot, dry, sun

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13
Q

What does every organism have?

A

A tolerance curve for all sorts of different factors such as temperature

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14
Q

What is closely tied to the size of its prey population?

A

The number of predators

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15
Q

How can you tell what a predator has been eaten?

A

By studying faeces or regurgitated pellets

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16
Q

What can we also use faeces to determine?

A

Toxins accumulated in living things

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17
Q

When does grazing occur?

A

When herbivores eat the plants in an ecosystem

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18
Q

What can grazing have major effects on?

A

Biodiversity

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19
Q

How does low grazing affect biodiversity?

A

The most aggressive species pretty much take over. Nothing else gets a chance

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20
Q

How does moderate grazing affect biodiversity?

A

The most aggressive are held in check, allowing others to grow

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21
Q

How does high grazing affect biodiversity?

A

Only the most robust survive. Most are destroyed

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22
Q

What can disease cause?

A

Populations numbers to fall, reducing competition

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23
Q

How can disease indirectly affect predator populations?

A

It causes population numbers to fall which means predators have less to eat

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24
Q

How can disease indirectly affect plant populations?

A

They may be grazed less intensively as population numbers have fallen

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25
Q

What do all living things require?

A

Energy

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26
Q

What happens if there is a food shortage?

A

Some individuals may die. Whole species may not survive

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27
Q

Why do we measure abiotic factors?

A

We can begin to understand why different organisms are present in an ecosystem and which conditions they prefer

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28
Q

How can we discuss organism’s distribution?

A

Comparing the abundance of dif organisms and dif abiotic factors and how these abiotic factors impact their distribution

29
Q

How can we measure light intensity?

A

Light meter

30
Q

Name the possible sources of error when using a light meter

A

Light sensitive panel shaded by user

Weather conditions affect readings

31
Q

How do we use a light meter?

A

Make sure the light sensitive panel is pointed towards the light source

32
Q

How can we minimise errors using a light meter

A

Hold it at arms length
Don’t stand between sensor & light source
Take reading at the same time of day

33
Q

How can we measure pH and moisture?

A

pH meter and moisture probe

34
Q

How can we use a pH meter and moisture probe?

A

Stick them into the soil

35
Q

What are possible sources of error when using a moisture probe?

A

Probe not cleaned between tests

36
Q

How can we minimise error when using a pH meter and moisture probe

A

Always wipe probes between tests to avoid cross-contamination

37
Q

How can we measure temperature?

A

Thermometer / temperature probe

38
Q

What are some possible sources of error when using a thermometer / temperature probe

A

Probe not inserted deeply enough

Thermometer bulb held in user’s hand

39
Q

How can we minimise error when using a thermometer / temperature probe

A

Push probe into soil to half its depth

Ensure bulb exposed to the air

40
Q

What is sampling used to do?

A

Which organisms are present in an ecosystem, how abundant they are and to investigate why they are living there

41
Q

How can we estimate the total number of organisms present in a whole ecosystem

A

By counting organisms found at random parts of an ecosystem

42
Q

What are pitfall traps used to do?

A

Study mobile invertebrates in a soil ecosystem

43
Q

What are the possible sources of error when using a pitfall trap?

A

Not representative
Animals eaten by birds
Animals eaten by other trapped animals
Traps too high above soil/animals would avoid
Traps left too long

44
Q

How can we minimise these sources of errors when using a pitfall trap?

A

Not representative- Several samples taken
Animals eaten by birds- Disguise opening
Animals eaten by other trapped animals- Check regularly or use preservative solution
Traps too high- Ensure that the top of the trap is level with the soil surface
Traps left too long- Fill the trap with ethanol to kill organisms thus preventing predation

45
Q

What is kick sampling used to do?

A

Sample aquatic invertebrates in water ecosystems

46
Q

How do we do kick sampling?

A

Hold net downstream and scuff in the gravel above the net to dislodge the invertebrates

47
Q

What happens to animals caught in kick sampling?

A

Animals are caught and stored in jars contains water from the ecosystem, and can be identified later

48
Q

Why is a pooter set up?

A

So you can suck up the insects and collect them for identification

49
Q

How do you treebeat and what does it allow?

A

Hold a white sheet or tray and shake the branches above.
It allows you to collect the insects that are on the branches

50
Q

What is the main trick to sweep netting?

A

Closing/catching the net to catch the insects after sweeping through the air or water

51
Q

What are quadrants used to do?

A

Estimate the number of plants or slow moving animals in an ecosystem

52
Q

What are transects used to do?

A

To show how the distribution or species varies across an ecosystem and how the distribution of organisms depends on abiotic factors

53
Q

How do we identify organisms that are collected or sampled?

A

Branched or paired statement key

54
Q

What do branched keys do?

A

Ask a series of questions with yes/no answers which lead you to the identity of an organism

55
Q

How does a paired statement key work?

A

Each number of statements which splits your group into 2
Each pair sends you to another number
You follow the statements until you get an answer

56
Q

How can human activities impact the environment?

A

Reduces biodiversity by:
habitat destruction by deforestation (for farming, housing ect)
Reduction of numbers and biodiversity through overfishing and hunting
Desertification
Air and water pollution

57
Q

How is pollution cause?

A

The presence of a substance (pollutant) which is harmful to the environment or it’s unsightly.

58
Q

What four main ecosystems can pollutants affect?

A

Air
Freshwater
Sea
Land

59
Q

What is an indicator species?

A

A species that shows how polluted or unpolluted an environment is through their presence or absence

60
Q

What is organic pollution?

A

Any material from living or once living organisms

61
Q

What does organic pollution include?

A

Manure
Sewage
Dead plants or animals

62
Q

What does raw sewage contain?

A

Faeces
Food fragments
Bacteria

63
Q

In raw sewage in river ecosystem what happens to dissolved oxygen?

A

Drops rapidly when sewage enters the river, then starts to recover downstream

64
Q

Why does this happen to dissolved sewage?

A

Large numbers of bacteria use up the dissolved oxygen as they break down sewage.

65
Q

In raw sewage in river ecosystem what happens to BOD?

A

Rises rapidly as sewage enters the river, then decreases steadily as you go downstream

66
Q

In raw sewage in river ecosystem what happens to suspended solids?

A

These are particles of sewage. There are high levels as the sewage enters the river, then they decrease as you go downstream

67
Q

Why does this happen to BOD?

A

The large numbers of bacteria in the sewage have a high demand for oxygen, which they use in respiration

68
Q

Why does this happen to suspended solids?

A

The large particles are gradually broken down by the bacteria and eventually disappear

N5 Biology (8 decks)

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