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Distribution of organisms Flashcards

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
What do all living things require?
Energy
26
What happens if there is a food shortage?
Some individuals may die. Whole species may not survive
27
Why do we measure abiotic factors?
We can begin to understand why different organisms are present in an ecosystem and which conditions they prefer
28
How can we discuss organism’s distribution?
Comparing the abundance of dif organisms and dif abiotic factors and how these abiotic factors impact their distribution
29
How can we measure light intensity?
Light meter
30
Name the possible sources of error when using a light meter
Light sensitive panel shaded by user Weather conditions affect readings
31
How do we use a light meter?
Make sure the light sensitive panel is pointed towards the light source
32
How can we minimise errors using a light meter
Hold it at arms length Don’t stand between sensor & light source Take reading at the same time of day
33
How can we measure pH and moisture?
pH meter and moisture probe
34
How can we use a pH meter and moisture probe?
Stick them into the soil
35
What are possible sources of error when using a moisture probe?
Probe not cleaned between tests
36
How can we minimise error when using a pH meter and moisture probe
Always wipe probes between tests to avoid cross-contamination
37
How can we measure temperature?
Thermometer / temperature probe
38
What are some possible sources of error when using a thermometer / temperature probe
Probe not inserted deeply enough Thermometer bulb held in user’s hand
39
How can we minimise error when using a thermometer / temperature probe
Push probe into soil to half its depth Ensure bulb exposed to the air
40
What is sampling used to do?
Which organisms are present in an ecosystem, how abundant they are and to investigate why they are living there
41
How can we estimate the total number of organisms present in a whole ecosystem
By counting organisms found at random parts of an ecosystem
42
What are pitfall traps used to do?
Study mobile invertebrates in a soil ecosystem
43
What are the possible sources of error when using a pitfall trap?
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
How can we minimise these sources of errors when using a pitfall trap?
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
What is kick sampling used to do?
Sample aquatic invertebrates in water ecosystems
46
How do we do kick sampling?
Hold net downstream and scuff in the gravel above the net to dislodge the invertebrates
47
What happens to animals caught in kick sampling?
Animals are caught and stored in jars contains water from the ecosystem, and can be identified later
48
Why is a pooter set up?
So you can suck up the insects and collect them for identification
49
How do you treebeat and what does it allow?
Hold a white sheet or tray and shake the branches above. It allows you to collect the insects that are on the branches
50
What is the main trick to sweep netting?
Closing/catching the net to catch the insects after sweeping through the air or water
51
What are quadrants used to do?
Estimate the number of plants or slow moving animals in an ecosystem
52
What are transects used to do?
To show how the distribution or species varies across an ecosystem and how the distribution of organisms depends on abiotic factors
53
How do we identify organisms that are collected or sampled?
Branched or paired statement key
54
What do branched keys do?
Ask a series of questions with yes/no answers which lead you to the identity of an organism
55
How does a paired statement key work?
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
How can human activities impact the environment?
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
How is pollution cause?
The presence of a substance (pollutant) which is harmful to the environment or it’s unsightly.
58
What four main ecosystems can pollutants affect?
Air Freshwater Sea Land
59
What is an indicator species?
A species that shows how polluted or unpolluted an environment is through their presence or absence
60
What is organic pollution?
Any material from living or once living organisms
61
What does organic pollution include?
Manure Sewage Dead plants or animals
62
What does raw sewage contain?
Faeces Food fragments Bacteria
63
In raw sewage in river ecosystem what happens to dissolved oxygen?
Drops rapidly when sewage enters the river, then starts to recover downstream
64
Why does this happen to dissolved sewage?
Large numbers of bacteria use up the dissolved oxygen as they break down sewage.
65
In raw sewage in river ecosystem what happens to BOD?
Rises rapidly as sewage enters the river, then decreases steadily as you go downstream
66
In raw sewage in river ecosystem what happens to suspended solids?
These are particles of sewage. There are high levels as the sewage enters the river, then they decrease as you go downstream
67
Why does this happen to BOD?
The large numbers of bacteria in the sewage have a high demand for oxygen, which they use in respiration
68
Why does this happen to suspended solids?
The large particles are gradually broken down by the bacteria and eventually disappear

N5 Biology (8 decks)

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