Eco-system processes Flashcards
What are algae?
Green unicellular or multicellular organisms that perform photosynthesis and live underwater.
What is a producer?
An organism that makes its own food by photosynthesis.
What is a consumer?
Organisms that eat other organisms as food.
What is photosynthesis?
The process plants use to make their own food, glucose.
State the word equation for photosynthesis.
carbon dioxide + water —>glucose + oxygen
What is chlorophyll?
Green pigment that absorbs light for use in photosynthesis.
Name some adaptions of leaves and why these are helpful.
4 adaptions
Leaves are:
•Green (they have chlorophyll which is useful for photosynthesis)
• Thin (allows gases to diffuse in and out easily)
Leaves have:
•A large surface area
•Xylem (to transport water) and phloem (to transport glucose)
What are stomata?
Holes on the bottom of a leave that allow gases to diffuse in (carbon dioxide) and out (oxygen).
How do stomata work?
The holes are surrounded by guard cells. These cells open at night to let oxygen out and carbon dioxide in. They close in the day so that carbon dioxide can’t leave when photosynthesis is taking place.
Why do plants need nitrates?
For healthy growth.
Why do plants need phosphates?
For healthy roots.
Why do plants need potassium?
For healthy leaves and flowers.
Why do plants need magnesium?
For making chlorophyll.
What are fertilisers?
Chemicals containing minerals, normally applied to soil.
What is chemosynthesis?
Reaction performed by bacteria, using energy transferred from chemical reactions to produce glucose.
What is the word equation for chemosynthesis?
There isn’t one as the chemical reaction depends on the chemical involved. Chemosynthesis can produce glucose with multiple chemicals.
Complete the statement:
Chemosynthesis uses ___________ as their source of energy.
chemicals
Complete the statement:
Chemosynthesis often uses ___________ as the reactant.
carbon dioxide
What would you call a bacteria that performs chemosynthesis?
chemosynthetic
Give some examples of bacteria that are chemosynthetic.
Sulphur bacteria
Nitrate bacteria
Compare chemosynthesis and photosynthesis.
- Both produce glucose (photosynthesis also produces oxygen)
- Photosynthesis uses light as the energy source whereas chemosynthesis uses chemicals.
- Water is always required for photosynthesis but not always for chemosynthesis.
What is anaerobic respiration?
Respiration that takes place without oxygen. Glucose is converted into lactic acid and energy is released.
What is oxygen debt?
When extra oxygen is needed after anaerobic respiration to break down lactic acid.
What is respiration?
The process that transfers energy from organisms.
What is aerobic respiration?
A chemical reaction where glucose reacts with oxygen to release energy carbon dioxide and water.
Where does respiration happen?
In the mitochondria in cells.
How does glucose get into cells for aerobic respiration?
After being digested, glucose is absorbed from the small intestine into the bloodstream. Glucose is transported around the body. It is dissolved into the liquid part of the blood, plasma. The dissolved glucose can then diffuse into cells that need glucose in respiration.
How does glucose get into cells for aerobic respiration?
After being digested, glucose is absorbed from the small intestine into the bloodstream. Glucose is transported around the body. It is dissolved into the liquid part of the blood, plasma. The dissolved glucose can then diffuse into cells that need glucose in respiration.
What is plasma?
The liquid part of blood, which carries oxygen to cells and carbon dioxide to the lungs, where it is exhaled.
How does oxygen get into cells for aerobic respiration?
When someone breathes in, the alveoli in their lungs fill with oxygen. The oxygen then diffuses into the bloodstream, where it’s carried around the body by attaching itself to haemoglobin in red blood cells. When a cell requiring oxygen is passed, the oxygen diffuses into the cell.
What is a food chain?
A diagram that shows the transfer of energy between organisms.
What is a food web?
A diagram showing a set of linked food chains.
What is a herbivore?
An animal that only eats plants.
What is a carnivore?
An animal that eats other animals.
What is prey?
An animal that is eaten by another animal.
What is a predator?
An animal that eats other animals.
What do arrows in a food chain or web show?
They show the transfer of energy (stored in food) from one organism to the next.
What do arrows in a food chain or web show?
They show the transfer of energy (stored in food) from one organism to the next.
What does interdependent mean?
When organisms in a food web depend on each other for survival.
What is population?
The number of plants or animals of the same type that live in the same area.
What is bioaccumulation?
The build up of toxic chemicals inside organisms in a food chain.
What is an ecosystem?
The name given to the interaction of plants, animals and their habitat in a particular location.
What is a community?
The collection of the different types of organisms present in an ecosystem.
What is a habitat?
The area in which an organism lives.
What does co-exist mean?
Plants and animals living in the same habitat at the same time.
What is a niche?
A particular place or role that an organism has in an ecosystem.
What is the word equation for anaerobic respiration?
glucose —> lactic acid (+energy)
