Eco-sysyem And Distribution Of Organisms

Question 1

What is the definition of ecosystem

Answer 1

A community of organisms living in a particular habitat and their interactions with each other and their shared environment.

Question 2

What is the definition of community

Answer 2

Populations of different species living together in one area

Question 3

Habitat

Answer 3

The place where an organism lives.

Question 4

What is the definition of population

Answer 4

The tot number of individuals from the same species living in one area.

Question 5

What is the definition of species

Answer 5

A group of organisms that can interbreed to produce fertile offspring.

Question 6

What is the definition of a carnivore l

Answer 6

An organism that consumes only animal material

Question 7

What is the definition of biodiversity

Answer 7

The total variety and abundance of different species present in an ecosystem

Question 8

What is the definition of a producer

Answer 8

A (green plant) organism that makes their own food source through the process of photosynthesis.

Question 9

What is the definition of a consumer

Answer 9

An organism that eats other organisms to obtain a food source.

Question 10

What is the definition of a herbivore

Answer 10

An organism that consumes only plant material.

Question 11

What is the definition of a omnivore

Answer 11

An organism that consumes both plant and animal material

Question 12

What is the definition of a predator

Answer 12

An organism that hunts and kills other animals for food

Question 13

What is the definition of prey

Answer 13

An animal that is hunted and killed by predators

Question 14

What does a food chain show

Answer 14

The feeding relation ships between different organisms in an ecosystem and the direction of energy flow

Question 15

What does a food web show

Answer 15

All feeding relationships that exist within an ecosystem

Question 16

What does a stable ecosystem look like ?

Answer 16

A stable ecosystem has a wide variety of organisms living and interacting with each other, high levels of biodiversity.
(Loss of biodiversity can have a huge impact on the stability of an ecosystem)

Question 17

What is the definition of a niche

Answer 17

The role that an organism plays
-the resources it requires to survive
-how it interacts with other organisms in the community.

Question 18

What is the definition of competition

Answer 18

-Occurs when resources required for survival are available in short supply.
-One species is successful while others/the other is unsuccessful

Question 19

What are the two types of competitor

Answer 19

Intraspecific and interspecific

Question 20

What is intraspecific competition

Answer 20

Involves members of the same species, they compete for the exact same resource and has a higher level of intensity.

Question 21

What is interspecific competition

Answer 21

Involves members of different species, compete for a few of the same recourses and has a lower level of intensity

Question 22

What are 4 recourses that plants compete for to ensure their survival within an ecosystem

Answer 22

-water
-light
-soil space
-soil minerals

Question 23

What are 4 resources that animals compete for to ensure their survival within an ecosystem

Answer 23

-water
-food
-territory
-Mates/the ladies

Question 24

What does the term distribution mean

Answer 24

The spread of living organisms over an area affected by biotic and abiotic factors

Question 25

What are biotic factors

Answer 25

Biotic factors are factors relating to the living component of an ecosystem which affect the distribution of organisms

Question 26

What are five examples of biotic factors

Answer 26

-competition for recourses
-food availability
-predation
-disease
-grazing

Question 27

What are abiotic factors

Answer 27

Abiotic factors are factors relating to the non-living components of an ecosystem which affects the distribution of organisms

Question 28

What are four examples of abiotic factors

Answer 28

-temperature
-light intensity
-soil moisture
-pH

Question 29

How do you measure the abiotic factor of light intensity?

Answer 29

Equipment Used is a light meter, possible source of error is shading the light meter, limitation of error is pointing the sensors directly at the light source

Question 30

How do you measure soil moisture

Answer 30

Equipment used is a moisture meter, possible source of error is cross-contamination between samples and limitation of this error is cleaning the probe between readings

Question 31

How do you measure temperature

Answer 31

Equipment used is a thermometer, possible source of error is inadequate time to read temperature and limitation of error is allowing the dial to settle before taking a reading.

Question 32

How do you measure a soil pH

Answer 32

Equipment used is a ph Meter, possible source of error is cross-contamination between samples, limitation of error is cleaning the probe between readings.

Question 33

What does the change in the size of population of one (or more) species affect

Answer 33

The survival chance of all other organisms within the ecosystem

Question 34

What factors affect the levels of biodiversity

Answer 34

-biotic factors
-abiotic factors
-human activities
-natural hazards

Question 35

What are six examples of human activities that affects the levels of biodiversity

Answer 35

-habitat destruction
-deforestation
-over fishing
-climate change
-intensive agriculture
-chemical and sewage spills

These actives influence changes in biotic/abiotic factors.

Question 36

What are five examples of natural hazards which affect levels of biodiversity

Answer 36

-forest fires
-earthquakes
-tsunamis
-floods
-volcanic activity l

Question 37

What is and what for is quadrat used for

Answer 37

A quadrat is a square frame with a known area
Used to estimate the number of plants or slow moving animals in a given area.

Question 38

What are 3 errors and their limitations when using a quadrat

Answer 38

1)Using a small sample size - set up several quadrats to ensure the results are reliable, increase sample size
2) sample site may be specifically chosen-throw quadrants at random to ensure results are not biased.
3) counting organisms more than once-follow simple counting rules to ensure each organism is only counted once

Question 39

What is a pitfall trap

Answer 39

-A pitfall trap is a cup placed level with the ground and covered with leaves.
-Used to estimate the number of small, active animals in a given area

Question 40

What are three possible errors and limitations when using a pitfall trap

Answer 40

Using a small sample size-set up several pitfall traps to ensure reliable results

Trapped organisms may be eaten by predators - camouflage the pitfall traps using foliage

Trapped organisms may escape - check the contents regularly

Question 41

What determines the type of organisms identified

Answer 41

The type of environment

Question 42

What is ah indicator species

Answer 42

A species that by their presents/absence indicate levels of environmental quality.
They can indicate levels Of water pollution/air pollution.

Question 43

What is a biological key used for

Answer 43

Biological keys are used to identify different organisms based on their physical appearance.

Question 44

What is a transect line

Answer 44

Allows you to sample At regular intervals not random)

Question 45

what factors affect levels of distribution within an ecosystem

Answer 45

biotic and abiotic factors