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IB biology > Ecology > Flashcards

Ecology Flashcards

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AP® Biology flashcards Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

Factors for environment

A

Abiotic factors
Biotic factors

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2
Q

Abiotic factors

A

The non-living factors of an ecosystem

e.g. rocks, water, air, sunlight, nutrients (soil), weather patterns, temperature, soil, humidity and salt concentration

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3
Q

Biotic factors

A

The living components of an ecosystem
Can grow, reproduce, respire, undergo complex chemical reactions, have cells, and can move.

e.g. plants, animals, fungi, bacteria and virus*

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4
Q

Levels of organisation (small to big)

A

Species
Population
Habitat
Community
Ecosystem
Biome

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5
Q

What is a species

A

A species is a group of genetically similar living organisms that are able to interbreed and produce fertile offspring.

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6
Q

What is a population

A

Population are groups of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area

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7
Q

What is a habitat

A

Habitat is the area in which species normally lives

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8
Q

What is a community

A

Community includes populations of different species living and interacting with each other in the same environment.

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9
Q

What is an ecosystem

A

Ecosystem is a community of living organisms interacting with each other and with the abiotic factors.

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10
Q

What is a biome

A

Biome is a group of ecosystems that have the same climate and similar dominant communities.

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11
Q

What is a fertile offspring

A

Fertile offsprings are those which can in turn interbreed and pass on their genes to another generation.

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12
Q

2 types of speciation

A

Allopatric speciation
Geographic barriers

Sympatric speciation
Reproductive isolation

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13
Q

Explain allopatric speciation

A

This occurs when a geographical barrier physically isolates populations of an ancestral species.

•The two populations begin to evolve separately as a result of cumulative mutation, genetic drift and natural selection.

•Eventually the two populations reach a degree of genetic divergence whereby they can no longer interbreed (speciation).

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14
Q

Explain behaviour differences

A

behavioral changes, such as those involved in mating, foraging, and migration, can generate reproductive barriers between populations. (e.g. mating rituals)

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15
Q

Explain niche partitioning

A

the process by which natural selection drives competing species into different patterns of resource use or different niches

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16
Q

Types of niche partitioning

A

Resource partitioning
Intraspecific competition
Interspecific competition

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17
Q

Explain resource partitioning

A

when species divide a niche to avoid competition for resources.

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18
Q

Explain intraspecific competition

A

competition between individuals of the same species.

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19
Q

Explain interspecific competiton

A

competition between species.

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20
Q

explain sympatric speciation

A

Sympatric speciation is divergence of species within thesame geographical location. (no locational barrier)

Sympatric speciation may result from the reproductive isolation of two populations as a result of genetic abnormalities

Typically, a chromosomal error may arise which prevents successful reproduction with any organism lacking the same error

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21
Q

what does auto mean

A

self

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22
Q

what does trophe mean

A

nutrition

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23
Q

explain autotrophs

A

make its own food
synthesize organic molecules from simple inorganic nutrients
Inorganic nutrients are from the abiotic environment (soil, pH, water, etc.)

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24
Q

what are producers

A

can make its own food
forms the base of the food web
holds the energy to be transferred up the food chain

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25
Q

what does hetero mean

A

other

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26
Q

what are heterotrophs

A

are organisms that obtain organic nutrients from other organisms.

The method & type of food intake determines the heterotroph type.
Consumers, parasites, detritivores and saprotrophs

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27
Q

what are consumers

A

they cannot make food

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28
Q

examples of consumers

A

Prey: the hunted
Predator: the hunter
Herbivore: eats plants
Carnivore: eats animals
Omnivore: eats both plants and animals

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29
Q

what are parasites

A

Considered to be heterotrophs & consumers
Live on or inside other living organisms (called hosts) and obtain food from them
e.g. tapeworms, hookworms

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30
Q

how do consumers ingest food

A

they ingest food through their mouths

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31
Q

how do bacteria feed

A

Bacteria feed in different ways. Heterotrophic bacteria, or heterotrophs, get their energy through consumingorganic carbon. Most absorb dead organic material, such as decomposing flesh.

32
Q

what are decomposers

A

Breaks down dead organisms
Examples: bacteria, maggots, fungi, worms
Complete the circle of life by returning nutrients to the soil
e.g.(detritivores/saprotrophs)

33
Q

what are detritivores

A

organism that consumes non-living organic matter
consumes dead leaves, faeces, and carcasses
e.g. earthworms, woodlice, dung beetles
There are bottom feeders in rivers, lakes and oceans that are detritivores.

34
Q

what are saprotrophs

A

Heterotrophs that obtains their food from dead organisms by external digestion
Live on or in non-living organic matter, secreting digestive enzymes and absorbing the products of digestion
Helps in decaying of dead organic matter
e.g. fungi and bacteria

35
Q

what are mixotrophs

A

A mixotroph is an organism that can use a mix of different sources of energy and carbon, instead of having a single trophic mode on the continuum from complete autotrophy at one end to heterotrophy at the other.
It is estimated that mixotrophs comprise more than half of all microscopic plankton.

36
Q

bacteria

A

some autotrophic and some heterotrophic

37
Q

protoctista

A

some autotrophic and some heterotropic

38
Q

fungi

A

heterotrophic

39
Q

plantae

A

mostly autotrophic

40
Q

animalia

A

heterotrophic

41
Q

what is biodiversity

A

Number of different varieties and types of organisms in an ecosystem.

42
Q

examples of symbiotic relationship

A

mutualism
commensalism
parasitism

43
Q

what is mutualism

A

where both organisms benefit from the relationship

examples
oxpeckers and large mammals
clownfish and anemones

44
Q

what is commensalism

A

where one organism benefits and the other is unaffected

the commensal organism obtains food, shelter, locomotion, or support

examples
milkweed and monarch butterfly
sharks and remora fish

45
Q

what is parasitism

A

when one organism benefits and the other is harmed

examples
bedbugs
flea
tapeworm

46
Q

examples of predation relationship

A

predatory-prey
competition

47
Q

what is predator-prey interaction

A

the interactions between two species where one species is the hunted food source for the other

the organism that feeds is called the predator and the organism that is fed upon is the prey

examples
Wolves and elk in Yellowstone National Park on willow trees
Brown Bears and Salmon
Lions and zebras

48
Q

what is competition

A

Two individuals are competing for the same resource
i.e. Foxes and coyotes both feed on rabbits

49
Q

types of ecosystem

A

natural
artificial
terrestrial
aquatic

50
Q

what are scavengers

A

they are animals that can feed on the remains of another organism

Example
Vulture, beetle, flies, ants

51
Q

what is a natural ecosystem

A

it exists in nature and is not man-made

examples
forest, desert, ocean, lake, river

52
Q

what is an artificial ecosystem

A

it is made by man

examples
park, pond, aquarium, zoo

53
Q

what is a terrestrial ecosystem

A

The ecosystem is found on land and can be natural or artificial

54
Q

what is an aquatic ecosystem

A

it is an ecosystem that can be found in water, it can be natural or artificial

examples
pond, ocean, lake, river

55
Q

what are the problems with food chains

A

Food chains are very good at showing simple relationships.

But they don’t show…
More than one producers & Herbivores
Herbivores that eat many producers
Omnivores (both plants and animals)

56
Q

what is sustainability

A

living organisms like plants, animals, bacteria, insects and other living things that can interact and reproduce indefinitely

For ex: Long-lived and healthy wetlands and forests are examples of sustainable biological systems.

57
Q

what is biodiversity

A

Number of different varieties and types of organisms in an ecosystem.

High levels of biodiversity are usually associated with a healthy, sustainable environment.

58
Q

what is a food chain

A

It is a way to describe how energy is stored and transferred from one living thing to another. A food chain starts with a producer and ends with a consumer. It is used to show simple feeding relationships. The arrows show the direction in which food energy is moving.

59
Q

what are food chains used for

A

Food chains are channels for the one-way flow of a tiny part of the sun’s high-quality energy captured by photosynthesis, through the living components of ecosystems, and into the environment as low-quality heat.

Food chains are also pathways for the recycling of nutrients from producers, consumers and decomposers back to producers.

60
Q

what are food webs

A

A connected feeding relationship for an ecosystem
Bottom-up links with many possible paths
Arrows point in direction of energy flow

61
Q

what do trophic levels show

A

how an organism gains its energy

an organisms feeding position on the food chain.

62
Q

what does trophic mean in greek

A

to feed

63
Q

different types of ecological pyramids

A

Pyramids of energy
Pyramids of numbers
Pyramids of biomass

64
Q

what are ecological pyramids

A

A representation of energy, numbers, or biomass (the mass of living organisms in a given area) relationships in ecosystems.

65
Q

what is a energy pyramid

A

It shows energy loss and transfer between trophic levels

the size of each layer represents the amount of energy available at that trophic level.

cannot be turned upside down

66
Q

pyramid of energy flow

A

Shows the energy found in the bodies of the organisms and the transfer of chemical energy from level to level

this energy transfer is very inefficient

A pyramid of energy flow can never be inverted.

67
Q

how is energy lost in the pyramid

A

Plantsuseenergytocarryoutlifeprocessessuchas growthandnutrient­ transportation (about 30%).

Energyislosttotheenvironmentaswasteheat energy.

Energyisusedbyconsumersforlifeprocesses.

Remainingenergyisusedbydecomposerswhen organismsdie.

Not all of the organism gets consumed or can be digested.

60 % of the energy consumed is passed out as waste.

If a fox eats a rabbit, it does not eat the fur or the bones.

Humans cannot digest the cellulose (fibre) part of foods

68
Q

how is the pyramid of energy measured

A

Measured as the energy flow per unit area per unit time
J m-2 y-1 or J/m • y
𝐽/(𝑚”•” 𝑦)

69
Q

what is a pyramid of numbers

A

A pyramid of numbers shows the shear population size for each organism or level.

70
Q

characteristics of a pyramid of numbers

A

at higher trophic levels, the number of consumers get smaller

less energy to support another level

so there are a lot of producers and progressively less and less at higher trophic levels

71
Q

problem of pyramid of numbers

A

organisms with a high biomass can turn a pyramid of numbers upside down

Answer: build a pyramid of biomass

72
Q

what is biomass

A

Biomass is a measure of the total dry mass of living organisms

73
Q

what do pyramid of biomass do better

A

Pyramids of biomass are better indicators of the chemical energy available at each level.

74
Q

how is biomass measured

A

Area delimited and sampled
Standard area and sufficient sample size needed
Organisms identified and sorted by trophic level
Even underground structures/organisms needed
It may be necessary to separate tissues from inorganic shells (e.g. molluscs)
Tissues of organisms massed (weighed)
= Fresh mass
Tissues dried to constant mass (80-100°C)
= Dry mass
Removes water leaving organic matter
Destructive sampling

75
Q

why is rate of production a problem

A

As the life cycle of some organisms is faster their turn over is faster
Sample at any one time and you find less of the organisms with a fast turn over (e.g. phytoplankton)
Energy transfer needs to be measured over a whole growing season.

IB biology (15 decks)

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