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Biology > Ecology > Flashcards

Ecology Flashcards

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AP® Biology flashcards Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

State the levels of organisation in an ecosystem.

A

Individual, population, community,
ecosystem.

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2
Q

What is an ecosystem?

A

The interaction between the living
components and non-living components.

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3
Q

State the factors that plants may
compete for.

A

● Light
● Space
● Water
● Mineral ions from soil

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4
Q

State the factors that animals might compete for.

A

● Food
● Mates
● Territory

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5
Q

What is interdependence?

A

Different species in a ecosystem depend
on each other for various resources, if
one species is removed, the whole
community may be affected.

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6
Q

What is a stable community?

A

A community in which all the biotic
factors (the different species) and all
abiotic factors are balanced so that
population sizes remain relatively
constant.

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7
Q

What are abiotic factors?

A

Non-living factors.

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8
Q

State the abiotic factors that may affect an
ecosystem.

A

● Light intensity
● Temperature
● Moisture
● Soil pH and mineral content
● Wind intensity and direction
● Carbon dioxide level
● Oxygen level

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9
Q

Why might light intensity affect an ecosystem?

A

Different species of plants may have different
optimum light intensities for growth.

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10
Q

Why does temperature affect an ecosystem?

A

Different species of plants and animals may
have different optimum temperatures for
growth and survival

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11
Q

How does soil pH affect an ecosystem?

A

Certain plants may grow better in either
alkaline or acidic soil.
Soil pH may affect the appearance of the
plant

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12
Q

How does wind intensity affect an ecosystem?

A

Plant seeds are more likely to germinate in
locations with lower wind intensity, which may
also attract animals that depend on the plant
to live nearby

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13
Q

State the biotic factors that may affect an ecosystem.

A

● Food
● New predators
● New pathogens
● Competition

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14
Q

What are adaptations?

A

Features that enable organisms to
survive in their living environment.

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15
Q

What are organisms living in extreme environments
called?

A

Extremophiles.

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16
Q

Give 3 examples of extreme living environments.

A

● High temperature
● High pressure
● High salt concentration

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17
Q

Define population

A

A species that occupy the same habitat.

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18
Q

Define habitat

A

The place in which an organism lives.

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19
Q

Define community

A

Populations of different species
interacting.

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20
Q

Define ecosystem

A

The interactions between the biotic and
abiotic factors in an area.

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21
Q

What do food chains show?

A

Food chains show the feeding relationships of
different organisms and the flow of energy between
the organisms.

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22
Q

Define biomass

A

The total mass of living material.

23
Q

Describe a simple food chain

A

producer → primary consumer →
secondary consumer → tertiary consumer.

24
Q

What types of organisms are primary producers?

A

Photosynthetic organisms like green
plants and algae that trap energy from
the sun.

25
Q

Describe the carbon cycle

A
  • Plants fix carbon dioxide into organic molecules during
    photosynthesis.
  • The organic carbon-containing molecules are passed onto organisms
    that eat the plants.
  • Carbon dioxide is released back into the atmosphere by respiration
    from animals and plants.
  • Burning fossil fuels also releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere
26
Q

Why is the carbon cycle important?

A

Carbon-containing molecules such as
glucose are important for living
organisms to grow and provide energy
for vital functions within cells.

27
Q

Describe the water cycle

A
  • Water from lakes and oceans evaporates.
  • The evaporated water condenses into clouds and returns
    to earth as precipitation.
  • The water from precipitation is useful for life on land.
  • The water then returns to rivers and oceans through
    surface runoff.
28
Q

Why is the water cycle important?

A

Living organisms require water and the
water cycle provides organisms on land
with a continuous supply of water.

29
Q

Why are microorganisms important for the cycling of
materials through an ecosystem?

A

Microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) return carbon to the
environment by releasing carbon dioxide through
respiration while they decompose dead matter. The
decomposition of dead matter in soil returns mineral ions to
the environment for other organisms to use e.g. plants use
mineral ions for growth.

30
Q

How can different temperatures be bad for certain
communities?

A
  • If the temperature is too low, growth will be slower
    as organisms will use more energy to stay warm
  • If the temperature is too high, organisms can die
    and water will become limited as evaporation
    increases
31
Q

What detrimental impacts can sulfur
dioxide have on the environment?

A
  • Formed when fossil fuels containing
    impurities are burnt.
  • Sulfur dioxide can dissolve in water to form
    acid rain which can erode buildings and
    pollute water sources.
32
Q

What detrimental impacts can carbon monoxide
have on the environment?

A
  • Carbon monoxide is formed from the incomplete
    combustion of fossil fuels.
  • Carbon monoxide binds irreversibly to haemoglobin
    which prevents it from carrying oxygen.
  • Too much exposure can cause unconsciousness and
    death.
33
Q

Name 5 greenhouse gases

A
  • Water vapour
  • Carbon dioxide
  • Nitrous oxide
  • Methane
  • CFCs
34
Q

Give 3 human activities that contribute to
greenhouse gases

A
  • Burning fossil fuels
  • Deforestation
  • Large scale livestock farming
35
Q

How do greenhouse gases lead to global warming?

A
  • Greenhouse gases allow heat from the
    sun to enter the atmosphere.
  • The gases act as a ‘blanket’ and trap
    the heat in the atmosphere
36
Q

State 3 negative consequences of global warming

A
  • Sea level rise caused by melting icebergs.
  • Disrupted farming and agriculture.
  • Increased spread of diseases in warmer
    climates.
37
Q

What is biodiversity?

A

The variety of the different species on
earth or within an ecosystem.

38
Q

What is the importance of biodiversity?

A

To maintain the stability of an ecosystem.

39
Q

How does biodiversity ensure the
stability of an ecosystem?

A

It reduces the dependence on particular
species for resources eg. food and shelter, so
that even if one species is removed other
species can still survive

40
Q

Why have humans’ consumption of resources and
waste production increased?

A

● Rapid rise in human population
● Increase in standard of living

41
Q

Where does pollution occur?

A

● Air
● Land
● Water

42
Q

State an example of water pollutants.

A

● Sewage
● Fertiliser
● Chemicals

43
Q

State an example of air pollutants.

A

● Smoke
● Acidic gases

44
Q

State an example of land pollutants.

A

● Landfill waste
● Chemicals

45
Q

Which human activities reduce the land available for
animals and plants?

A

● Building
● Farming
● Quarrying
● Disposing of waste

46
Q

Why have peat bogs been destroyed?

A

To produce compost to increase food
production.

47
Q

Why does the destruction of peat bogs greatly
contribute to the greenhouse effect?

A

Peat bogs are stores of carbon (carbon
sinks) and burning them releases a large
volume of carbon dioxide into the
atmosphere.

48
Q

Why have large-scale deforestation activities
occurred?

A

● To provide land for cattle or rice fields
● To grow crops to produce biofuels

49
Q

What is the greenhouse effect?

A

Greenhouse gases trap energy from the
Sun as heat in the atmosphere, keeping
the temperature on earth suitable for life.

50
Q

What is causing global warming?

A

The increase in levels of greenhouse
gases eg. carbon dioxide and methane,
causing the temperature on earth to
increase.

51
Q

What are the harmful effects of deforestation?

A

● Destruction of many animals’ habitats
● Releases large amounts of
greenhouse gases

52
Q

State the consequences of global warming.

A

● Rising sea levels
● Melting polar ice caps
● Changing weather patterns
● Migration of animals to find suitable habitats
● Tropical diseases becoming more common
● Extinction of species

53
Q

Describe the steps taken to maintain biodiversity

A

● Breeding programmes for endangered species.
● Protection and rebuilding habitats.
● Replanting field margins and hedgerows.
● Reduce deforestation.
● Reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
● Recycling rather than disposing in landfills.

54
Q

What is the purpose of replanting hedgerows and
field margins?

A

There is higher biodiversity in the
margins than the fields that they
surround.

Biology (8 decks)

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