Ecology Flashcards
When levels of carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere increase what does that contribute to
Global warming
How do humans reduce the amount of land available for other animals and plants
By building, quarrying, farming and dumping waste
Pollution kills plants and animals which reduces what
Biodiversity
How can pollution occur
In water (Sewage, fertilizer or toxic chemicals)
In air (Smoke and acidic gases)
On land (Landfill and toxic chemicals)
What is biodiversity
Biodiversity is the variety of all the different species of organisms on earth or within the ecosystem
Define habitat
The habitat is the environment in which an organism lives in
Define population
A population is the total number of organisms of the same species living in the same geographical area
Define a community
A community is the populations of all the different species that live in the same habitat
What does the word biotic mean
Living
What does the word abiotic mean
Nonliving
Define an ecosystem
Ecosystem is both the biotic and abiotic parts of an environment and how they interact
What do plants compete for
Water and mineral ions in the soil
light and for space 
What do animals compete for
Food and water
Mating partners and territory
What do organisms require to survive and reproduce
A supply of materials from their surroundings and from their living organisms
Within a community what does each species depend on
On other species for food, shelter, pollination
Describe interdependence 
All of the different species in a community depend on each other if one species is removed it’s gonna affect the whole community.
Define a stable community
A stable community is where all species and environmental factors are in balance so that the population sizes remain fairly constant
What are the four biotic factors which can affect the community
Availability of food
new predators arriving
new pathogens
one species outcompeting another so the numbers are no longer significance to the breed and may become extinct
What are the seven abiotic factors which can affect a community
Light intensity
temperature
moisture levels
soil pH and mineral contains
wind intensity and direction
carbon dioxide levels for plants
oxygen levels for animals 
What is extremophiles
Organisms that are adapted to live in extreme conditions For example high temperature, pressure or salt concentration
What type of features do organisms have and what do they enable them to do
Adaptations. Enable them to survive in their conditions which they normally live in these adaptations may be structural behavioral functional.
Name three adaptions
Behavioral functional structural
What are bacteria living in the deep sea vents called
Extremophiles
Explain the food chain
Produces are eaten by primary consumers which are then eaten by secondary consumers then territory consumers
What are consumers that kill and it’s animals called
Predators which eat prey
What happens in a stable community
The number of predators and prey rise and fall in cycles
Why are producers important in food chains
Because they synthesize complex molecules
What do scientists call molecules such as glucose
Biomass
How does a green plant or alga make glucose
By photosynthesis
Why are all materials in the living world recycled?
To provide the building blocks for the future organisms
What does the carbon cycle do
Carbon cycle returns carbon from the organisms to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide to be used by plants in photosynthesis
What does the water cycle do?
The water cycle provides fresh water for plants and animals on land before draining into the seas
What does the future of human species on Earth rely on
Maintaining a good level of biodiversity
What does rapid growth in human population and an increase in the standard of living mean
This means more resources are used and more waste is produced unless waist and chemical materials are properly handled more pollution will be caused 
What are peats used for
To produce cheap compost for gardens and farms and in some countries its burnt to release energy for example to generate electricity 
What happens if the decay or burning of the peat gets released 
Carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere this causes climate change
What are the advantages and disadvantages of destruction of peat bogs and other areas of peat
Advantage:
It’s cheap
Creates garden compost
Cheaper pricing of food
Disadvantage:
Reduces the area of habitat and variety of different plants
Decreases biodiversity (ex. Animals and microorganisms)
How is Methane produce
By bacteria in Paddy Fields which are used to grow rice
Buy cows when they pass wind
What are both carbon dioxide and methane
Greenhouse gases (They trap heat in the atmosphere)
What is peer review
When information discovered is checked by other scientists before publishing
What has large scales of deforestation in tropical areas occurred to
Provide the land for cattle and rice fields
Grow crops for biofuels 
What did scientists and concerned citizens put to Reduce the negative effects
They have put in place programs to reduce the negative affects of humans on ecosystems and biodiversity
Name decomposers and what they do
Bacteria and fungi are decomposers which break down dead organisms in a process called decomposition or rotting
What process do decomposers speeds up
Decay 
What do decomposers produce
Enzymes which release into dead matter to digest it
What type of traps catch small mammals
Pitfall traps
What is a transect
An imaginary line used as a part of symmetric sampling
What does a great bio diversity ensure
The stability of ecosystems by reducing one species on another for food shelter and maintenance of the physical environment.
What are humans doing to biodiversity
Human activities are reducing biodiversity and are trying to stop this reduction
What can we learn from fossil fuels
How much or how little different organisms have changed as life developed on earth
Many early forms of life were soft bodied what does this mean
Meaning that they have left few traces behind
