ecology

Question 1

habitat

Answer 1

environment in which a species lives

Question 2

population

Answer 2

total number of organisms of the same species living in the same geographical area

Question 3

community

Answer 3

populations of all the different species that live in a habitat

Question 4

biotic

Answer 4

living

Question 5

abiotic

Answer 5

non living

Question 6

ecosystem

Answer 6

both the biotic and abiotic parts of an environment and how they interact

Question 7

things that plants compete for

Answer 7

• light
• space
• water
• mineral ions

Question 8

things that animals compete for

Answer 8

• food
• water
• mating partners
• territory

Question 9

interdependence

Answer 9

all species in a community depend on each other

Question 10

stable community

Answer 10

populations of organisms are in balance with each other

Question 11

biotic factors

Answer 11

• avalibility of food
• new predators
• competition between species
• new pathogens

Question 12

abiotic factors

Answer 12

• light intensity
• temperature
• water avalibility
• pH and mineral content of soil
• wind direction and intensity
• oxygen and carbon dioxide avalibility

Question 13

structural adaptations

Answer 13

adaptations of body shape or structure

Question 14

functional adaptations

Answer 14

adaptations to the body functions of an organism

Question 15

behavioural adaptations

Answer 15

adaptations to the behaviour or lifestyle of an animal

Question 16

extremophiles

Answer 16

organisms adapted to live in extreme conditions

Question 17

food chain

Answer 17

producer -> primary consumer -> secondary consumer -> tertiary consumer

Question 18

required practical 9 (random sampling) step by step

Answer 18

1. estimate or hypothesise
2. place two 20m tape measures at right angle
3. have two bags each with numbers 1-20
4. have two people take a number each
5. have them stand where their number is on the tape measure
6. put down the quadrat and record the results
7. repeat this 9 more times

Question 19

required practical 9 (trisect) step by step

Answer 19

1. place a tape measure at the tree through to the end of where you are measuring
2. put down a quadrat at the start, measure daisies and light intensity
3. move it 1m and repeat 2
4. continue this all the way down

Question 20

what to remember when working out the mean?

Answer 20

do not include anomolous results

Question 21

the carbon cycle

Answer 21

atmosphere -> photosynthesis -> aerobic respiration

• animals consume plants
• animals respire,
• the waste and dead remains of them decomposes,
• releasing carbon
• OR forms fossil fuels
• which can be combusted which releases carbon.

Question 22

water cycle

Answer 22

oceans -> evaporation -> water vapour in air -> condensation -> clouds precipitate -> rivers, aquifers and evaporation again.

Question 23

biodiversity

Answer 23

the variety of different species of organisms on earth

Question 24

high biodiversity advantages

Answer 24

• species is less dependent on one organism
• lots of different species
• if population of one species falls it is less likely to affect the whole ecosystem

Question 25

water pollution

Answer 25

• untreated sewage
• fertilisers from farms
• toxic chemicals

results in death of aquatic organisms because dissolved oxygen levels decrease

Question 26

air pollution

Answer 26

• burning coal -> acidic gases -> acid rain
• smoke

Question 27

land pollution

Answer 27

• landfills damaging habitats
• toxic chemicals leach out and pollute soil

Question 28

what do peat bogs / peat lands consist of?

Answer 28

• slow decay
• lots of carbon
• dead animal and plant material

Question 29

what are the uses of peat?

Answer 29

• producing compost: alternatives are expensive and farmers using them could result in food prices rising
• burned to release energy in some countries

Question 30

what is bad about using peat?

Answer 30

• reduces area of habitat -> reduces plants and animals living there -> reduces biodiversity
• once extracted it starts decaying, releasing lots of CO2

climate change!!