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LC Biology > Ecology > Flashcards

Ecology Flashcards

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AP® Biology flashcards Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

ecology

A

is the study of how organisms interact with each other and their environment

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2
Q

what is the environment of an organism

A

external factors that influence it

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3
Q

population

A

the members of the same species living in an area

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4
Q

habitat

A

place where an organism live

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5
Q

community

A

all the different populations in an area

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6
Q

biosphere

A

part of the planet where life exists

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7
Q

biotic factors

A

living factors

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8
Q

give an example of a biotic factor

A

competition
available quantity of food

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9
Q

abiotic factors

A

non living factors

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10
Q

give an example of abiotic factor

A

climatic factors ie weather: more rain= more water supports more life
edaphic factors ie soil pH: affects growth of plants

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11
Q

edaphic factors

A

anything to do with soil

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12
Q

aquatic environmental factors

A

light
currents
wave action
salt content
oxygen concentration

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13
Q

what is our primary source of energy

A

the sun

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14
Q

what form of energy enters the food chain

A

light energy

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15
Q

what is needed to maintain ecosystems

A

constant input of energy

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16
Q

ecosystem

A

a group of clearly distinguished organisms that interact with their environment as a unit

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17
Q

what is an example of an ecosystem

A

dessert

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18
Q

what form of energy leaves the food chain/our bodies

A

heat

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19
Q

energy flow

A

the pathway of energy transfer from one organism to the next in an ecosystem due to feeding eg along a food chain

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20
Q

what are primary producers

A

green plants

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21
Q

what are primary consumers

A

herbivores

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22
Q

what are secondary consumers

A

carnivores

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23
Q

what are tertiary consumers

A

top carnivores

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24
Q

producers

A

organisms that carry out photosynthesis

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25
Q

consumers

A

organisms that take in food from other organisms

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26
Q

food chain

A

a sequence of organisms in which one is eaten by the next one

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27
Q

give an example of a food chain

A

dandeline—-> butterfly—->thrush—->hawk

grass—–> rabbit—–>fox

buttercup—->caterpillar—->blackbird—-> fox

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28
Q

trophic level

A

feeding stage of a food chain

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29
Q

who occupies the first trophic level

A

producers

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30
Q

who occupies the second trophic level

A

primary consumers

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31
Q

why are food chains so short?

A

only about 10% of energy at each trophic level is passed onto the next trophic level
this means the amount of energy decreases significantly from one trophic level to the next which limits the no of trophic levels of any food chain to 4/5

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32
Q

how much energy is lost and passed on in each food chain

A

90% lost
10% passed on

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33
Q

food web

A

consists of 2 or more interlinked food chains

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34
Q

what is a pyramid of numbers

A

a diagram that represents the number of organisms at each trophic level in a food chain

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35
Q

limitations if a pyramid of numbers

A

the size of organisms is not considered in a pyramid of numbers eg. one rose bush can support 1000s of greenfly

parasitic food chains not taken into account: numerous parasites live on one host.

BOTH RESULT IN A DISTORTED PYRAM ID OF NUMBERS

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36
Q

methods of population control

A

competition
predation
parasitism
symbiosis

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37
Q

competition

A

organisms actively struggling for a resource that is in short supply

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38
Q

what is the consequence of competition

A

no of organisms reduced

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39
Q

intra specific competition

A

between members of the same species

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40
Q

interspecific competition

A

between members of different species

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41
Q

contest competition

A

physical contest between 2 individual organisms where only organisms gets all the resource

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42
Q

what is an example of contest competition

A

deer claiming territory for nesting, feeding, reproduction and area is defended by male

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43
Q

scramble competition

A

struggle between a no of organisms where all the organisms receive a small amount of the resource

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44
Q

give an example of scramble competition

A

overcrowding of seedlings where all receive some light but not enough to grow at full potential

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45
Q

predation

A

the catching killing and eating of another organism

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46
Q

predator

A

organism who catches kills and eats other organisms eg. fox

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47
Q

give 2 adaptations that improve efficiency of predators

A

hawks have good eyesight which makes it easier to locate prey

ladybirds have strong mouth parts which allows them to eat aphids

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48
Q

prey

A

organism that is eaten by predator

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49
Q

adaptations of prey to avoid being eaten

A

mice have a flexible skeleton to hide and flee

ladybirds have an acidic taste which is unpalatable to predators

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50
Q

parasite

A

an organism that lives on/in a live host obtaining its food from the host and causing harm to it.

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51
Q

exoparasite

A

live on the host eg fleas on a dog

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52
Q

endoparasite

A

lives inside a host- potato blight fungus in potatoes

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53
Q

symbiosis

A

when 2 organisms of different species live in close proximation where at least 1 organism benefits

54
Q

mutualism

A

2 organisms of different species live in close proximity where both organisms benefit

55
Q

example of mutualism

A

bacteria in the intestine get food and shelter from the intestine and the intestine gets vitamin B + K

56
Q

explain the fluctuation of the predator prey relationship graph

A

as prey numbers increase predator numbers increase as they have more food to eat
the rising no of predators causes decrease in prey numbers as they are preyed on
as prey no. decreases the no of predators soon declines too as they have less food source

57
Q

why is there a lag time in the predator prey relationship graph

A

as the no of prey raises the no of predators need time to adjust and increase their no

58
Q

draw the predator prey relationship graph

A

y axis= size (no of organism)
x= time

prey has to be higher than predators
prey starts much higher
label predator + prey lines

59
Q

factors affecting predator prey relationships

A

availability
concealment
movement of predators
they control population size

60
Q

niche

A

functional role of an organism in its community

61
Q

factors affecting human population

A

war
famine
contraception
disease

62
Q

explain war in terms of factors affecting human population

A

increased death, reduces population, followed by baby boom

63
Q

explain famine in terms of factors affecting human population

A

malnutrition and death, reduces population, problems with food distribution

64
Q

explain contraception in terms of factors affecting human population

A

more availability in western countries average family size is decreased

65
Q

explain disease in terms of factors affecting human population

A

nowadays there are more vaccines and improvements in medicine, longer life expectancies less disease related deaths

66
Q

what is the function of nutrient recycling

A

elements can be reused

67
Q

why do elements need to be reused

A

because we have a finite supply of resources of earth

68
Q

nutrient recycling

A

elements exchanging between living and non living components of an ecosystem

69
Q

what are the organisms involved in the carbon cycle

A

plants
Animals
fungi + bacteria

70
Q

what are the processes involved in the carbon cycle

A

photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition

71
Q

what is the role of plants in the carbon cycle

A

remove co2 from environment in photosynthesis return it in respiration

72
Q

what is the role of animals in the carbon cycle

A

obtain carbon from eating plants, release carbon in respiration

73
Q

what is the role of fungi + bacteria in the carbon cycle

A

return carbon to atmosphere when they decompose dead organisms

74
Q

why is the concentration of co2 in the atmosphere increasing

A

burning fossil fuels
destruction of worlds forests
co2 greenhouse gas allows sunrays in but not reflected rays out causing global temp to increase

75
Q

what are the effects of global warming

A

ice caps melting + sea levels rising
altered weather patterns
increasing storm effects
fear of gulf stream reversing its direction

76
Q

function of nitrogen cycle

A

make nitrogen available for use by organisms

77
Q

why do organisms need nitrogen

A

growth and repair
protein

78
Q

draw + label a diagram of the nitrogen cycle

A

nitrogen
in air N2
nitrogen fixation ] n denitrification
nitrogen fixing ] [ denitrifying bacteria
bacteria V [
[ ———————-nitrate in soil NO3- ————–]
[ ]
V nitrites (nitrification) (nitrifying bac)
]
plant ———————decomposition ]
] —————————— ammonia
] n
V ]
animal—————-> urea——————————–

79
Q

explain the nitrogen cycle

A

high temp in lightning breaks bonds of nitrogen gas
nitrogen fixing bacteria found in legumes convert nitrogen gas to nitrates (nitrogen fixation)
nitrates are absorbed and converted to ammonium salts
plants are eaten by animals passing nitrogen to animals
animals excrete urea in urine which is converted to ammonia
ammonia is converted to nitrites by nitrifying bacteria
denitrifying bacteria converts nitrates into nitrogen gas

80
Q

what is the role of nitrogen fixing bacteria

A

convert nitrogen gas to nitrates

81
Q

what is the role of bacteria/fungi of decay in the nitrogen cycle

A

convert protein into nitrogen compounds eg ammonium salts

82
Q

what is the role of nitrifying bacteria

A

convert nitrogen compounds into nitrites and nitrites into nitrates

83
Q

what is the role of denitrifying bacteria

A

converts nitrates in to nitrogen gas

84
Q

pollutionn

A

any harmful addition made by humans to a habitat or the environment that leaves it less able to sustain life

85
Q

what are the 3 areas of pollution

A

industrial pollution
agricultural pollution
domestic pollution

86
Q

pollutants

A

chemicals of human origin that harm the environment

87
Q

what area of pollution did you study

A

agricultural

88
Q

what is the pollutant of agriculture

A

slurry and fertilizer

89
Q

what is the source of the pollutant of agriculture

A

it is washed or leached from land

90
Q

what are the effects of slurry on a farm

A

formation of algal blooms and eutrophication which causes fish to die

91
Q

control measures of spreading slurry on a farm

A

avoid spreading on wet waterlogged or frozen land
or on a steeply sloping hill
or within 1.5 m of any water course

92
Q

how does acid rain form

A

co2 dissolves in rainwater to form carbonic acid
releases other oxides like sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide
sulpher dioxide dissolves in rain water to forms sulphuric acid decreasing the pH of rain forming acid rain

93
Q

what are the impacts of acid rain

A

reduces soil pH
erodes limestone buildings

94
Q

how do we control acid rain

A

reduce the amount of fossil fuels being burnt by switching to a renewable type of energy
usr catalytic converters
in engine exhausts and chimneys of factories

95
Q

conservation

A

the wise management and protection of natural resources and the environment

96
Q

conservation of fish in fisheries

A

the use of small nets can result in too many young fish being caught
by using larger nets to allow the young to escape, they can mature and reproduce keeping populations strong

97
Q

what is waste management

A

is the collection, transportation, processing, recycling or disposal of waste materials produced by human activity in an effort to reduce their effect on human health or local asthetics or amenity

98
Q

what are the problems with waste disposal

A

no space in cities for landfills
toxic fumes from incineration
methane gas released which contributes to the greenhouse effect
harmful substances may leak into groundwater supplies
plants and animals are killed through direct poisoning or eutrophiciation

99
Q

how to minimise waste

A

reduce, reuse, recycle

100
Q

how do we minimise waste on a farm

A

slurry is stored in leak proof pits and only spread on land when it is dry

101
Q

role of microorganisms in waste disposal on landfill sites

A

bacteria break down organic waste

102
Q

role of microorganisms in waste disposal of sewage

A

small amounts of sewage are treated naturally by bacteria in water
large amounts of sewage have to be treated by sewage treatment plants

103
Q

sewage treatment

A

sewage can cause eutrophication of lakes and rivers if released directly into them- this causes fish to die
this is why sewage must be treated

104
Q

what are the 3 stages of sewage treatment

A

primary sewage treatment
secondary ()
tertiary ( )

105
Q

primary sewage treatment

A

physical: screening large objects by flowing sewage through metal grills
sedimentation of sewage where it is stored in tanks and smaller particles such as grit settle out at the bottom producing sludge which is removed

106
Q

secondary sewage treatment

A

biological method : bacteria and fungi are added.
organic matter in sludge and waste water is broken down with the production of methane gas, carbon dioxide and water
at the end of the biological process the waste water is usually treated with chlorine to destroy any remaining microorganisms

107
Q

tertiary sewage treatment

A

chemical method: removal of minerals by addition of chemicals that cause the minerals to precipitate out of the waste water

108
Q

omnivore

A

eats plants and animals

109
Q

herbivore

A

only eats plants

110
Q

carnivore

A

only eats animal

111
Q

where are primary producers found in a pyramid of numbers

A

at the base

112
Q

can a parasite be the first member of a food chain

A

no they are not producers

113
Q

what are the sources of competition among plants

A

water
light
nutrients

114
Q

what are sources of competition among animals

A

mates, water, shelter, food

115
Q

why is it necessary for an organism to possess an adaptation to its habitat

A

to improve an organisms chance at survival

116
Q

what are the 2 types of adaptation

A

structural and behavioral

117
Q

flora

A

plant life present in an ecosystem

118
Q

fauna

A

animal life present in an ecosystem

119
Q

examples of flora in a grassland

A

dandelion
grass
clover
nettles
daisies
dock leaves

120
Q

examples of fauna in grassland

A

ladybird
caterpillars
butterflies
spiders
slugs
beetles

121
Q

methods of identification

A

get an expert to name them for you
use guidebooks, photographs or diagrams
use a key

122
Q

what is a key

A

a means of naming organisms by answering a series of questions with alternative answers

123
Q

adaptations

A

alteration that improves an organisms chance of survival and reproduction

124
Q

give an example of a fauna adaptation, refer to the organism the adaptation and the benefit

A

ladybird
brightly coloured- avoided by predators as birth colours indicate acidic toxins

hawks
sharp talons- catch and kill prey

125
Q

give an example of a flora adaptation, refer to the organism the adaptation and the benefit

A

dandelions
seeds have parachutes- easily dispersed

nettles
stinging cells- produce stinging acid to deter consumers

126
Q

qualitative survey

A

records the presence or absence of organisms in an ecosystem

127
Q

quantitative survey

A

records the numbers or organisms that are present

128
Q

subjective

A

A personal judgement as to the number

129
Q

objective

A

an independent method of calculating numbers is used

130
Q

what is the importance of carrying out quantitative and qualitative surveys

A
  • gives an insight into the numbers of a species in an ecosystem as a baseline and later used as a comparison
  • detects changes in population numbers which can be linked to pollution levels
  • insight into the relationship between different organisms and how their populations depend on each other
131
Q

what can be used to present info gathered

A

tables, pie charts, graphs, diagrams, histograms ect.

132
Q

sources of error in an ecosystem

A

human error- mistakes in measuring or recording

changing conditions- both natural ie seasons or artificial ie pollution

accidental discoveries

sample size

LC Biology (34 decks)

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