Ecology Flashcards
Ecology
The study of living things and how they interact with each other and their environment
Environment
All the conditions in which the organism lives, which affect the growth and development of an organism
Ecosystem
A community of organism interacting with each other and their environment
Habitat
The particular place in an ecosystem where an organism lives and has adapted to
Biosphere
The part of the earth where living organisms are found
How is Carbon removed from the atmosphere
Photosynthese
How is carbon added to the atmosphere
Respiration and decay
Nutrient recycling
The way in which elements are continuously broken down and reused by organisms in an ecosystem
Biotic factors
Living factors that affect an organism
Abiotic factors
Non living affecting organisms
Climatic factors
The average weather conditions affecting an organism
Edaphic factors
Factors that affect soil
What is the primary source of energy for our planet
The sun
Food chain
A diagram that shows how energy is passed through a serious of organisms
Tropic level
The position of an organism in a food chain
Food web
A series of interconnected food chains
How much energy is lost at each trophic level
90%
4 trophic level food chain
Sunflower~>Snail~>Frog~>Fox
Limitations of a pyramid of numbers
•Doesn’t account for the size of each organism in pyramid of numbers
Niche
Functional role of an organism in an ecosystem
Pollution
Any harmful addition to the enviromemt
Pollutant
a chemical of human origin that causes harm to the environment
What are the different types of pollution
Industrial
Agricultural
Domestic
Water
An example of an inverted pyramid of numbers
[ Ladybirds ]
[ Aphids ]
[oak tree]
Predation
The catching, killing and eating of an organism
Predator
An animal that catches, kills and eats another organism
Prey
An animal that is caught, killed and eaten by the predator
Positives of predation
•Stabilizes the community numbers
•Control the number of herbivores so no overgrazing
•Predators eliminate the weaker prey
Adaptations of Predators
Hawks have excellent eye sight for catching prey
Adaptations of prey
Rabbits have excellent hearing so they can identity when a predator is near
Symbiosis
Where 2 organisms live in close association where at least 1 benefits
Parasitism
When 2 organisms live in close association and 1 benefits from the hosts existence
Population
A group of organism of the same species
Competition
The active struggle or fight between organisms of the same or different special for rescources that are limited
Contest competition
An active physical confrontation between 2 organisms with one clear winner
Scramble competition
When 2 or more organisms all have access to the recourse
4 factors affecting human population
•Famine
•War
•Contraception
•Disease
