Ecology Flashcards
What are the seven signs of life?
Movement, Respiration, Sensing, Growth, Reproduction, Excretion, Nutrition (MRS GREN)
Where does most of the energy for life come from?
The Sun
Which reaction is used by most producers to store energy?
Photosynthesis
True or false: all living things carry out respiration
True
Where in the cell does aerobic respiration occur?
Mitochondria
Where in the cell does anaerobic respiration occur?
Cytoplasm
What is the word equation for photosynthesis?
Carbon dioxide + Water –> Glucose + Oxygen
What is the word equation for aerobic respiration?
Glucose + Oxygen –> Carbon dioxide + Water
What is the purpose of respiration?
Provides energy for other life processes
What is the name for the polymer made from glucose that is used to store energy?
Starch
What is the chemical test for starch?
Iodine solution turns black
Name two enzymes that break down starch
Amylase, Carbohydrase
A polymer is a large chemical made up of repeat units with what name?
Monomers
Which part of a plant typically has the most starch?
The root (or tuber)
In a food chain, what do the arrows represent?
The transfer of energy
Define a producer
An organism that produces its own nutrients
Define a consumer
An organism that gets its nutrients from other organisms
Define a herbivore
An organism adapted to consume plants
Define a carnivore
An organism adapted to consume animals
Define a predator
An animal that hunts other animals
Define a prey
An animal that is hunted by other animals
Define a top (Apex) predator
An organism at the end of the food chain, which has no natural predators
What is the technical term for each layer of a food chain / web?
A trophic level
If the number of prey species decrease, what is likely to happen to their predators?
After a delay, the predator species will also decline
What is the name for a graph showing the population in each level of a food chain?
Pyramid of numbers
What is the name for a graph showing the size of organism in each level of a food chain?
Pyramid of biomass
Name the process by which a chemical can increase in concentration higher up a food chain
Bioaccumulation
Give an example of a pesticide
DDT
What is the name for the female reproductive system in a plant?
Carpel
What is the name for the male reproductive system in a plant?
Stamen
List the three components of the female reproductive system in a plant
Stigma, style, ovary
List the two components of the male reproductive system in a plant
Anther, filament
What is the purpose of a petal?
To attract pollinating species
What is the purpose of a sepal?
Protecting the flower until it blooms, and then supporting the flowerhead
Name the male gamete in a plant
Pollen
Name the female gamete in a plant
Ovules
After fertilisation, what does the ovule become?
Zygote, then embryo, then a seed.
After fertilisation, what does the ovary become?
Fruit
What is the risk caused by having adjacent male and female reproductive organs?
Self-pollination
How do plants avoid pollinating their own flowers?
Either having separate male and female flowers, or having the male and female organs develop at different times.
Name the two types of plant fertilisation
Insect pollination or wind pollination
A brightly coloured flower is likely to be fertilised by?
Insects
A flower with large fluffy parts is likely to be fertilised by?
Wind
Asexual reproduction produces offspring identical to the parents. What are these called?
Clones
List the main methods of seed dispersal
Wind, Animal (external), Animal (internal), Water, Explosive
Characteristics that can be inherited must be controlled by what?
DNA (genetics)
The largest groups for classifying organisms are?
Domains
Define a species
A group of organisms capable of producing fertile offspring
What is the name for the infertile offspring of two similar species?
Hybrid (e.g. mule, liger, tigon)
What is the name for the way in which an organism is suited to its habitat?
Adaptation