Ecology Flashcards
Ecology
The study of how organisms interact with their environment and eachother
Habitat
The place which an organism lives
Ecosystems
The interacting living and non living components of an environment
Biosphere
The part of the earth inhabited by living organisms
Environmental factors affecting living things
Biotic and abiotic
Biotic factors
The external influences on an organism by other living organisms
Abiotic factors
The external influences on an organism by the non living components of it’s environment
Examples of biotic factors
Food organisms, parasites, competition
Examples of abiotic factors
Edaphic ,climatic ,aquatic
Producer
An organism that makes its own food from inorganic material using photosynthesis or chemosynthesis
Consumer
An organism that cannot make its own food , but instead eats it ,heterotrophs
Energy flow and food(food chain)
Comes from the sun , photosynthesis , consumers eat and then get eaten by next
Food Chain
A series of species in which each one is food for the next
Trophic level
The position of an organism in the food chain
Pyramid of numbers
A chart showing the number of organisms at each tropic level in a food chain
Disadvantages of a pyramid of numbers
Don’t take size into account , amount of the organism isn’t taken accurately
Ecological niche
The functional role of the organism in the habitat or community
Ecological relationships
Competition , predation , symbiosis
Competition
When two organisms fight for a resource in scarce supply
Predation
Predator feeds on prey
Examples of symbiosis
Parasitism , commensalism ,mutualism
Ecological relationships
Factors that control population
Symbiosis
2 different species living together when at least one benefits
Parasitism
One organism benefits but one is harmed
Commensalism
One benefits the other isn’t affected mutualism
Mutualism
Both organisms benefit
Competition
The struggle between organisms for resources in limited supply
Contest competition
Somebody wins
Inter specific competition
Different species
Intra specific competition
Same species
Scramble competition
All competing organisms gain some of a resource
Contest competition
Somebody wins
Predation
The catching and killing of an animal for food
Roles of competition
Population control , natural selection
Predator adaptations
Camouflage, migration
Prey adaptations
Thorns , round eyes on side of head
Factors controlling population
C.P.P.S
Population
a group of the same organism species living together in the same habitat
(role) Nutrient recycling
Ensures there is no long term drain of nutrients through different cycles
Pollution
Any harmful addition to the environment, it is caused by pollutants
Eutrophication
Addition of nutrients (nitrates and phosphate) to freshwater causing algal bloom
Flora
Flowers
Fauna
Animals
An adaption
Any alteration that improves an organims chances of survival and reproduction
Nitrogen fixation
Conversion of atmospheric nitrogen to nitrate/ ammonia for protein
Nitrification
Conversion of ammonia and ammonium to nitrites and nitrates
Denitrification
Conversion of nitrates to nitrogen gas
