Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Biology > Ecology > Flashcards

Ecology Flashcards

All about organisms, the environment they live in, and how the two interact.

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
AP® Biology flashcards Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

Habitat

A

The place where an organism lives.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Population

A

All the organisms of one species living in a habitat.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Community

A

The populations of different species living in a habitat.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Abiotic factors

A

Non-living factors of the environment.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Biotic factors

A

Living factors of the environment.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Ecosystem

A

The interaction of a community of living organisms (biotic) with the non-living (abiotic) parts of their environment.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Competition

A

Plants compete for light, space, water, and mineral ions.

Animals compete or food, mates, and territory.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Why do organisms need resources from the environment/ surroundings and from other organisms?

A

-To survive

-To reproduce

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is a stable community?

A

A community where all the species and environmental factors are in
balance so that population sizes remain fairly constant.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What things may different species depend on each other for within a community?

A

-food
-shelter
-pollination
-seed dispersal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What makes an ecosystem interdependent?

A

Different species depending on each other within a community.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

In an interdependent ecosystem, what happens if a major change in the ecosystem occurs? (e.g. the removal of one species)

A

The affects can be far-reaching, affecting the whole community.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Why is it a problem that food webs are complex?

A

Knock-on effects of a change to one part of the ecosystem can be difficult to predict accurately.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What are the different levels of organisation in an ecosystem?

A

-Individual organisms (plants/animals)

-Populations

-Communities

-Ecosystems

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Give an example of a stable community.

A

-Tropical rainforests

-Ancient oak woodlands

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What would the loss of a primary consumer mean for other primary consumers?

A

Less competition for producers (name a specific one), so population will increase. (initially).

But also more likely to be eaten by predators so population will decrease.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What would the loss of a primary consumer mean for secondary consumers?

A

Less food so population will decrease.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What would the loss of a primary consumer mean for tertiary consumers?

A

Less food (if pops of secondary consumers decrease [name them]) so population will decrease.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

How can feeding relationships within a community be represented?

A

-food chains

-food webs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What do food chains begin with?

A

A producer which synthesises molecules.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What are producers? (usually)

A

Green plant and algae which make glucose by photosynthesis.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What are the producers of biomass for life on Earth?

A

Photosynthetic organisms.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Predators

A

Consumers that kill and eat other animals.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Prey

A

Consumers which are eaten by predators.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

In a stable community, what happens to the numbers of predators and prey?

A

The numbers rise and fall in cycles.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

When asked to describe data, what must we do?

A

Be explicit and say what we see.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

What are producers eaten by?

A

Primary consumers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

What are primary consumers eaten by?

A

Secondary consumers

29
Q

What are secondary consumers eaten by?

A

Tertiary consumers.

30
Q

What can food chains be divided into?

A

Trophic levels.

31
Q

What can trophic levels be represented by?

A

Numbers, starting at level 1 with
plants and algae.

Further trophic levels are numbered subsequently according to how far the organism is along the food chain.

32
Q

Trophic level 1

A

Producers - Plants and algae that make their own food.

33
Q

Trophic level 2

A

Primary consumers - Herbivores that eat plants/algae.

34
Q

Trophic level 3

A

Secondary consumers - Carnivores that eat herbivores.

35
Q

Trophic level 4

A

Tertiary consumers - Carnivores that eat other carnivores.

36
Q

What are apex predators?

A

Carnivores with no predators (aka. organisms at the top of a food chain).

37
Q

What are trophic levels?

A

The different stages of a food chain, consisting of one or more organisms that perform a specific role in it.

38
Q

Why are there usually only four or five trophic levels in a food chain?

A

A lot of energy is lost from the food chain at each trophic level.

39
Q

List the abiotic factors which can affect a community.

A
  • light intensity
  • temperature
  • moisture levels
  • soil pH and mineral content
  • wind intensity and direction
  • carbon dioxide levels (for plants)
  • oxygen levels (for aquatic animals)
40
Q

What can cause a change in the environment?

A

-An increase or decrease in an abiotic factor e.g. an increase in temperature

-The introduction of a new biotic factor e.g. a new predator or pathogen.

41
Q

What can changes in the environment affect?

A

-The size of populations in a community.

-This means that they can also affect the population sizes of other organisms that depend on them (abiotic).

-They have knock-on effects because of interdependence (biotic).

42
Q

What is the effect of a decrease in light intensity, temperature, or carbon dioxide?

A

-Decreases the rate of photosynthesis in plant species

-This affects plant growth and could cause a decrease in the population size

-Animal species which depend on the plants for food may also be affected

43
Q

What is the effect of a decrease in the mineral content of the soil? (e.g. a lack of nitrates)

A

-Causes nutrient deficiencies

-This affects plant growth and could cause a decrease in the population size

-Animal species which depend on the plants for food may also be affected

44
Q

List the biotic factors which can affect a community.

A
  • availability of food
  • new predators arriving
  • new pathogens
  • competition - one species outcompeting another so the numbers are too low to breed.
45
Q

Why is the population of red squirrels decreasing?

A

Red and Grey squirrels live in the same habitat and eat the same food.

Grey squirrels outcompete the red squirrels.

46
Q

Adaptations

A

A feature an organism has that allows it to survive in its ecosystem.

47
Q

What are the three types of adaptation?

A

-Structural

-Functional

-Behavioural

48
Q

What is a structural adaptation?

A

Features of an organism’s body structure that allows it to survive in it’s ecosystem.

49
Q

What is a behavioural adaptation?

A

Ways that an organism behaves that allows it to survive in it’s ecosystem.

50
Q

What is a functional adaptation?

A

Things that go on inside an organism’s body related to processes like reproduction and metabolism that allows it to survive in it’s ecosystem.

51
Q

Extremophiles

A

Organisms that live in environments that are very extreme, such as
at high temperature, pressure, or salt concentration.

52
Q

Give an example of extremophiles

A

Bacteria living in deep sea vents (high pressure and salty)

53
Q

What do we consider a large surface area to volume ratio?

A

If there is a big difference between surface area and volume.

54
Q

What do we consider a small surface area to volume ratio?

A

If there is a small difference between surface area and volume.

55
Q

What type of surface to volume ratio do animals living in hot climates have?

A

Large.

56
Q

What type of surface to volume ratio do animals living in hot climates have?

A

Small.

57
Q

Structural adaptations of animals in dry conditions

A

-Large ears

-Long legs

-A thin layer of fat (so not insulated)

-A large surface area to volume ratio

-All of the above to increase heat loss by radiation

58
Q

Functional adaptations of animals in dry conditions

A

-Produce little sweat to conserve water

-Small amount of concentrated urine

59
Q

What is essential to talk about - adaptations?

A

(Increased) surface area to volume ratio.

Heat loss

60
Q

Give examples of behavioural adaptations.

A

-Nocturnal to reduce water loss/avoid predators/effective hunting

-Migration to warmer climates (South) in the winter

61
Q

Structural adaptations of animals in cold climates.

A

-Thick layer of blubber for insulation reducing heat loss

-A low surface area to volume ratio to conserve heat

62
Q

Functional adaptations of animals in cold climates.

A

-Hibernation in winter lowering metabolism which conserves energy and prevents e.g. brown bears hunting when there’s not much food available.

63
Q

Adaptations of plants in dry climates

A

-Small leaves or spines to reduce surface area so less water is lost b y evaporation

-Long roots to absorb water from deep underground

-Waxy cuticle to reduce water loss by evaporation

64
Q

Adaptations of plants in cold climates

A

-Become dormant in winter when there isn’t enough light for photosynthesis conserving water

-Low lying to protect from cold winds

65
Q

Where does the energy for all biomass on earth come from?

A

The sun

66
Q

When a green plant produces glucose, some of it is used to…

A

…make other biological molecules in the plant.

These biological molecules are the plant’s biomass.

67
Q

What is biomass in simple terms?

A

-The mass of living material

-Can be thought of as the energy stored in an organism

68
Q

How is energy transferred through living organisms in an ecosystem?

A

Organisms eating other organisms.

69
Q

How do ecologists determine the distribution and abundance of species in an ecosystem?

A

By using a range of experimental methods using transects and quadrats

Biology (18 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions