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Biology > Ecology > Flashcards

Ecology Flashcards

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

1
Q

Habitat

A

The place where an organism lives.

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2
Q

Population

A

All the organisms of one species living in a habitat.

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3
Q

Community

A

The populations of different species living in a habitat.

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4
Q

Abiotic factors

A

Non-living factors of the environment.

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5
Q

Biotic factors

A

Living factors of the environment.

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6
Q

Ecosystem

A

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

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7
Q

Competition

A

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

Animals compete or food, mates, and territory.

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8
Q

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

A

-To survive

-To reproduce

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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.

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10
Q

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

A

-food
-shelter
-pollination
-seed dispersal

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11
Q

What makes an ecosystem interdependent?

A

Different species depending on each other within a community.

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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.

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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.

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14
Q

What are the different levels of organisation in an ecosystem?

A

-Individual organisms (plants/animals)

-Populations

-Communities

-Ecosystems

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15
Q

Give an example of a stable community.

A

-Tropical rainforests

-Ancient oak woodlands

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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.

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17
Q

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

A

Less food so population will decrease.

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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.

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19
Q

How can feeding relationships within a community be represented?

A

-food chains

-food webs

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20
Q

What do food chains begin with?

A

A producer which synthesises molecules.

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21
Q

What are producers? (usually)

A

Green plant and algae which make glucose by photosynthesis.

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22
Q

What are the producers of biomass for life on Earth?

A

Photosynthetic organisms.

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23
Q

Predators

A

Consumers that kill and eat other animals.

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24
Q

Prey

A

Consumers which are eaten by predators.

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25
Q

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

A

The numbers rise and fall in cycles.

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26
Q

When asked to describe data, what must we do?

A

Be explicit and say what we see.

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27
Q

What are producers eaten by?

A

Primary consumers

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28
Q

What are primary consumers eaten by?

A

Secondary consumers

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29
Q

What are secondary consumers eaten by?

A

Tertiary consumers.

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30
Q

What can food chains be divided into?

A

Trophic levels.

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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.

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32
Q

Trophic level 1

A

Producers - Plants and algae that make their own food.

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33
Q

Trophic level 2

A

Primary consumers - Herbivores that eat plants/algae.

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34
Q

Trophic level 3

A

Secondary consumers - Carnivores that eat herbivores.

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35
Q

Trophic level 4

A

Tertiary consumers - Carnivores that eat other carnivores.

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36
Q

What are apex predators?

A

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

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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.

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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.

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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)
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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.

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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).

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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

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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

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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.
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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.

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46
Q

Adaptations

A

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

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47
Q

What are the three types of adaptation?

A

-Structural

-Functional

-Behavioural

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48
Q

What is a structural adaptation?

A

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

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49
Q

What is a behavioural adaptation?

A

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

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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.

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51
Q

Extremophiles

A

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

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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

70
Q

Why are predator-prey cycles always ‘out of phase’ with each other?

A

It takes a while for one population to respond to changes in the other population.

e.g. if the number of rabbits goes up the number of foxes doesn’t immediately, because because it takes time for them to reproduce.

71
Q

What is a good ecology word?

A

Predation

72
Q

Abundance

A

How many organisms there are.

73
Q

Distribution

A

Where organisms are.

74
Q

What is meant by sampling and why is it important?

A

Only counting a subset of the organisms in a habitat.

This is done because else it would be impossible or very difficult and time consuming, to count all the organisms.

75
Q

What is a transect?

A

A line through a habitat along which organisms are sampled.

76
Q

Interdependence

A

Within a community each species depends on other species for food, shelter, pollination, etc.

77
Q

Ecosystem

A

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

78
Q

Individual

A

Single organism

79
Q

Adaptations

A

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

80
Q

Biodiversity

A

The variety of all the different species of organisms in an ecosystem.

81
Q

Use of random quadrat sampling

A

Used to count total number of organisms in an area.

82
Q

Random quadrat sampling method

A

randomly place quadrat (to avoid bias) and count organisms

-repeat 10 times and calculate a mean

-work out area of field and area of quadrat

-calculate total organisms by multiplying mean by number of quadrats that could fit in field

83
Q

Use of transect line

A

Used to see pattern of organisms e.g. through a forest/across a river

84
Q

Transect line method

A

-Place a transect line using a 30m tape measure

-Place the quadrat at 0m and count organisms. Record distance and organism number in table

-Move quadrat to 5m and repeat, moving 5m each time

-plot a graph to see pattern of results

85
Q

Many different _________ cycle through the abiotic and ______ components of an _________.

A

materials
biotic
ecosystem

86
Q

Explain the importance of the carbon cycle to living organisms.

A

The carbon cycle returns carbon from organisms to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide to be used by plants in photosynthesis.

Biomass - glucose (needed for respiration) contains Carbon.

87
Q

Explain the importance of the water cycle to living organisms.

A

The water cycle provides fresh water for plants and animals on land before draining into the seas.

Water is continuously evaporated and precipitated.

88
Q

Why are materials in the living world recycled?

A

All materials in the living world are recycled to provide the building blocks for future organisms.

89
Q

Explain the role of microorganisms in cycling materials through an ecosystem.

A

They return carbon to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide and mineral ions to the soil.

90
Q

There are links with the water cycle to GCSE Chemistry…

A

…The Earth’s early atmosphere.

91
Q

What’s it called when water penetrates the ground?

A

Percolation

92
Q

Describe what happens in the carbon cycle.

Step 1

A

1- CO₂ is removed from the atmosphere by green plants and algae during photosynthesis. This carbon is turned into glucose, which can be turned into carbohydrates, fats, and proteins which make up the organisms.

93
Q

Describe what happens in the carbon cycle.

Steps 2-3

A

2-When the plants and algae respire, some carbon is returned to the atmosphere as CO₂.

3- When the plants and algae are eaten by animals, some carbon becomes part of the fats and proteins in their bodies. The carbon then moves through the food chain.

94
Q

Describe what happens in the carbon cycle.

Steps 4-6

A

4- When the animals respire, some carbon is returned to the atmosphere as CO₂.

5- When plants, algae, and animals die, other animals (called detritus feeders) and microorganisms feed on their remains. When these organisms respire, CO₂ is returned to the atmosphere.

6- Animals also produce waste (which is broken down by detritus feeders and microorganisms.

95
Q

Describe what happens in the carbon cycle.

Steps 7-8

A

7- The combustion (burning of fuels including wood) also releases CO₂ back into the air.

8- So the carbon (and energy) is constantly being cycled - from the air, through food chains (via plants, algae and animals, detritus feeders and microorganisms), and eventually back into the air again.

96
Q

Students should be able to evaluate the impact of environmental changes on the distribution of species in an ecosystem given

A

appropriate information.

97
Q

Environmental changes affect the distribution of species in an ecosystem. (where they live)
These changes include what?

A

-temperature
-availability of water
-composition of atmospheric gases

The changes may be seasonal, geographic or caused by human interaction (e.g. global warming).

98
Q

Give an example of how temperature effects the distribution of species in an ecosystem.

A

The distribution of bird species in Germany is changing as a result of rising temperature.

99
Q

Give an example of how water availability affects the distribution of species in an ecosystem.

A

As rainfall patterns change, many species migrate to and from the tropics between the wet and dry seasons, e.g. wildebeest.

100
Q

Give an example of how changes in the concentration of atmospheric gases affects the distribution of species in an ecosystem.

A

Where there is more air pollution, some species can no longer survive e.g. come species of lichen can’t grow in areas where sulfur dioxide is given out by certain industrial processes.

101
Q

Why do microorganisms break down plant/animal material and waste?

A

To get energy

102
Q

What are the factors that affect the rate of decay?

A

-Temperature
-Water
-Oxygen availability
-(Number of decay organisms)

103
Q

Explain how temperature affects the rate of decay of biological material.

A

Warmer temperatures increase the rate that the enzymes involves in decomposition work at, so the rate of decay increases.

104
Q

Explain how water affects the rate of decay of biological material.

A

The organisms involved in decay need water for water to carry out biological processes, therefore the rate of decay increases in moist environments.

105
Q

Explain how oxygen availability affects the rate of decay of biological material.

A

Many of the organisms involved in decay do so aerobically (with oxygen).

They need oxygen to respire to release the energy needed for survival and to break down the biological material.

So, if more oxygen is available, the rate of decay is faster.

106
Q

Decomposition

A

The process by which dead organic matter is broken down into simpler organic or inorganic substances, such as carbon dioxide, water, simple sugars, and minerals.

107
Q

What groups of organisms carry out decomposition?

A

-Detritus feeders (small animals like worms and woodlice that feed on dead organic matter aka. detritivores)

-Decomposers (microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi)

108
Q

Gardeners and farmers try to provide optimum conditions for rapid decay of waste biological material. Why?

A

To make compost.

109
Q

Compost

A

Decayed organic matter (e.g. food waste).

It is used as a natural fertiliser for growing garden plants or crops.

110
Q

What can biogas generators be used for?

A

To produce methane gas which can be burned as a fuel.

111
Q

How is biogas made?

A

By the anaerobic decay of waste material:

-Different microorganisms decay plant and animal waste anaerobically (without oxygen)

-This type of decay produces methane gas (a type of biogas)

-Sludge waste from e.g. sewage works or sugar factories is used to make biogas on a large scale

-It is made in a simple generator called a digester/generator

112
Q

Why do biogas generators need to be kept at a constant temperature?

A

So organisms can continue to respire.

113
Q

What needs to happen to biogas - because it can’t be stored as a liquid?

A

It must be used straight away - for heating, cooking, lighting, or to power a turbine to generate electricity.

114
Q

Why can’t biogas be stored as a liquid?

A

It needs too high a pressure.

115
Q

What are the main 2 types of biogas generator?

A

-Batch generators
-Continuous generators

116
Q

What do both batch and continuous generators need to have?

A

-An inlet for waste material to be put in
-An outlet for digested material to be put through
-An outlet so the biogas can be piped to where it’s needed

117
Q

Batch vs continuous biomass generators

A

Batch - make biogas in small quantities, are manually loaded up with waste, products are cleared away at end of each session

Continuous - make biogas all the time so waste is continually fed in, biogas is produced at a steady rate (better for large scale biogas projects)

118
Q

What is the purpose of using a random sampling method in a field investigation?

A

to avoid bias in sample selection

119
Q

What IS a quadrat?

A

A square frame enclosing a known area e.g. 1m²

120
Q

How de we estimate % cover

A

Count the number of little squares covered by organisms.

121
Q

Explain HOW decomposers break down dead plant and animal matter.

A

-They secrete enzymes into the environment

-The enzymes break down dead material

-Small soluble food molecules then diffuse into the microorganism.

122
Q

What do pyramids of biomass show?

A

The relative amount of biomass in each level of a food chain.

Trophic level 1 is at the bottom of the pyramid.

(You need to be able to construct these - use numbers to draw a scale and label each bar!)

123
Q

Explain how biomass is lost between the different trophic levels.

A

-Not all of the ingested material is absorbed, some is egested as faeces

-Some absorbed material is lost as waste, such as carbon dioxide and water in respiration and water and urea in urine.

-Large amounts of glucose are used in respiration e.g. to provide energy for movement and keeping warm

124
Q

How much of the incident energy from light do producers transfer for photosynthesis?

A

About 1%

125
Q

How much of the biomass from each trophic level is transferred to the level above it?

A

Approximately 10%

126
Q

How do we calculate the efficiency of biomass transfer between trophic levels?

A

[biomass transferred to the next level ÷ biomass available at the previous level ] x 100

127
Q

How do we calculate biomass lost at each level?

A

Biomass at previous level - biomass at new level

128
Q

Explain how energy loss affects the number of organisms at each trophic level.

A

Fewer biomass is available as trophic levels increase so the number of organisms decreases.

Except large producers like trees that have a big biomass (& lots of leaves for photosynthesis)

129
Q

What is bioaccumulation?

A

The build up of toxic chemicals in a food chain.

The effect is much greater on organisms at the top of the food chain.

Biology (18 decks)

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