Ecology

Question 1

population

Answer 1

A group of individuals of the same species

Question 2

community

Answer 2

populations of different species living together

Question 3

habitat

Answer 3

the natural place an organism lives

Question 4

ecosystem

Answer 4

all species, populations, habitats and communities living together

Question 5

Biodiversity

Answer 5

The range and variety of living organisms within an ecosystem

Question 6

What are Qaudrats used for?

Answer 6

you can use a qaudrat to find out about animals in a sample area

Question 7

What are biotic factors in an ecosystem?

Answer 7

biotic factors are about how organisms affect each other or interact with each other e.g food

Question 8

Give three examples of biotic factors in an ecosystem

Answer 8

-Resources
-water
-food

Question 9

What are abiotic factors in an ecosystem?

Answer 9

abiotic factors are the physical and chemical (non-living) components in an ecosystem e.g temperature

Question 10

Give three abiotic factors in an ecosystem

Answer 10

-PH (lakes with low PH often lack fish populations)

• soil (sandy loose soil does not hold water and is low in nutrients)
• gases (low levels of oxygen in polluted rivers and muddy soil)

Question 11

Give two examples of decomposers

Answer 11

fungi and bacteria

Question 12

What are the organisms in the first trophic level called?

Answer 12

producers

Question 13

How much energy (roughly) is passed on between each trophic level?

Answer 13

10%

Question 14

What are organisms in the second trophic level called?

Answer 14

primary consumer

Question 15

what are organisms in the third trophic level called?

Answer 15

secondary consumer

Question 16

what are organisms in the last trophic level called?

Answer 16

Tertiary consumers

Question 17

Why is the energy passed on between trophic levels so low?

Answer 17

because lots of energy is lost through metabolic processes as heat. e.g growth, movement, excretion, urination

also the predator may not eat all of the prey

Question 18

Equation for biomass?

Answer 18

Efficiency= amount of biomass trasnferred/amount of biomass available x 10

Question 19

biomass

Answer 19

the mass of living organisms

Question 20

Processes in the carbon cycle?

Answer 20

Respiration, Photosynthesis, Decomposition, Combustion

Question 21

processes in the nitrogen cycle?

Answer 21

Nitrogen fixing bacteria, decomposition, nitrifying bacteria, denitrifying bacteria,

Question 22

What are nitrogen-fixing bacteria?

Answer 22

these bacteria are able to convert nitrogen gas into nitrogen compounds that plants can use to make amino acids and proteins.

Question 23

What are decomposers?

Answer 23

When living organisms die, the cells begin to be broken down (decompose). this process is carried out by microorganisms like bacteria and fungi

Question 24

What are nitrifying bacteria?

Answer 24

These bacteria are found in the soil. they convert ammonium ions to nitrites, and then nitrites to nitrates.

Question 25

What are denitrifying bacteria?

Answer 25

These bacteria can convert nitrates in the soil back into nitrogen gas which goes back in the air.

Question 26

What happens during the nitrogen cycle?

Answer 26

Nitrogen in the air is converted into nitrates in the soil. the nitrate ions are then taken by plants and converted into amino acids which are then built into proteins.

Question 27

What is respiration?

Answer 27

all living organisms respire. the processs releases energy and carbon dioxide gas into the air .

Question 28

What is photosynthesis?

Answer 28

process of plants making their own food by taking in carbon dioxide from the air and energy from the sun

Question 29

What is combustion?

Answer 29

burning fossil fuels