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Ecology Flashcards

1
Q

Define ecology

A

Ecology is the study of how living things interact with each other and their environment

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2
Q

Define biosphere

A

The biosphere is the part of the planet and atmosphere where living things can exist

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3
Q

What is the environment

A

The environment is all external factors that can affect an organisms growth and development

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4
Q

Define ecosystem

A

An ecosystem is a group of clearly distinguished organisms that interact with their environment as a unit

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5
Q

Define habitat

A

Is a place where a plant or animal lives

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6
Q

Define population

A

Population is a group of organisms of the same species living in an area

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7
Q

Define abiotic factors

A

Non living factors affecting organisms

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8
Q

Define community

A

Is all the different populations in an rea

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8
Q

Define biotic factors

A

Living factors affecting organisms

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9
Q

Define edaphic factors

A

relates to soil

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9
Q

Climatic factors

A

Refer to the weather over a long period of time

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10
Q

What do abiotic factors include?

A

Steepness, altitude, exposure, aspects and currents

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11
Q

What do biotic factors include?

A

Predation, parasitism, predation, competition, human intervention, speed dispersal and symbiosis

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12
Q

What do edaphic factors include?

A

Soil ph, soil type, soil moisture content, and soil mineral content

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13
Q

What do climatic factors include?

A

Temperature, humidity, rainfall, light intensity, wind speed and day length

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14
Q

What are producers?

A

An organism that makes its own food

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15
Q

What are consumers?

A

These are organisms that take in food from other organisms

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16
Q

Order of food chain

A

Producer- Primary Consumer- Secondary Consumer- Tertiary Consumer

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17
Q

Define food chain

A

Is a sequence of organisms in which one is eaten by the next member in the food chain

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18
Q

Define Trophic level

A

Is the position of an organism in a food chain

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19
Q

Factors influencing aquatic environments

A

Salt conc, currents, light penetration, ph, oxygen conc and wave actions

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20
Q

What do ecosystems need a constant supply of?

A

Energy

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21
Q

How much energy is lost at each trophic level?

A

Roughly 90%

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22
Q

Why does a food chain end?

A

After usually the 4th trophic level there would be very little energy left to gain so by hunting the organism would actually use more energy than gain from eating the prey so the energy transfer limit the length of a food chain

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23
Define food web
A food web consists of two or more interlinked food chains
24
Define pyramid of number
A pyramid of number represents the number of organisms at each trophic level
25
Define niche
Niche is the functional role of an organism in an ecosystem
26
What are an organisms niche ? i.e functional role
- What it eats - What it is eaten by - How it interacts with other organisms and its environment
27
What happens if two species of the same niche live in the same habitat?
They will not survive as they would compete
28
Define nutrient recycling
Nutrient recycling is the way in which elements are exchanged between living and non living components of an ecosystem
29
What is the carbon cycle?
The carbon cycle is the process by which carbon is exchanged between living organisms and the environment
30
What is the role of plants in the carbon cycle?
Plants absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and return it during respiration
31
What is the role of bacteria and fungi in the carbon cycle?
Bacteria and fungi decompose plants and animals returning carbon back to the environment
32
What is the role of animals in the carbon cycle?
Animals take in carbon from eating plant and return it to the atmosphere by respiration
33
What is the nitrogen cycle?
The nitrogen cycle is the process by which nitrogen is exchanged between living organisms and the environment
34
Why do living things need nitrogen?
To produce DNA and proteins
35
What is nitrogen fixation?
It is the conversion of nitrogen gas into ammonia, ammonium and nitrate
36
What is nitrification?
It is the conversion of ammonia and ammonium compounds into nitrite and then nitrate
37
What is denitrification?
It is the conversion of nitrates into nitrogen gas
38
What is the role of nitrogen fixing bacteria in the nitrogen cycle?
converting nitrogen gas into nitrates
39
What is the role of bacteria of decay in the nitrogen cycle?
Converting dead organic matter into ammonia
40
What is the role of nitrifying bacteria in the nitrogen cycle?
Converting nitrogen gas into nitrates
41
What is the role of denitrifying bacteria in the nitrogen cycle?
Converting nitrates into nitrogen gas
42
What is the role of fungi in the nitrogen cycle?
Converting dead organic matter into ammonia in the soil
43
What is the role of plants in the nitrogen cycle?
Converting nitrates from soil into protein
44
What is the role of animals in the nitrogen cycle?
Converting plant protein to animal protein
45
Define pollution
Pollution is any harmful addition to the environment
46
Define pollutants
Pollutants are harmful additions to the environment
47
What is ozone deletion caused by?
Chemical pollutants such as CFC's used in aerosols and agricultural sprays
48
What does ozone depletion cause?
- Skin cancer - More UV light penetrating to earth -Crop damage
49
Controls for ozone depletion
-Reduction in the use of CFC's -Removing CFC's in fridges prior to dumping - Plant more trees
50
Define conservation
Conservation is the wise management of existing natural resources in an ecosystem
51
What are the benefits of conservation?
- Maintain biodiversity - Prevents organisms from becoming extinct - Maintains a balance in nature - Organisms can be useful in the future
52
What are the conservation practices in fisheries?
- Fixed net size - Fishing quotas - Fish restocking
53
What is the waste management for agriculture?
Waste =slurry Prevented= storing in leak proof and waterproof tanks Reduced= By spreading on the land during a dry season
54
What is the waste management for forestry?
Waste= branches, roots, stumps and sawdust Prevented= Allowing materials to naturally decompose into the ground Recycled= Can be used to form sheets of MDF
55
What is the waste management for fisheries?
Waste= Fish heads, tails, fins and blood Prevented= Waste is highly acidic so is neutralised by formic acid Reduced= Pulped and dried for either pig feed or fertiliser
56
Problems with waste disposal
- Incinerators release toxic fumes - Landfill sites are smelly - Micro-organisms in waste can cause disease - Eutrophication kills fish
57
What is the role of micro-organisms at a landfill site?
To convert waste to soil by decomposing biodegradable waste
58
What is the role of micro-organisms at a sewage site?
Break down sewage in enclosed tanks and liquid waste in open tanks
59
How do we control waste production?
Reduce, reuse and recycle
60
What is community
All different populations in an area
61
What is contest competition
Active physical struggle between different organisms. Produce one winner and one loser.
62
What is predation
The catching, killing and eating of another organism for food
63
what is symbiosis
relationahio between Two organisms from different species that live in close association, where at least one of them benefits.
64
what are two types of symbiosis
Mutalisim- is where both organisms benefit from living in close association to one and other Parasitism- where one organism suffers and one benefits from two species living in close association
65
what is adaption
A feature that helps an organism to survive and reproduce.
66
Interspecific competition
Interspecific competition: competition between members of different species.
67
what is intraspecific comp
Intraspecific competition: competition between members of the same species.
68
why are food chains short?
Why are food chains short? Energy decreases at each trophic level, limiting the chain's length. Only 10% of energy is passed to the next level. The other 90% is used by organisms for activities (e.g., flying, running) or lost as heat.
69
what are limitations of the pyramid of number?
Individual organism size is not taken into account. The pyramid may not be to scale because the numbers can be very large
70
what are two main types of competition:
There are two main types of competition: Contest competition Scramble competition Contest competition Scramble competition
71
what is contest comp
An active physical struggle between different organisms. Produces one winner and one loser. E.g. two male deer fighting for female mates.
72
what is scramble comp
All competing organisms get some of the resource. E.g. plant seedlings competing for light and space.
73
what are benefits of competition
Competition helps control population sizes, Driving factor for evolution as competition causes species to adapt
74
what is predation
Predation is the catching, killing and eating of another organism for food.
75
give an example of a predators adpations/
Hawk: Excellent eyesight to spot prey.
76
give an example of a preys adpations/
Rabbits: Long ears to hear predators Behavioural adaptation: hide in burrows for safety. Frogs: Camouflage to avoid being seen and caught.
77
what are the factors that affect predator prey relationships?
disease availiability of food migration of predators
78
what are the benefits of conservation
Preserves existing environments Prevents extinction Maintains ecological balance
79
name a method of conservtion
Overfishing: Increase the mesh size of fishing nets. This allows younger, smaller fish to escape, giving them the chance to grow and reproduce, which helps maintain fish populations.
80
give and explain a type of pollutant
Fertilisers are spread on grassland. agricultural pollution causes eutrophication as fertilisers washed into water and causes algae to grow rapidly
81
what are factors affecting human population
Famine reduces population numbers. Disease reduces population numbers. War reduces population numbers, but the effect may be temporary. Birth rates often increase after a war, leading to a "baby boom" as societies recover. Contraception reduces population growth by preventing fertilisation and, therefore, pregnancy.
82
Qualitative
Is the present or absence of species
83
Quantitative
Measuring the amount of organisms

Biology (23 decks)

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