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Ecology Flashcards

1
Q

What are the levels of organization in ecology?

A

Individual- single member of a species.
Population- many members of the same species in an area.
Community- many populations living and interacting.
Ecosystem-The interaction between communities and abiotic parts of the environment.

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2
Q

Explain competition.

A

When many organisms compete (fight) for scarce resources as they need them to survive and reproduce.

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3
Q

What is intraspecific and interspecific competition?

A

Intraspecific- animals of the same species competing for resources.
Interspecific- animals of different species competing for resources.

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4
Q

Explain adaptation.

A

When an animal has a specific feature or behavior that allows it to survive and reproduce more effectively in its habitat.

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5
Q

What is an ecosystem?

A

The interaction between communities and abiotic parts of the environment.

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6
Q

What kind of interactions occur in ecosystems?

A

Organisms may need resources from their environment e.g. predators eating prey, bees pollinating plants.

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7
Q

What may plants compete for?

A

Light, water, space, mineral ions.

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8
Q

Why may plants compete for light and water?

A

Light provides the energy needed for photosynthesis. Water is also essential for it. It means the plants can make glucose for energy for growth.

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9
Q

Why might plants compete for space?

A

Above soil: So more leaves grow/bigger leaves for sunlight.
Below soil: To absorb max. water and mineral ions.

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10
Q

Why would plants compete for mineral ions?

A

Nitrate ions: For protein synthesis.
Magnesium ions: For chlorophyll production.

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11
Q

What do animals compete for?

A

Food, mates and territory.

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12
Q

Why would animals compete for food?

A

To provide them with he energy they need.

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13
Q

Why would animals compete for mates?

A

Producing offspring to pass on their genes.

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14
Q

Why would animals compete for territory?

A

Some animals compete for territory for land, water, shelter and food.

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15
Q

What is interdependence?

A

When different species rely on each other for food, shelter and pollination, if one species is removed it can affect the whole food web.

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16
Q

What is an abiotic factor?

A

Non-living factor that affects communities.

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17
Q

What are the abiotic factors?

A

Water, moisture levels, light, temperature, soil pH and mineral content, CO2 levels in plants and O2 levels in aquatic animals.

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18
Q

What affect do light intensity, temperature, CO2 levels have on communities

A

All affect the RoP of plants, affecting their growth.

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19
Q

What affect does moisture level have on communities?

A

Plants and animals require water to survive.

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20
Q

What affect does soil pH and mineral content have on communities?

A

Different species of plants have adapted to different levels of pH levels and mineral ion content required.

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21
Q

What affect does wind intensity and direction have on communities.

A

Wind speed affect transpiration, which affects RoP (ensures water/mineral content)

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22
Q

What affect do oxygen levels have on communities?

A

Some aquatic animals can only survive in water with high levels of oxygen.

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23
Q

What affect does food availability have on the community?

A

More food= higher chance of survival for reproduction, increasing the size of the population.

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24
Q

What affect do new predators have on the community?

A

In balanced ecosystems, predators catch prey but not enough that they go extinct.

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25
What affect do new pathogen have on communities?
Means new organisms won't have immunity and populations decrease.
26
What affect does competition have on communities?
If one species outcompetes another for a resource, the population size will increase.
27
What is meant by a structural adaptation?
A physical part/feature of an organism
28
What is meant by a behavioral adaptation?
The way an organism behaves/acts
29
What is meant by a functional adaptation?
Biological process within an organism
30
What 2 adaptations occur usually for animals in colder regions?
Small surface area to volume ratio to minimize heat loss Thick layer of fat for insulation
31
What 3 adaptations occur usually for animals in hotter regions?
Some desert animals have kidneys producing concentrated urine to retain water. Some are active in the early morning/late night when its cooler. Increased surface area to volume ratio to maximize heat loss.
32
What kind of extreme conditions do "extremophiles" live in?
High/low salt concentrations or temperatures
33
Define extremophile + give example.
Organism living in extreme conditions, e.g. deep-sea volcanic vents, where conditions are extremely hot (no light)
34
What is meant by chemoautotroph?
Bacteria surviving using inorganic chemicals to obtain energy, rather than sunlight.
35
Explain the role of producers in the food chain?
Photosynthetic organisms, producing their own food from light energy. First (biggest) trophic level. Or are chemoautotrophs.
36
What is the order of the food chain?
Producer--> Primary consumer --> Secondary consumer--> Tertiary consumer
37
What is mean by ecology?
The study of the distribution of species and their interactions with abiotic factors.
38
How do we use a transect to find the no. of species across a distance?
Measure transect at right angles to edge. Place quadrat at intervals (along transect). Count the species (in each quadrat) at each distance. Repeat for 2 more transects.
39
Estimated population size=
Total area/ Area sampled x total no. of species counted
40
Why is the carbon cycle important?
There is a finite amount of carbon which needs to be recycled
41
Describe the carbon cycle.
Carbon released into the atmosphere (burning), used in photosynthesis: plants eaten by animals, in waste + dead animals. Or plants die + fossilate, storing carbon
42
Why is the water cycle important?
Provides fresh water for plants and animals on land before draining into the seas.
43
Describe the water cycle.
Water evaporated from oceans due to heat, water vapor condenses into clouds, which precipitate. Rain/snow falls into either percolation where its absorbed through plant roots or transpired by plats back as water vapor.
44
What is the role of microorganisms?
Decomposers like bacteria/fungi digest waste products so materials contained are released back into the environment.
45
Define biodiversity.
Variety of different species of organisms on Earth, or within an organism.
46
Why is biodiversity important?
Reduces the dependence of one species on another for food/shelter.
47
Why is there more waste on the Earth?
Human population is rising
48
What causes water pollution?
Toxic chemicals Untreated sewage Fertilizers
49
How do toxic chemicals cause water pollution?
Can't be broken down by organisms and are absorbed by aquatic plants and build up (bioaccumulation)
50
How does untreated sewage cause water pollution?
Provides a source of food for bacteria which means more bacteria produced. Oxygen used up, killing sea plants/animals.
51
How do fertilizers cause water pollution?
Fertilizer run-off after rain, algae grows and light doesn't pass through for photosynthesis by aquatic plants, no oxygen for animals and fish die and decompose which reduces oxygen even more.
52
What causes land pollution?
Toxic chemicals Discarded waste
53
How do toxic chemicals cause land pollution?
Can't be broken down by organisms so they're absorbed plants/animals and build up over time (bioaccumulation)
54
How does discarded waste cause land pollution?
Landfill sites, non-biodegradable waste doesn't breakdown.
55
What causes air pollution and how do they enter the atmosphere?
Sulfur dioxides (from burning fossil fuels) + nitrogen oxides (from burning fossil fuels)
56
How do sulfur dioxides and nitrate oxides cause air pollution?
These gases react with oxygen and dissolve in rainwater, and form acid rain. This causes buildings to be destroyed, soil pH to be more acidic and oceans to be more acidic.
57
Why is more land being used up?
Human population is increasing exponentially, so more land is needed for farming/housing, natural resources and landfill sites.
58
Why is more land needed for farming/housing?
Crops and livestock takes up space and as the population increases, more food and homes are needed, deforestation may occur.
59
Why is more land needed in the extraction of natural resources?
Natural resources like wood/metals need to be manufactured.
60
Why is more land needed for landfill sites?
Many materials can't be recycled so they're put into landfill, which take up a lot of room.
61
Define bogs.
Areas of land that are waterlogged and acidic, plants living in them don't decay fully when they die due to lack of oxygen.
62
Describe peat bogs.
Partly decomposed matter accumulates in bogs and forms 'peat' and the carbon that would've decomposed is stored in the peat.
63
Why are peat bogs important + why are they being destroyed?
They are habitats and store carbon which can be used for burning for fuel. The land can be used for gardening.
64
Why is burning peat bad?
It releases carbon dioxide which contributes to global warming and its takes a long time to form.
65
Define deforestation.
Clearing of trees on a large scale.
66
What is a sustainable method of deforestation?
Trees are replanted and trees are cut down on a small scale.
67
Why does unsustainable deforestation occur?
Many trees are cut down for space for farming and for biofuels to be produced.
68
What are the 4 negative impacts of deforestation?
-Extinction of species -Loss of soil (bc trees help soil) -Floods (GW) -Increases CO2 in atmosphere
69
Name the greenhouse gases.
CO2, methane, water vapor
70
Explain the greenhouse effect.
- Sunlight enters the Earth's atmosphere as short wavelength radiation. - Its absorbed by the Earth and some is reflected back as long wavelengths. - Long wavelengths are absorbed by greenhouse gases. - This heats up the Earth.
71
What are some consequences of the greenhouse effect?
- Rising sea levels as temps rise - Increased no. of extreme disasters - Decreasing biodiversity - Loss of habitat
72
What can humans do to maintain biodiversity?
Breeding programmed, Protection of rare species, Field margins and hedge rows to support biodiversity, reduction of deforestation + CO2 emissions, recycling.

Biology (7 decks)

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