Ecology

Question 1

Ecosystem

Answer 1

A natural environment of plants and animals that live and interact

Question 2

Abiotic factors

Answer 2

Are non-living factors in an environment

E.g. temperature, light intensity, moisture content of soil, pH of the environment

Question 3

Biotic factors

Answer 3

Living factors in an environment

E.g. competition for resources (food), diseases

Question 4

Adaptation

Answer 4

When living organisms develop characteristics to help them survive changes to their environment

Question 5

Stable community

Answer 5

When species of living organisms and environmental factors are in balance

Question 6

Interdependence

Answer 6

When a species depends on other species for food, shelter, pollination, seed dispersal etc

Question 7

Factors affecting living organisms

Answer 7

Temperature

Light intensity

Amount of water

Availability of O2 and CO2

Question 8

Factors affecting living organisms - temperature

Answer 8

Affects the rate of growth, most organism function the best at a specific temperature

Question 9

Factors affecting living organisms - light intensity

Answer 9

Plants need light to grow and for photosynthesis

Question 10

Factors affecting living organisms - amount of water available

Answer 10

Essential chemical reactions take place in water, water makes up 70% of all living things

Question 11

Factors affecting living organisms - amount of O2 and CO2

Answer 11

O2 is needed for respiration, CO2 is needed for photosynthesis

Question 12

Distribution

Answer 12

Where particular types of organisms are found within an environment

Question 13

Abundance

Answer 13

A measure of how common or rare a particular type of organism is in a given environment

Question 14

What do animals compete for?

Answer 14

Food

Water

Mate

Territory

Question 15

What do plants compete for?

Answer 15

Water

CO2

Light

Minerals

Space

Question 16

Extremophile

Answer 16

An organism that can survive in extreme conditions

E.g. bacteria

Question 17

Producer

Answer 17

Plants begin food chains by making energy from carbon dioxide and water and sunlight

Question 18

Primary consumer

Answer 18

The name given to an organism that eats a producer (a herbivore)

Question 19

Secondary consumer

Answer 19

An organism that obtains its energy by eating the primary consumer

Question 20

Tertiary consumer

Answer 20

An organism that obtains its energy by eating the secondary consumer

Question 21

Biomass

Answer 21

The dry mass of an organism

Question 22

Quadrats Required Practical

Answer 22

Choose a starting point on the school field in an area where the grass is often cut

Use random numbers to generate a set of coordinates to place your first
quadrat

Count the number of different plant species within this quadrat

Return to your starting position and repeat steps two and three a further 14 times using different random numbers

Repeat steps one to four for a part of the school field which the grass is infrequently cut

Question 23

Carbon cycle

Answer 23

Photosynthesis - plants take in CO2 from the atmosphere

Respiration - humans and plants respire releasing CO2

Combustion - burning fossil fuels releases CO2

Decomposition - decaying organic material releases CO2

Question 24

Water cycle

Answer 24

Evaporation of water sources and transpiration from trees and plants rise and form water vapour

This water vapour is then condensed into clouds

The clouds cool forming a large group of clouds

Then rain forms through the process of precipitation

The precipitation goes through the process of surface run-off whereby water is absorbed by plants and enters nearby water sources

Some water gets stored underground in aquifers and in rocks

Question 25

Decomposers

Answer 25

An organism which eats dead organisms, and breaks them down into simpler materials E.g. bacteria, worms and fungi

Question 26

Decomposition

Answer 26

The process of breaking down material to release nutrients back into the soil

Question 27

Factors affecting rate of decay

Answer 27

Temperature - colder temperature equals slower decomposition Water - decomposers cannot survive Oxygen - needed for decomposers to respire Microorganisms or bacteria

Question 28

Anaerobic decay

Answer 28

When bacteria and fungi break down dead matter without oxygen This produces CO2 and CH4

Question 29

Biogas generators

Answer 29

We can use the process of anaerobic decay to provide us with fuel Methane and carbon dioxide produced are called biogas

Question 30

Compost

Answer 30

Made from dead plants and manure as a natural fertiliser for gardeners Compost is broken down into minerals by decomposers which are absorbed by new plants

Question 31

The effect of temperature on the rate of decay of fresh milk required practical

Question 32

Factors affecting the distribution of species

Answer 32

Temperature Availability of water Composition of atmospheric gases

Question 33

Biodiversity

Answer 33

The variety of all the different species of organisms on earth, or within an ecosystem

Question 34

Water pollution

Answer 34

Ineffective disposal of sewage Fertiliser in nearby water sources Toxic chemicals entering water sources

Question 35

Land pollution

Answer 35

Landfill sites produce toxic gases such as methane

Question 36

Air pollution

Answer 36

Burning of fossil fuels

Question 37

Land availability

Answer 37

Land availability has decreased given that building, quarrying, farming and dumping waste have all increased due to higher population

Question 38

Peat bogs

Answer 38

Are a very important store of carbon

Question 39

Deforestation

Answer 39

More CO2 in the atmosphere Lower levels of biodiversity given the loss of habitats Infertile soil

Question 40

Global warming