Ecology Flashcards
Ecosystem
A natural environment and includes the flora (plants) and fauna (animals) that live and interact within that environment
Abiotic factors
Are non-living conditions which can influence where plants or animals live
E.g. temperature, light intensity, moisture content of soil, pH of the environment
Biotic factors
Are interactions associated with living organisms
E.g. competition for resources (food), interspecific competition
Adaptation
When living organisms develop characteristics to help them survive changes to their environment
Stable community
When species of living organisms are in balance
Factors affecting living organisms
Temperature -
Affects the rate of growth, most organism function the best at a specific temperature
Light intensity -
Plants need light to grow and for photosynthesis
Amount of water -
Essential chemical reactions take place in water, water makes up 70% of all living things
Availability of O2 and CO2 -
O2 is needed for respiration, CO2 is needed for photosynthesis
Distribution
Where particular types of organisms are found within an environment
Abundance
A measure of how common or rare a particular type of organism is in a given environment
What do animals compete for?
Food
Water
Mate
Territory
What do plants compete for?
Water
CO2
Light
Minerals
Space
Extremophile
An organism that can survive in extreme conditions
E.g. bacteria
Producer
Plants begin food chains by making energy from carbon dioxide and water and sunlight
Primary consumer
The name given to an organism that eats a producer (a herbivore)
Secondary consumer
An organism that obtains its energy by eating the primary consumer
Tertiary consumer
An organism that obtains its energy by eating the secondary consumer
