Ecology Flashcards
What are abiotic factors?
Non-living factors that can affect an ecosystem, such as moisture level, light intensity, temperature, wind intensity, soil pH, and carbon dioxide level.
Examples include changes in temperature affecting plant growth.
Give four examples of abiotic factors that could affect a plant species.
- Moisture level
- Light intensity
- Soil pH
- Carbon dioxide level
Changes in these factors can influence photosynthesis and overall plant health.
What are biotic factors?
Living factors that can affect an ecosystem, such as new predators, competition, new pathogens, and availability of food.
Biotic factors can lead to changes in population sizes due to interdependence.
How can the introduction of a new predator affect a prey population?
It can cause a decrease in the prey population due to increased predation.
For example, the introduction of lake trout affected the cutthroat trout population.
What is one structural adaptation of Arctic animals?
White fur in Arctic foxes for camouflage against the snow.
This adaptation helps them avoid predators and sneak up on prey.
What is a behavioral adaptation?
Ways that organisms behave, such as migration to warmer climates during winter.
Swallows migrate to avoid cold conditions.
What is a functional adaptation?
Processes that occur inside an organism’s body related to reproduction and metabolism.
For example, desert animals conserve water by producing concentrated urine.
What are extremophiles?
Microorganisms that are adapted to live in extreme conditions, such as high temperatures or high salt concentrations.
Examples include bacteria that thrive in volcanic vents or salty lakes.
True or False: Biotic factors can include competition between species.
True.
Competition can lead to one species outcompeting another, affecting population sizes.
Fill in the blank: Adaptations allow organisms to _______.
[survive].
Adaptations can be structural, behavioral, or functional.
What might you need to explain in an exam regarding an organism’s adaptation?
How the organism’s characteristics (color/shape) help it cope with environmental conditions (predation/temperature).
Understanding the relationship between adaptations and environmental challenges is crucial.
What is ecology?
Ecology is all about organisms and the environment they live in, and how the two interact.
Define habitat.
The place where an organism lives.
What is a population in ecological terms?
All the organisms of one species living in a habitat.
Define community in ecology.
The populations of different species living in a habitat.
What are abiotic factors?
Non-living factors of the environment, e.g. temperature.
What are biotic factors?
Living factors of the environment, e.g. food.
What is an ecosystem?
The interaction of a community of living organisms (biotic) with the non-living (abiotic) parts of their environment.
What do plants need from their environment to survive?
Light, space, water, and mineral ions (nutrients) from the soil.
List the resources that animals need to survive.
- Space (territory)
- Food
- Water
- Mates
What is interdependence in an ecosystem?
The dependence of each species on other species for things such as food, shelter, pollination, and seed dispersal.
What can happen if a major change occurs in an ecosystem?
It can have far-reaching effects due to the interdependence of living things.
What is a food web?
A diagram of what eats what in an ecosystem.
How would the loss of stonefly larvae affect blackfly larvae?
Less competition for algae, leading to an increase in blackfly larvae population.
What effect would the loss of stonefly larvae have on water spiders?
Less food, leading to a decrease in water spider population.
True or False: Stable communities experience constant population sizes.
False. They may go up and down in cycles.
Give an example of a stable community.
- Tropical rainforests
- Ancient oak woodlands
Fill in the blank: Organisms compete for _______ in an ecosystem.
[resources]
What do food chains always start with?
Producers
What is the role of producers in a food chain?
Producers make their own food using energy from the Sun
What are typically the primary producers in a food chain?
Green plants or algae
What process do producers use to create glucose?
Photosynthesis
What is biomass?
The mass of living material in a plant, thought of as energy stored in a plant
Who are the primary consumers in a food chain?
Organisms that eat producers
What comes after primary consumers in a food chain?
Secondary consumers
What is the term for organisms that eat other organisms?
Consumers
What does ‘primary’ refer to in primary consumers?
First consumers in a food chain
What are the three levels of consumers in a food chain?
- Primary consumers
- Secondary consumers
- Tertiary consumers
What is the relationship between prey and predators in a stable community?
The population of any species is usually limited by the amount of food available
What happens to the population of predators if the population of prey increases?
The population of predators will also increase
What occurs when the population of predators increases?
The number of prey will decrease
What is a characteristic of predator-prey cycles?
They are always out of phase with each other
Fill in the blank: In a food chain, _______ are organisms that are eaten by primary consumers.
Producers
What is the producer in the food chain: grass → grasshopper → rat → snake?
Grass
How many consumers are in the food chain: grass → grasshopper → rat → snake?
Three consumers
Name the primary consumer in the food chain: grass → grasshopper → rat → snake.
Grasshopper
What is a habitat?
The place where an organism lives
What affects the distribution of an organism?
Environmental factors
What is the purpose of using quadrats in ecological studies?
To study the distribution of organisms
What is a quadrat?
A square frame enclosing a known area used for sampling
How do you calculate the mean number of organisms per quadrat?
Total number of organisms divided by number of quadrats
What is the estimated population size of daisies in a field with an area of 800 m² if the mean is 21 daisies per m²?
16,800 daisies
Fill in the blank: The population size of an organism is sometimes called its _______.
Abundance
What is the area of a quadrat used in the example of buttercups if the mean was 0.75 per quadrat?
0.25 m²
What is a transect?
A line used to study the distribution of organisms along its length
Transects can be used in various ecosystems, not just fields.
Describe a method to measure the distribution of dandelions across a field.
Use a tape measure to mark out a transect, then place quadrats at regular intervals along the line to count the dandelions
This method allows for systematic sampling across the field.
How can you estimate the number of organisms in a quadrat if they are difficult to count?
Calculate the percentage cover of the quadrat by estimating the area covered by the organisms
This can involve counting the number of squares covered by the organisms.
What is transpiration?
The process of water evaporating from plants
It is a key part of the water cycle.
List the steps of the water cycle.
- Evaporation from land and sea
- Transpiration from plants
- Warm air rises and cools
- Condensation to form clouds
- Precipitation as rain, snow, or hail
- Absorption by soil and plants
- Return of water through animal excretion
- Runoff into streams and rivers
- Drainage back to the sea
How does water move from the land into the air in the water cycle?
Through evaporation and transpiration
Energy from the Sun drives these processes.
How does the water cycle benefit plants and animals?
It provides fresh water necessary for survival and metabolic processes
Water is essential for photosynthesis in plants and chemical reactions in animals.
What happens to water that does not get absorbed by the soil?
It runs off into streams and rivers
This water eventually drains back into the sea.
What is the significance of the water cycle?
It is a continuous process with no beginning or end, recycling water on Earth
The total amount of water remains fixed on the planet.
What is the role of the Sun in the water cycle?
It provides energy for the evaporation of water from land and sea
This energy is crucial for initiating the cycle.
Calculate the percentage cover of organism A if it covers 42 squares out of 100.
42%
Calculation: (42/100) × 100 = 42.
Calculate the percentage cover of organism B if it covers 47 squares out of 100.
47%
Calculation: (47/100) × 100 = 47.
What is the Carbon Cycle?
The constant cycling of carbon through the environment, involving processes such as photosynthesis, respiration, decay, and combustion
How do elements get cycled back to the start of the food chain?
Through decay, where materials are broken down by microorganisms and returned to the soil
What materials do plants take from the environment to create complex compounds?
Carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen
What role do microorganisms play in decay?
They break down materials, returning essential nutrients to the soil
What conditions accelerate the decay process?
Warm, moist, aerobic (oxygen-rich) conditions
During photosynthesis, carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere by _______.
[green plants and algae]
What do plants make from the carbon they absorb during photosynthesis?
Glucose, which can be turned into carbohydrates and proteins
What happens to carbon when animals eat plants?
Some carbon becomes part of the fats and proteins in their bodies
What is released back into the atmosphere when animals respire?
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
What happens to carbon when plants, algae, and animals die?
Detritus feeders and microorganisms feed on the remains, returning CO2 to the atmosphere
How do human activities negatively affect biodiversity?
Through waste production, habitat destruction, and global warming
What is biodiversity?
The variety of different species of organisms on Earth or within an ecosystem
Why is high biodiversity important?
It ensures ecosystem stability and interdependence of species for shelter and food
What has contributed to the rapid increase in the world’s population?
Modern medicine and farming methods
What effect does a rising population have on the environment?
Increased pressure on resources and higher demand for raw materials
What is a consequence of producing more goods?
Increased waste production, including harmful chemicals
What types of pollution can result from improper waste handling?
Water, land, and air pollution
What can happen to toxic chemicals used in farming?
They can wash into water systems, affecting plants and animals
What gases can cause air pollution?
Smoke and acidic gases, such as sulfur dioxide
True or False: Biodiversity is being reduced every day due to increasing species extinction rates.
True
What is global warming?
The Earth is getting warmer due to increasing levels of greenhouse gases.
What gases are primarily responsible for trapping energy from the Sun?
Carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane.
How do greenhouse gases affect the Earth’s temperature?
They absorb energy that would normally be radiated out into space and re-radiate it back towards the Earth.
What happens if greenhouse gases did not exist?
There would be nothing to keep energy in, leading to a very cold Earth.
What are the main greenhouse gases that are rising sharply in levels?
- Carbon dioxide (CO2)
- Methane
What is a consequence of higher temperatures caused by global warming?
Seawater expands and ice melts, causing sea levels to rise.
What can happen to wild animal and plant species as temperatures increase?
Their distribution may change, with some species becoming more or less widely distributed.
How might migration patterns change due to global warming?
Some birds may migrate further north as northern areas become warmer.
What impact could global warming have on biodiversity?
Biodiversity could be reduced if some species cannot survive the changing climate and become extinct.
What is deforestation?
The cutting down of forests, often on a large scale.
What are two main reasons for deforestation?
- To clear land for farming
- To grow crops for biofuels
How does deforestation contribute to global warming?
It reduces the amount of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere during photosynthesis.
What happens to carbon dioxide when trees are burnt?
Carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere.
What is biodiversity?
The variety of different species within a habitat.
Why is biodiversity reduced when forests are destroyed?
Many species may become extinct due to habitat destruction.
What are peat bogs?
Acidic and waterlogged areas where plants do not fully decay.
What happens to carbon in plants in peat bogs?
It is stored in the peat instead of being released into the atmosphere.
What occurs when peat bogs are drained?
Microorganisms decompose the peat, releasing carbon dioxide.
What is a consequence of burning peat as fuel?
Carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere.
How does removing trees and peat affect atmospheric CO2 levels?
It results in more atmospheric CO2, contributing to global warming.
Fill in the blank: Deforestation can result in a higher ______ concentration in the atmosphere.
CO2
Why is it important to maintain biodiversity?
To ensure ecosystems are stable
What are breeding programmes designed to do?
Prevent endangered species from becoming extinct
What happens to animals bred in captivity in breeding programmes?
They can be released into the wild to boost or re-establish a population
Name some rare habitats that are protected by programmes.
- Mangroves
- Heathland
- Coral reefs
What do hedgerows and field margins provide?
Habitat for a wider variety of organisms
What is a field margin?
Areas of land around the edges of fields where wild flowers and grasses are left to grow
What do some governments do to combat deforestation?
Introduce regulations and programmes to reduce deforestation
How can recycling help ecosystems?
Reduces the amount of waste dumped in landfill sites
True or False: Protecting biodiversity always costs money.
True
What is a potential conflict when protecting biodiversity?
It may come at a cost to local people’s livelihoods
How can protecting biodiversity affect food security?
It can disrupt the food chain and biodiversity
What can development lead to in terms of biodiversity?
Previously untouched land with high biodiversity may be used for development
Fill in the blank: Maintaining biodiversity isn’t _______.
black and white
What are some conflicting pressures in maintaining biodiversity?
- Cost of protecting biodiversity
- Impact on local economies
- Food security issues
What is the role of citizens and scientists in protecting ecosystems?
Set up programmes to minimize damage from human activities
What is the consequence of prioritizing money over biodiversity?
Potential neglect of biodiversity protection measures
What can happen to workers in the tree-felling industry as a result of biodiversity protection?
They could become unemployed
