Ecology Flashcards
Environment
The environment is everything that surrounds an animal or plant (for example air, water, rocks and soil
Habitat
The habitat is the place where a plant or animal lives
Interdependence
Interdependence is how organisms depend on each other for their survival e.g. Buttercups depend on bees, bees need buttercups
Ecosystem
All the plants and animals in an area interacting with each other and their environment e.g. Desert, grasslands, tropical rainforest and seashore
Producer
Plants that make their own food e.g. grass, dandelion and nettles
Consumer
Animals that get their food by eating plants or other animals e.g. fox, hawk and ladybird
Herbivore
An animal that eats plants only e.g. rabbit, sheep, slug and snail
Carnivoren
An animal that eats other animals only e.g. fox, hawk and ladybird
Omnivore
An an animal that eats both plants and animals e.g. badger, thrush, blackbird and humans
Decomposer
Organisms that feed on dead plants and animals e.g. earthworms, bacteria and fungi
Ecology
Ecology is the study of plants,animals,and their environment, and the realation ship between them
Energy
The energy in any food chain comes from the Sun. The amount of energy gets less and less as you go along the food chain.
Food web
A food web is two or more interconnected food chains
Competition
Occurs when two or more organisms seek a resource that is limited
Plants compete
Plants compete for light, water, minerals, and space
Animals compete
Animals compete for food, shelter, territory and mates
Adaptation
Adaptations are features that give an organism a better chance of surviving in their habitat
Dandelion adaptation
Long roots to get water and compete for space because they are able to spread their seeds in the wind
Hedgehogs adaptations
Excellent sense of smell to make them good at finding food and spikes to fight off predators
Conservation
Conservation is the protection, preservation and carful use of our natural resources
Pollution
Pollution is adding unwanted wastes to the environment causing damage to it. If one organism is damaged it can be harmful to many other plants and animals : the balance of nature can be damaged
Air pollution
Caused by smoke, dust and harmful gases - most of these come from cars, buses, factories and power stations
Acid rain
When fossil fuels are burned they produce gases called carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide. These dissolve in rainwater to form carbonic acid and sulfuric acid. This acid rain damages plants and buildings.
Soil pollution
Caused by Pesticides, artificial fertilisers and acid rain. Chemicals sink into the soil and can be absorbed by plants, get passed up the food chain and can cause illness
Water pollution
Rivers, lakes and seas are polluted by fertilisers, sewage, oil and detergents, they cause to much plant growth, bacteria populations boom as they feed on dead plants and no oxygen is left for fish
Incineration
Burning the waste, this can release dangerous gases into the atmosphere, difficulties with location nobody wants to live near an incinerator
Landfill
Burying the waste in ground damages soil, rivers and ground water, attracts rodents, disease causing, bad smell, difficulties as nobody wants to live near landfill sites
3R’s
Reduce, reuse and recycle
