Ecology Flashcards
Ecology
Is the study of plants, animals and their environment, and the relationship better them.
The environment
Is everything that surrounds an animal or plant (for example air, water, rocks, soil
The habitat
Is the place where an animal or plant lives
Interdependence
Is how organisms depend on each other for their survival (for example buttercups depend on bees, bees depend on buttercups)
Ecosystem
All the animal and plants in an area interacting with each other and their environment (example desert, tropical, rainforest, grassland, seashore)
Producer
Plants that make their own food (example grass)
Consumer
Animals that get their food by eating plants or other animals (example fox)
Herbivore
An animal that eats plants only (example rabbit, sheep, slug, snail)
Carnivore
An animal that eats other animals only ( example fox, hawk, ladybird)
Omnivore
An animal that eats both plants and animals (example badger, thrush, blackbird, humans)
Energy
The energy in any food chain comes from the sun
A food web
Single food chains are rare, most are INTER-CONNECTED
Competition
Occurs when two or more organisms seek a resource that is limited
Plants
Compete for light, water, minerals and space
Animals
Compete for food, shelter, territory and mates
Adaptations
Are features that give an organism a better chance of surviving in their habitat
Dandelion adaptation
Compete for space because they are able to spread their seeds in the wind
Hedgehog adaptations
Excellent sense of smell to Make them good at finding food
Spikes to fight off predators
Colour which makes them camouflage in the wood land
Pollution
Is adding unwanted waste to the environment causing damage to it
If a poisonous waste builds up animals or plants may die
Air pollution
Caused by smoke, dust and harmful gases. Most come from cars, buses, factories and power stations
Acid rain
When fossil fuels are burned they produce faces called carbon dioxide and surfer dioxide. These dissolve in rainwater to form carbonic acid and sulfuric acid. This rain damages plants and buildings
Soil pollution
Caused by pesticides, artificial fertilisers and acid rain. Chemicals sink into the soil can the absorbed by plants and cause illness
Water pollution
Rivers, lakes, seas are polluted by fertilisers, sewage, oil and detergents they cause too much plant growth, bacteria populations boom as they feed on dead plants and no oxygen is left for the fish
Incineration
Burning waste, this can release dangerous gases into the atmosphere, difficulties with location because nobody wants to live near an incinerator
