Ecology Flashcards
Environment
Is everything that surrounds an animal or plant (for example air, water, rocks and soil
Habitat
Is the place where a plant or animal lives
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 interesting with each other and their environment. E.g (desert, tropical rainforest, grasslands, seashore.
Producer
Plants that make their own food e.g. (Grass, dandelion, nettles)
Consumer
Animals that get their food by eating plants or other animals. E.g.
Herbivore
An animal that eats plants only e.g. (Rabbit, sheep, slug, snail)
Carnival
An animal that eats other animals only e.g. (Fox, hawk, ladybird).
Omnivore
An animal that eats both plants and animals e.g. (Badger, thrush, blackbird, humans).
Decomposer
Organisms that feed on dead plants and animals e.g. (Earthworms, bacteria, fungi).
Ecology
Is the study of plants, animals and their environment, and the relationship between them
A food web
A food web is two or more interconnected food chains
Competition
Occurs when two or more organism seek a resource that is limited
Plants
Complete for light, water, minerals and space
Animals
Complete for food, shelter, territory and mates
Adaptations
Are features that give an organism a better chance of surviving in their habitat
Dandelion adaptations
Long roots to get water, completes for space because they are able to spread their seeds in the world
Conservation pollution
Is the protection,preservation and careful use of our natural resources
Pollution
Is adding unwanted wastes to the environment causing damage to it.if one organism is damages 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 station
Acid rain
When fossil fuels are burned they produce gases called carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide.these dissolve in water to for. Carbonic acid and sulfuric acid. This acid rain damages plants and buildings
Soil pollution
Caused by pesticed, artificial fertilisers and acid rain. Chemicals sink into soil and can be absorbed by plants, get passed up the food chain and can caused illness. Chemicals can also seep into rivers and cause pollution there
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