Ecology Flashcards
Habitat
The place where a plant or animal lives eg. Seashore, dessert
Ecosystem
This is all the plants and animals interacting with each other and the environment eg. All the seashores, desserts
Producers
Are plants that make food
Consumers
Are animals that get their food by eating plants and other animals
Decomposers
Are organisms that feed on dead plants and animals eg.bacteria, fungi
What does a food chain show
How organisms are linked by what they eat. The first feeding level in a food chain is the producer
Give an example of a food chain
Grass > eaten by > rabbit >eaten by > fox
What is a food web
A number of food chains connected together
Adaptation
Adaption is a feature or habit that helps an organism survive in its environment
Ex. Rabbits have large ears so they can hear foxes
Caterpillars are the same colour as leaves they eat, this helps prevent predators from finding them
Competition
This is when organisms are fighting for resources
Eg. Trees compete with each other for sun light and mineral
Foxes compete with each other for food
Interdependence
This is how living things depend on each other to survive
Eg. Animals depend on plants for food, plants depend on animals such as bees to spread pollen
Animals depend on other animals eg.foxes depend on rabbits for food
What is ecology
The study of how living things interact with each other and their environment
What are the four devices/methods for collecting plants and animals from a habitat
A pooter
A sweep net
A beating stick
A pitfall trap
How would you use a pooter
To suck up insects. A Gauze on one tube prevents insects from being swallowed
How do you use a seep net
Sweep through long grass/hedges and collect insects
How is a beating Tray used
Beat a tree with a stick. Causes animals /insects to fall out
How do you use a pitfall trap
Dig a hole in the ground and put a slate over it. Small animals and insects should fall into it
What are the two eats to count organisms in a habitat
Using a quadrant or a line transect
What is a quadrant and how do you use it
A quadrant is used to estimate plant numbers, it’s placed ok. The ground at random about ten throws are made and you find the percentage of each plant in each quadrant overall and then shown on a bar chart
What is a line transect and what is it used for
Shows how the number of plants change from one side of the habitat to another. Get a rope and tie knots at every metre. Put each end of the rope of either side of the habitat see which plants show up frequently.
What is acid rain
When fossil fuels are burned they release carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide
These gases dissolve in rainwater or form carbonic acid and sulfric acid
This forms acid rain which erodes stone buildings, statues and damages plants
What is soil pollution caused by w
Presides fertilisers and acid rain
How is water pollution caused
Water pollution is caused by fertilisers sewage and oil. These cause algae bloom to grow in the water, the bloom removes the oxygen and fish die
What is waste managment
Waste managment means getting rid of waste properly. Waste can be incinerated and put into landfill sites
What is recycling
Waste such as paper glass and plastic can be used again (recycled)
What is conversation
The protection,preservation and careful use of our natural resources
