ECOLOGY Flashcards
what is an ecosystem
an ecosystem is the interaction of a community of living organisms with the non living elements of their environments
what is the source of energy in an ecosystem
the sun
what is recycled through an ecosystem
carbon, nitrogen and water
give an example of a resource for which animals compete for in a community
food
what is interdependence
if one species is removed from a community it can affect the whole community
what is a stable community
a stable community is one in whuch all the species and environmental factors are in balance so that population sizes remain fairly constant
examples of stable communities
tropical rainforests
mature oak woodlands
mature coral reefs
abiotic factors that affect communities of organisms
light intensity
temperature
wind intensity and direction
biotic factors that affect communities of organisms
availability of food
new predators arriving
new competitors
what can quantitative data be used to describe
how physical factors might be affecting where organisms live in an environment
how can quantitative data be obtained
by random quantitative sampling using a quadrat or sampling along a transect
what is quadrat
a square frame that may also be divided into a grid
what is a transect
a line drawn between two points to make ecological measurements
what do animals compete for
food
mates
territories
what do predators compete with eachother for
they compete withother for prey