Ecology 9 Flashcards
Define a producer/autotroph
an organism which makes its own food
Define a consumer/heterotroph
an organism which obtains its food by eating another organism
Define a scavenger
An animal which feeds on already dead animals
Define a decomposer
A micro-organism which breaks down dead organisms and wastes in order to obtain nutrients
Define a detritivore
An invertebrate which breaks down dead organisms and wastes in order to obtain nutrients
Define interdependence
A relationship between two organisms, where each affects the other’s survival
Define mutualism
An interaction between two organisms in which both benefit
List some abiotic factors
- UV radiation
- amount of sunlight
- temperature
- exposure to air
- wind intensity
- rock types
- rainfall
- CO2 levels
- altitude
- O2 levels in water
- soil
List some biotic factors
- flora
- fauna
- relationships
- competition for food
- diseases
- competition for habitat
What are examples of detritivores?
- cockroaches
- termites
- mosquitoes
- dung flies
What are examples of interdependant relationships?
- predator/prey
- mating
- competition
What are examples of symbiotic relationships?
- parasitism
- mutualism
- commensalism
What is the difference between interspecific and intraspecific relationships?
interspecific - different species
intraspecific - same species
Define parasitism
One species benefits while the other is harmed
Define commensalism
one species benefits and the other is unaffected
How does an increase in predators affect the prey?
The prey will die out due to over hunting, resulting in the death of predators
How does an increase in prey affect the predators?
If the prey eats producers, the producers will die out causing many species including the prey to die. This will result in the death of the predators
How do abiotic factors affect biotic factors?
The abiotic factors in an ecosystem decide which biotic factors will survive in it and what their amount will be
What percentage biomass/energy is passed from one trophic level to the next?
10%
List some ways that energy is used up in each trophic level
- movement
- heat
- faeces
Outline the carbon cycle
- Plants convert CO2 to oxygen through photosynthesis
- Animals release CO2 during respiration
- Decomposers convert carbon compounds and waste material back to CO2
- The combustion of fossil fuels releases CO2 back into the air
Outline the nitrogen cycle
- Nitrogen fixing bacteria converts nitrogen (N2) into nitrates (NO2) in soil
- Plants can then incorporate this nitrogen to make protein and DNA
- When animals ingest plants, they absorb the nitrogen and proteins are converted into amino acids
- When animals excrete urine (ammonia), the NH3 is converted back into nitrates (NO2) by nitrifying bacteria and then into NO3
- Denitrifying bacteria converts NO3 back into nitrogen (N2) in the air
What is glucose used for?
cellular respiration and carbohydrates
What are the types of proteins formed by amino acids?
structural and functional