ecology

Question 1

what is an ecosystem

Answer 1

interaction of living organisms with the non living parts of the environment in which they live

Question 2

what is population

Answer 2

a group of the same species that live in a particular area

Question 3

what is a community

Answer 3

all different organisms that live in a particular area

Question 4

whag is interdependent

Answer 4

when two organisms are dependent upon each other for food

Question 5

what is a stable community

Answer 5

where all species and environmental factors are in balance so that population sizes remain fairly constant

Question 6

what is a biotic factor & examples

Answer 6

interaction of living things

pathogens & predators

Question 7

what is an abiotic factor & examples

Answer 7

non living elements of environment

temperature light intensity soil ph and wind intensity

Question 8

what do food webs show

Answer 8

feeding / interdependent relationships within a community using food webs

Question 9

what factors affect communities

Answer 9

light 
temperature moisture
soil PH
wind intensity 
CO2 conc 
oxygen concentration 
food supply
diseases
predators 
comp from other organisms

Question 10

what is abundance

Answer 10

relative representation of species in a particular ecosystem

Question 11

whag is distribution

Answer 11

range of species in geographical area within what species can be found

Question 12

whag is a quadrat

Answer 12

small grid that gives information abt abundance of organisms across a certain area

Question 13

whag is a belt transects

Answer 13

lies on quadrants placed at regular intervals gives information about distribution of organisms across a carts in area

Question 14

equation for estimated population size

Answer 14

estimated population size =

total area / area sampled X number of species counted

Question 15

what is interspecific

Answer 15

different species

Question 16

what is intraspecific & do they hv larger comp

Answer 16

same species

greater comp as members of same species want same resources

Question 17

what is occupying different niches

Answer 17

organisms can coexist in the same area but if they eat different foods they occupy different niches so they are not in direct competition of eachotjet

Question 18

what are extremophiles

Answer 18

organisms that cope with extreme environments

Question 19

examples of extremophiles & their meanings

Answer 19

acidophiles - can tolerate PH of below 3

barophiles- tolerate high pressures
cryophiles- tolerate extreme cold
halophiles - love salt & need 0.2m to survive
xerophiles - grow& reproduce with low availability of water

Question 20

what are thermophiles

Answer 20

can tolerate high temperature 45-122 degrees c they are typically bacteria such as those that live in sulfur vents under the ocean , volcanoes and hot springs

Question 21

examples of thermophiles

Answer 21

mesophiles and neutrophiles which cannot tolerate ‘normal ‘ conditions

Question 22

what are structural adaptations

Answer 22

the shape colour or part of an organism

Question 23

what are behavioural asap stations

Answer 23

migrating to absorb energy or using tools to get food

Question 24

what are functional adaptations

Answer 24

processes such as reproduction and metabolism ; antifreeze cells

Question 25

examples of structural behavioural and functional adaptations in animals and plants

Answer 25

structural: large beaks in parrots or fangs in snakes behavioural: birds migrating in winter or roads croaking too attract mates functional: gills in fish

Question 26

why do food chains begin with a producer

Answer 26

because they are able to photosynthesise and make their own food

Question 27

what r carnivores prey herbivore predator producer

Answer 27

carnivores - organisms that eat meat prey - organisms that get eaten by other organisms herbivore- organisms that eat plants predator - organisms that eat other organisms producer - organisms that perform photosynthesis

Question 28

what are decomposers

Answer 28

group of microorganisms which include bacteria and fungi

Question 29

conditions that affect decay

Answer 29

warmth - as temperature increases decomposers become more active and decay rate increases oxygen - decomposers need oxygen to survive and without it there is little or no decomposition moist-as the volume of available water increases rate of decomposition also incrwsss

Question 30

what is percipitation

Answer 30

as water droplets in clouds get heavier they fall as snow rain or hail

Question 31

whag is percolation

Answer 31

water trickles through gaps in soil and rocks

Question 32

what is carbon cycle

Answer 32

constant cycling of small amounts of available carbon between living things and environment main processes are respiration combustion and photosynthesis

Question 33

what is biodiversity

Answer 33

represents total variety of all life on earth our activities can reduce biodiversity

Question 34

what is eutrophication

Answer 34

when a body of wager becomes overly enriched with minerals and nutrients which induce excessive growth of algae which may result in oxygen depletion

Question 35

what is peat

Answer 35

great importance to our planet as a carbon store peat holds more carbon than the combined forests of britain francd and germany

Question 36

how does deforestation impact planet

Answer 36

impacts amount of greenhouse gases as trees usually absorb them provide habitats for over 80% of plants and animals on land effects are irreversible

Question 37

required practical: sampling abundance and distribution of population method

Answer 37

QUADRATS 1) an area of 20m by 20m will be marked out by cones 2) randomly throw the quadrat within the marked area 3) count and record number of targeted organisms within ur quadrat 4) repeat steps 2&3 twice more to get precise results. record your results in results table TRANSECT 1) lay tape measure in a line from base of a tree to an open area of ground 2) put 0.5m x 0.5m quadrat against transect line. one corner of quadrat should touch 0m mark on tape measure 3) count number of planes within the quadrat and record in table 4) move quadrat 5m up transects like abd count number of plants again & record in table 5) continue to place quadrat at 5m intervals and count number of plants in each quadrat