Ecology Flashcards
What is ecology?
the study of organisms and the environment in which they live as well as how they both interact
What is a habitat?
a place where an organism lives
What is a population?
all the organisms of one species living in a habitat
What is a community?
the populations of different species living in a habitat
What is an ecosystem?
the interaction of a community of living organisms with the non-living parts of an environment
What is infraspecific competition?
competition for a shared resource between two individuals of the same species
What is interspecific competition?
competition for a shared resource between two individuals of different species
What do plants compete for?
- light
- space
- mineral ions
- water
What do animals compete for?
- food
- water
- territory
- mates
What are abiotic factors?
non living factors that can effect a community
What are some examples of abiotic factors?
- light intensity
- temperature
- moisture levels
- soil ph
- wind intensity
- CO2 levels
What are biotic factors?
living factors that can effect a community
examples of biotic factors?
- availability of food
- new predators arriving
- new pathogens
What is a trophic level?
feeding stage within a food chain
What is the first trophic level?
producers - plants and algae
What are producers?
organisms that make their own food and obtain energy from the sun. - plants and algae
What are primary consumers?
herbivore that only eat plants and algae
What are secondary consumers?
carnivores that eat herbivores
What are tertiary consumers?
carnivore that eat other carnivores
What are apex predators?
carnivores that have no predators and can be found at the top of the food chain
What are carnivores?
organisms that only eat animal material
What are Omnivores?
organisms that eat both plants and animals
What are the trophic levels starting with 5?
quaternary consumers tertiary consumers secondary consumers primary consumers producers
What are decomposers?
break down dead plant and animal matter , they secrete enzymes into the environment that break down the organic matter into small soluble molecules which then diffuse into he decomposer for its own growth, repair and reproduction
What is biomass?
the mass of organic material that makes up living or recently deceased organisms
What do pyramids of biomass represent?
the relative amount of biomass in each level of a food chain
What happens at each step along the food chain?
biomass is lost between trophic levels
Where is the least energy in a biomass pyramid?
at the top
What are losses of biomass due to?
- not all engested material Is absorbed
- some absorbed material is lost as waste
- large amounts of glucose are used in respiration
What is interdependence?
within a community each species depends on other species for food, shelter, pollination etc.
What can happen due to interdependence?
if a major change happens to an ecosystem it can effect the whole community
What are stable communities?
when all the species and environmental factors are in balance so that the population sizes remain fairly constant
What do stable communities have?
a high amount of interdependence
What are predators?
organisms that hunt and kill other animals for food
What are prey?
animal that is hunted and eaten
Why is the typical predator prey relationship rarely seen?
because most predators have more then one food source and prey have more then one predator
Explain the 4 steps in a predator prey relationship?
1) population of prey increases, population of predators will increase over a leg time
2) the increase in predators causes decrease in prey
3) causes decrease in number of prey so the number of predators falls
4) decrease in predators means the number of prey then increase, back to beginning
What are adaptations?
features that enable an organism to survive in the conditions in which they normally live
What are the three types of adaptations?
structural, behavioural, functional
What are structural adaptations?
changes in the organisms body structure
What are behavioural adaptations?
changes in how organisms behave - migration patterns, hibernation
What are functional adaptations?
internal changes within an organisms body - ability to produce little urine
What are some extreme environments?
- high temp
- high pressure
- high salt concentrations
What are organisms that live in extreme environments called?
extremophiles
