Ecology and the enviroment Flashcards
Population
Group of individuals of the same species that are in the same habitat at the same time
Community
All the populations of different species living and interacting a particular place at the same time
Habitat
The place where an organims lives and is characterised by physical conditions and other organisms
Ecosystem
made up of a community and the non-living factors of the enviroment
Biotic
Living
abiotic
Non-living
Biotic Factors affecting popualtion size
Availability of food
Competition for food resources
Predation
Disease
Space/shelter
Abiotic factors affecting population size
Climate - temperature/water availability
Hours of daylight
Soil conditions
Pollution
Why is only 10% of energy transferred between trophic levels
- not all eaten
- energy lost via heat from respiration
- Energy lost from decomposition/death
- not all food is digested
- energy lost from excretion
Pyramids of Biomass
Shows total mass of the organism
Pyramids of number
represents the numebr of organisms in each trophic level
Carbon is released from…
Combustion of fossil fuels
Respiration of organims
Carbon is absorbed from…
photosynthesis of plants
Animals eat plants (assimilation)…
- Animals die/excrete
- Carbon found in decaying organism
- Decomposers Respire - realeasing CO2
Biological conseqeunces of Carbon Monoxide pollution in air
- forms when carbon is burnet with limited supply of oxygen
- binds to haemoglobin
- reduces oxygen carrying capacity in blood
- more anaerobic respiration
Biological conseqeunces of Sulphur dioxide pollution in air
- produced from burning of fossil fuels
- dissolves in rainwater to form acid rain
- acid rain is harmful to the enviroment
Greenhouse gases
- carbon dioxide
- water vapour
- methane
- nitrous oxide
- CFCs
Human Activities contribute to greenhouse gases
- Burning of fossil fuels
- deforestation
- agriculture
Impact of increased greenhouse gas emissions
- enhanced greenhouse effect
- more greenhouses gases on the surface of earth
- more heat trapped
- suns rays of heat is reflected back on earth
- Increases surface temperature
- cntributing to global warming
Consequences of global warming
- Sea levels rise
- Change in global rainfall patterns
- Loss of Biodiversity/species
- Change in farming practices due to increased pest population
- Loss of crops
- increase spread of diseases
Impacts of Acid Rain
- Dissolve limestone buildings and statues
- Decreases pH of river/lakes = enzymes denature + organisms die
- Kills trees and other plants
- Increase dissolution of some metal ions in the soil - run off into rivers = poison fish
How does sewage enter water supplies
Leaking piper or run off from land
If sewage is untreated and it enters waterways it can…
- provide a good source of food for bacteria
- bacteria multiply rapidly
- more bacteria = more respiration = more oxygen used up
- decrease of oxgen levels
- death of aerobic organism in water
