ecology+environment FOR EXAM Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

4.1 ecology is the study of

A

ecosystems

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

4.1 an ecosystem is..

A

an easily described system/area where organisms interact with their physical environment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

4.1 what are habitats

A

the places where specific organisms live

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

4.1 in ecology a community is formed of

A

the populations of all the species present in an ecosystem at a particular time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

4.1 a population is

A

the total number of individuals of one species in a particular habitat at a particular time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

4.2 ecologists measure the size of a population in a habitat using a

A

quadrat

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

4.2 most of the time for a quadrat we use a …cm X ..cm square

A

50cm X 50cm
0.25m^2

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

4.2 to measure the population you

A

place it on the ground
count the number individuals of your species inside the square

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

4.2 when individuals are on the edge to make sure data is consistent you..

A

only count those on the top and left edges only

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

4.2 if it is difficult to count your species (grass) you can..

A

estimate the percentage of the quadrat area covered by the species

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

4.2 to find out the population of a species in a habitat you would

A

calculate area
measure quadrat
repeat 10X for reliability
average num in quadrat
how many quads fit in total area
multiply amount fit by averg num

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

4.2 how do you make sure your data is valid

A

use random sampling

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

4.2 how do you take a random sample

A

make right angle by 10mX10m axis
generate random coordinates
OR randomly throw over shoulder

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

4.3B what is biodiversity

A

it’s the range and variety of different species of organisms on earth or within an ecosystem

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

4.4B to make the grid you randomly generate numbers between … for what

A

1-10 for coordinates

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

4.4B what is a transect

A

a sample continuously or at regular intervals along the line

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

4.4B pick 2 …. areas to display the different habitats

A

contrasting

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

4.4B use …. sampling to take repeated measurements and compare the average results

A

random

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

4.4B use a transect to pass through a range of

A

abiotic conditions
(e.g. light-shade)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

4.4B what is placed at regular intervals along the transect

A

a quadrat

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

4.4B what is the quadrat used for

A

to measure the number / % cover of the species

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

4.5 what are some abiotic factors

A

light intensity, temperature, moisture levels, wind intensity, carbon dioxide levels & oxygen levels

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

4.5 what are some biotic factors

A

availability of food, new predators, new pathogens and competition

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

4.5 how does light intensity affect the community

A

its needed for photosynthesis

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

4.5 how does temperature affect the community

A

affects rate of photosynthesis in plants

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

4.5 how does moisture affect the community

A

plants and animals require water to survive

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

4.6 the arrows in a food chain represent

A

the direction that the energy and biomass is moving

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

4.6 the stages in a food chain/web are called the

A

trophic levels

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

4.6 the origin of a food chain/web is a

A

producer

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

4.6 the first animal is called the

A

primary consumer

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

4.6 the second animal is called the

A

secondary consumer

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

4.6 the third animal is called the

A

tertiary consumer

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

4.6 what is rarely drawn in food chains/webs

A

decomposers

34
Q

4.7 a food web is more complex because

A

it shows links between many species

35
Q

4.7 we can use …. to represent the relative amounts of organisms at each trophic level

A

ecological pyramids

36
Q

4.7 pyramids of number are drawn to show

A

the number of each organism counted in the ecosystem

37
Q

4.7 pyramids of biomass are drawn to show

A

the total mass of the organisms in each trophic level
(i.e. the mass of an individual x the number of individuals)

38
Q

4.9 the units for energy in the food we eat are

A

kilojoules

39
Q

4.9 the energy available at a trophic level in a particular area is

A

kilojoules per square metre per year
( kJ / m2 / year )

40
Q

4.9 why are pyramids of energy drawn

A

to show the total energy available in each trophic level per square metre per year

41
Q

4.9 we draw pyramids of ….

A

energy

42
Q

4.9 only …% of the suns energy is used in photosynthesis

A

1-5%

43
Q

4.9 in the first consumer …% of energy is ‘lost’

A

90%

44
Q

4.9 in the secondary consumer …% of energy is ‘lost’

A

90%

45
Q

4.9 100kg of grass would go to …kg of rabbit

A

10kg

46
Q

4.9 10kg of rabbit would go to …kg of fox
(from the original 100kg of grass)

A

1kg

47
Q

4.11B bacteria and fungi are called decomposers because

A

they break down the dead remains and release the chemicals for the plants to use again

48
Q

4.11B step1. the nitrogen fixing bacteria absorb … and reduce it to …

A

nitrogen
ammonia

49
Q

4.11B step1. the process of reducing nitrogen to ammonia is called

A

nitrogen fixation

50
Q

4.11B step2. ammonia is converted to nitrites & nitrates by

A

nitrifying bacteria

51
Q

4.11B step2. the process of converting ammonia to nitrites&nitrates is called

A

nitrification

52
Q

4.11B nitrogen fixation is when

A

you reduce nitrogen to ammonia

53
Q

4.11B nitrification is when

A

you convert ammonia to nitrites and nitrates

54
Q

4.11B step3. plant roots can only absorb

A

nitrates

55
Q

4.11B step3. the nitrates are combined with carbohydrates to form

A

amino acids
(then made to proteins and nucleotides)

56
Q

4.11B step3. the proteins and nucleotides made from amino acids join to make

A

DNA and RNA

57
Q

4.11B step4. animals … plants

A

eat

58
Q

4.11B step4. animals … the proteins and DNA in plants

A

digest

59
Q

4.11B step4. the proteins & DNA absorbed by the animal is used to … new proteins and DNA (a….)

A

synthesise new proteins and DNA (assimilation)

60
Q

4.11B step5. when a plant or animal dies its tissues are

A

decomposed

61
Q

4.11B step5. when they are decomposed by bacteria and fungi it is

A

saprotrophic feeding

62
Q

4.11B step6. molecules containing nitrogen are broken down by bacteria&fungi and … is released into the soil

A

ammonia

63
Q

4.11B step7. some nitrates are converted to .. by ..

A

N2 by denitrifying bacteria

64
Q

4.11B step7. the process of nitrates being converted to N2 is called

A

denitrification

65
Q

4.11B the four processes of the nitrogen cycle

A

decomposition, nitrification, denitrification and nitrogen fixation

66
Q

4.11B the bacteria involved in decomposition

A

decomposing bacteria

67
Q

4.11B the bacteria involved in nitrification

A

nitrifying bacteria

68
Q

4.11B the bacteria involved in denitrification

A

denitrifying bacteria

69
Q

4.11B the bacteria involved in nitrogen fixation

A

nitrogen-fixing bacteria
(found in soil and root nodules of plants)

70
Q

4.11B description of decomposition

A

protein in dead plants and animals is broken down
ammonia is released into the soil

71
Q

4.11B description of nitrification

A

ammonia is converted to nitrites,
and nitrites are converted into nitrates

72
Q

4.11B description of denitrification

A

nitrates are converted to nitrogen gas (denitrification reduces the amount of nitrate in the soil and therefore makes the soil less fertile)

73
Q

4.11B description of nitrogen fixation

A

nitrogen gas is converted to ammonia in bacteria which is used to make proteins, when the bacteria die their proteins decompose, releasing ammonia back into the soil

74
Q

4.11B some nitrogen fixing bacteria live small structures -

A

nodules on the roots of legume plants

75
Q

4.11B in the nodules there is a mutualistic relationship because

A

the bacteria receive glucose from the plant while the plant absorbs ammonia from the bacteria in the nodule

76
Q

4.11B when the bacteria decompose they make the soil much

A

much more fertile releasing ammonia which can be converted into nitrates

77
Q

4.11B what cycle do I need to know

A

the nitrogen cycle

78
Q

4.11B how do I remember nitrogen fixing

A

grab the nitrogen from the air and pull down to fix it

79
Q

4.11B what are the three types of bacteria you need to know in the nitrogen cycle

A

nitrogen fixing, nitrifying and denitrifying

80
Q

4.11B what are the roles you need to know in the nitrogen cycle

A

nitrogen fixing bacteria, decomposers, nitrifying bacteria and denitrifying bacteria