Ecology: The organism in the environment

Question 1

Population

Answer 1

A group of organisms of the same species living in the same place at the same time

Question 2

Community:

Answer 2

All the populations living in the same area at the same time

Question 3

Habitat:

Answer 3

The place where an organism lives

Question 4

Ecosystem:

Answer 4

All the biotic factors and abiotic factors that interact within an area at one time

Question 5

Quadrats can be used to measure abundance by recording:

Answer 5

The number of individual species
Species richness (number of different species)
Percentage cover

Question 6

Quadrat Practical:

Answer 6

1. Use 2 tape measures to lay out a survey area in a chosen habitat
2. Use a dice/random number generator to create a set of coordinates to place the quadrat
3. Count the number of chosen plant species within the quadrat
4. Repeat 10 times
   Estimated Population Size = Total Area/Area Sampled(Quadrat) x Avg. number of species
   Limitations: Easy to miss individual organisms

Question 7

Biodiversity and its importance:

Answer 7

The range and variety of different species of organisms within an ecosystem
Considers species richness, variation, distribution and population size of each species
Different species depend on each other for Food, Shelter, Maintenance of physical environment

Question 8

Abiotic Factors

Answer 8

Light Intensity
Temperature
Moisture
Soil pH and Mineral content
Wind Intensity
CO2 levels for plants
Oxygen levels for aquatic animals

Question 9

Biotic Factors

Answer 9

Availability of food
New Predators
New Pathogens
Competition