Ecosystem Flashcards
Population
All the organisms of one species in a habitat
Habitat
The place where an organism lives
Community
All the different species in a habitat
Ecosystem
All the organisms living in a particular area and all the non-living (abiotic) conditions
Decomposers
Break down dead material and waste
What are the stages of a food chain called
Tropic levels
What does a food chain look like
Producer ➡️ primary consumer ➡️ secondary consumer ➡️ tertiary consumer
What is a pyramid of numbers
Each bar shows the number of organisms at that stage
A typical pyramid the higher the trophic level the less organisms
What is a pyramid of biomass
Shows the mass of living materials at each stage
Eg. A fox is heavier than 500 fleas
Pyramids of energy transfer
They show the energy transferred at each trophic level in the food chain
They are always pyramid shaped
Energy transfers in a food chain
Energy from the sun supply energy the make food for the plants. This energy them works it’s way through the food chain as it is eaten by animals. Around 90% of this energy is lost through ways such as respiration and excretion
How is energy lost in a food chain
To the surroundings as heat
Used for staying alive eg. Respiration
Some parts of the food are not eaten eg. Roots or bones
Only 10% is stored as biomass for growth
This energy is them transferred onto the next trophic level
Pollution by carbon monoxide
When fossil fuels are burnt without enough air supply, carbon monoxide is produced
It is a poisonous gas and when combining with red blood cells it prevents them from carrying oxygen
It is mostly released in car emissions but can be prevented using a catalytic converter
Acid rain and sulfur dioxide
Produced by burning fossil fuels from the sulfur impurities
When this mixes with the rain clouds it forms dilute sulphuric acid
Human activity causing carbon dioxide
Car exhausts, industrial processes, burning fossil fuels
Less CO2 due to deforestation
