Ecosystems

Question 1

Abiotic

Answer 1

Non-living surroundings (sunlight, wind, rocks, shelter, soil)

Question 2

Biotic

Answer 2

Living Organisms (birds, plants, fungus, bacteria, animals)

Question 3

Biosphere

Answer 3

Atmosphere - Air
Hydrosphere - Water
Lithosphere - Earth

Question 4

Ecosystem

Answer 4

A community of living organisms living and non-living surroundings

Question 5

Habitat

Answer 5

The natural home or environment of an animal, plant or other organism

Question 6

Population

Answer 6

Group of the same species living in the same area

Question 7

Community

Answer 7

Different populations living together in an area

Question 8

Decomposers

Answer 8

Fungi, bacteria and small invertebrates that break down dead organisms into simpler organic molecules. Makes nutrients for primary consumers

Question 9

Producers

Answer 9

An organism (plants) that can create its own food or energy

Question 10

Consumers

Answer 10

An organism that gains energy by eating plants or animals

Question 11

Why are they important?

Answer 11

Ecosystems need constant energy, producers use energy to make food and consumers take in energy by eating producers or other living things. Decomposers break down dead organisms and waste and release nutrients back into the environment

Question 12

Difference between food web and food chain

Answer 12

A food chain is the flow of energy in one direction while a food web is the flow of energy in multiple directions
Food chains show a snapshot of what they eat directly where as food webs show how the plants and animals connected help each other to survive

Question 13

What happens to energy in a food chain as it goes further up the trophies levels?

Answer 13

There is less energy available so organisms high up the food chain need to eat more to sustain themselves. The energy passed onto the next organism is less as each organism will use up energy in order to live (respire, excerpt, move etc)

Question 14

Herbivores

Answer 14

Animals that feed mostly on plants

Question 15

Carnivores

Answer 15

An organism that feeds primarily on meat or flesh

Question 16

Omnivores

Answer 16

Organism that eats both plants and animals

Question 17

Alex predator

Answer 17

Animal at the top of the food chain/web that has no natural predators

Question 18

Primary consumer

Answer 18

Animals that eat producers (herbivores)

Question 19

Secondary consumers

Answer 19

Usually carnivores that feed in herbivores

Question 20

Tertiary consumer

Answer 20

Carnivore at the top most level of the food chain that feeds on other carnivores

Question 21

Symbiosis

Answer 21

A close physical long-term relationship between two organisms of different species

Question 22

Mutualism

Answer 22

Both organisms benefit

Question 23

Commensalism

Answer 23

One organism benefits and the other is not affected

Question 24

Parasitism

Answer 24

One benefits and the other is harmed

Question 25

Relationships within a species

Question 26

Collaboration

Answer 26

Work together in order to ensure survival

Question 27

Mating

Answer 27

Organisms mate and produce offspring ensuring survival

Question 28

Competition

Answer 28

Occurs when organisms use the same limited resource

Question 29

Quadrats

Answer 29

Used for stationary animals and plants. Organisms are counted in squares and then the average is calculated for the total area of the ecosystem

Question 30

Capture-recapture

Answer 30

Used for animals that are mobile. Animals are captured in traps and marked with markers, then released. This works out the estimate of the population in the ecosystem.

Question 31

Introduced species

Answer 31

A species released into a ecosystem where they don’t occur naturally

Question 32

Invasive species

Answer 32

An organism that causes ecological or economic problems in an environment where they are not native

Question 33

Negative impacts of an invasive species

Answer 33

Loss of habitat Killing of native species (may cause extinction)

Question 34

Biological control

Answer 34

The use of living organism to control a pest

Question 35

Is biological control good?

Answer 35

Environmentally friendly - causes no pollution and affects only the target It won’t completely exterminate the pest Research is needed to see if the introduced species may cause more harm

Question 36

Photosynthesis

Answer 36

The process which plants use sunlight, water and carbon dioxide to create oxygen and energy in the form of sugar

Question 37

What is the equation

Answer 37

Carbons dioxide + water (with chlorophyll and sunlight) = glucose + oxygen

Question 38

How does water enter plants

Answer 38

Water enters through stem and up to its leaves

Question 39

How does carbon dioxide get inside plants

Answer 39

Through tiny holes in the plants leaves

Question 40

Parts of the plants involved in photosynthesis

Answer 40

Leaves chloroplast Roots

Question 41

Why is photosynthesis important

Answer 41

Earth can have consistent supply of oxygen Primary energy process for most trees and plants Directly or indirectly affects most life on Earth

Question 42

Respiration

Answer 42

The process inside a cell to covert energy from nutrients into chemical energy (ATP) and then releases waste product

Question 43

Equation

Answer 43

Glucose + oxygen = carbon dioxide + water + energy

Question 44

What’s the difference between respiration and breathing

Answer 44

Breathing is the process of inhaling and exhaling of gases between cells and the environment. Respiration is a chemical process that occurs in cells

Question 45

Where does respiration occur

Answer 45

The mitochondria

Question 46

What is produced

Answer 46

Water, carbon dioxide and (ATP) energy

Question 47

Why is it important

Answer 47

Can break down energy storing molecules to generate energy Essential for the various functions in a cell

Question 48

Natural Impacts

Question 49

Drought

Answer 49

Animals migrate elsewhere until improved Ecosystems severely affected Erosion can remove essential nutrients in organisms

Question 50

Seasonal changes

Answer 50

Cold = animals migrate Population decrease in one environment Spring = animals increase Plants pollinate Competition - some survive whiles others die allowing balance

Question 51

Floods

Answer 51

Growth of plants Snakes flushed out of cover = danger to humans Run - off brings in sediment and pesticides allowing some algae to dominate the environment

Question 52

Human Impacts

Question 53

Pollution

Answer 53

Sicken/ death of certain species Collapse of food webs

Question 54

Fossil fuels

Answer 54

Produce a lot of carbon dioxide Increase heat trapped Global warming increase

Question 55

Land degradation

Answer 55

Loss of soul fertility Destruction of habitat and biodiversity

Question 56

Factors that limit the size of an animal population

Answer 56

Amount of food and water available How quickly they reproduce, how many do they have, do the babies survive Symbiosis eg parasitism

Question 57

Factors that limit plant population

Answer 57

Access to sunlight, water and nutrients

Question 58

Where do animals get their energy from

Answer 58

Animals get it from producers or other organisms and also from cellular respiration which creates ATP (a type of energy)

Question 59

How is energy trapped and made into chemical energy?

Answer 59

Light energy is trapped in chlorophyll along with carbon dioxide and water, converted in chemical energy

Question 60

Human impact - habitat destruction

Answer 60

Clearing land to build or grow crops, relives habitat of native species

Question 61

Human impact - chemical pollution

Answer 61

Toxic chemicals kill