Ecosystems

Question 1

ecosystem

Answer 1

A relatively self-contained unit consisting of a community of species interacting with each other and with the non-living components of their environment

Question 2

biotic components

Answer 2

animals,plants

Question 3

abiotic components

Answer 3

non living (water, weather, temperature)

Question 4

community

Answer 4

multiple populations interacting in the same area

Question 5

populations

Answer 5

individuals from same species living in the same area

Question 6

habitat

Answer 6

where plants or animals live

Question 7

niche

Answer 7

the role of an organism plays in its ecosystem
-what it feeds on / excretes

Question 8

consumers

Answer 8

feed on producers to use chemical energy for respiration

Question 9

omnivore

Answer 9

eat both plants and meat

Question 10

carnivore

Answer 10

eat meat ONLY

Question 11

herbivore

Answer 11

eat plants ONLY

Question 12

decomposers

Answer 12

-bacteria,fungi - feed on waste material or dead organisms

Question 13

7 uses of energy

Answer 13

Movement
Reproduction
Sensitivity
Nutrition
Excretion
Respiration
Growth

Question 14

Ecological efficiency

Answer 14

biomass at higher trophic level / biomass at lower trophic level
eg biomass of primary consumer / producer biomass

Question 15

productivity

Answer 15

the rate at which energy passes through each trophic level

Question 16

why is energy lost in plants

Answer 16

-some light misses
-some light reflects
-not the right wavelength for photosynthesis
-energy used in mrs nerg

Question 17

improve primary productivity

Answer 17

-light
-more efficient wavelengths of light
-irrigate crops
-keep temperature optimum
-crop rotation (swaps where planted to regain nutrients)
-reduce competition ( from weeds etc)

Question 18

improve secondary productivity

Answer 18

-use steroids on young to increase growth rate
-selective breed for larger, quicker growing
-use antibiotics so energy is not lost fighting pathogens

Question 19

biomass

Answer 19

total weight of living organisms in an area
transferred through trophic levels by consumption
mass of carbon or dry mass tissue

Question 20

efficiency

Answer 20

biomass transferred / biomass uptake x100

Question 21

roles of microorganisms in the nitrogen cycle

Answer 21

nitrogen fixing bacteria -rhizobium in roots convert gaseous nitrogen into ammonia
nitrifying bacteria- nitrosomonas convert ammonium compounds into nitrites
nitrobacter then converts nitrites to nitrates

Question 22

role of organisms in the carbon cycle

Answer 22

respiration of animals releases carbon dioxide into atmosphere
photosynthesis of plants removes carbon dioxide from atmosphere
decomposers - decay plant and animal material into carbon dioxide

Question 23

primary succession

Answer 23

when an area previously devoid of life is colonised by a community or organisms
pioneer species colonise the area
the die and compose leaving nutrients in ground
overtime this allows more complex organisms to live

Question 24

climax community

Answer 24

final stage of succession where ecosystem is balanced and stable
environment no longer changing

Question 25

deflected succession

Answer 25

succession is interrupted usually by human interference

Question 26

intraspecific competition

Answer 26

competition within same species

Question 27

iterspecific

Answer 27

competition between different species