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AQA Higher Biology > Ecosystems > Flashcards

Ecosystems Flashcards

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1
Q

Habitat

A

A place where an organism lives

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2
Q

Population

A

All organisms of one species living in a habitat

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3
Q

Community

A

Populations of different species living in a habitat

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4
Q

Abiotic factors

A

Non living factors of environment

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5
Q

Biotic factors

A

Living factors of environment

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6
Q

Ecosystem

A

The interaction of a community of living organisms (biotic) with the non-living (non-biotic) parts of their environment

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7
Q

Where do organisms interact?

A

Within an ecosystem. Organisms compete for food, water, mate, reliance, mineral ions, etc.

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8
Q

What is interdependence?

A

When one organism relies on another

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9
Q

An example of interdependence

A

Pollination and seed dispersal

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10
Q

What does it mean if an area is biodiverse?

A

Lots of species. The community and ecosystem are stable.

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11
Q

What is a stable ecosystem?

A

Populations do not fluctuate and are more resistant to human activities and environmental change

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12
Q

How are feeding relationships represented in communities?

A

Food chains

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13
Q

What is a trophic level?

A

A part of the food chain

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14
Q

State the order of the food chain

A

Producer
Primary consumer
Secondary consumer
Tertiary consumer

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15
Q

Producer

A

Green plants and algae
Makes glucose via photosynthesis

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16
Q

Herbivore

A

Eats plants and algae
Primary consumer

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17
Q

Carnivore

A

Eats herbivore
Secondary consumer

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18
Q

Carnivore (2)

A

Eats other carnivores
Tertiary consumer

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19
Q

What is a predator?

A

A consumer that kills and eats other animals

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20
Q

What are prey?

A

Those eaten by predators

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21
Q

What is an apex predator?

A

A carnivore which has no predators

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22
Q

How does the predator-prey cycle look in a healthy, balanced ecosystem?

A

The numbers of each remain fairly constant.

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23
Q

Describe what happens when prey population increases.

A
  • Prey increases due to more producers and less predators
  • Predator population begins to increase (delayed, as it takes time for predators to catch prey and then reproduce)
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24
Q

Describe what happens when predator population increases

A
  • More prey hunted, prey population decreases
  • Predator population decreases as there is less prey to hunt
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25
Q

What is biomass?

A

The mass of living material. Pyramids of biomass represent relative amounts of biomass in each level of a food chain.

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26
Q

Describe a pyramid of biomass

A

Producers are at the bottom
Primary consumers above
Secondary consumers above
Tertiary consumers

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27
Q

How do you calculate biomass lost

A

Lower trophic level biomass - Higher trophic level biomass

28
Q

How do you caluculate efficiency of biomass

A

Higher / Lower * 100

29
Q

Biomass is ** between each trophic level

A

Lost

Approximately 10% of the biomass from each trophic level is transferred to the level above it

30
Q

Why is biomass lost between trophic levels

A
  • Not all of organism is edible
  • Some absorbed material egested as faeces
  • Lost as waste e.g. CO2, H20, urea
  • Used for respiration
31
Q

What is a transect?

A

Measures the distribution of a species over a distance

32
Q

Why would a transect be performed

A

Seeing if environmental factors affect where species lie along the transect

33
Q

What can we measure along the transect

A

Light intensity (lightmeter)
Temperature (thermometer)
Soil pH (Indicator)
Width of leaves (ruler)

34
Q

Method of transect

A

1) Lay out a tape measure of (desired) area
2) Place a quadrat continuously along the tape measure or every other metre
3) Count or identify species in the quadrat
4) Use a meter to measure an abiotic factor (if measuring how that factor affects distribution of a species, e.g. temperature)

Always measure at the same height/direction e.g. light meter placed in same direction facing upwards
Repeat by completing another transect further along the habitat

Repeat transect at different times of the day/year/seasons

35
Q

What is random sampling?

A

Estimate the population of a species in an area / investigate biodiversity (variety of species) in an area

36
Q

Quadrats are placed randomly, using random coordinates

A

to reduce bias

37
Q

How do you random sample

A

1) select a sample area within a habitat
2) create a grid/axis using tape measures to create a sample area
3) use random coordinates to place a 1m x 1m quadrat if investigating plants or animals that dont move

3) for animals, you can use traps, e.g. pitfall traps (insects) sweep nets (flying insects) camera traps, etc.

4) identify number of species within the quadrat and count number of organisms
5) repeat minimum 10 times

6) repeat in a different location within the same habitat / other times of the day or year or seasons to improve reliability (spot anomalous results)

38
Q

What is an adaptation

A

Enables an organism to survive in their natural environment

39
Q

What is a a structural adaptation

A

Shape or colour
e.g. Scales / Skin for camouflage to avoid being spotted by predators OR to sneak up on prey

40
Q

What is a behavioural adaptation

A

The way organisms behave
- Remain in a herd = Less likely to be eaten
- Hunting in packs = Increased hunting success

41
Q

Functional adaptation

A

Internal adaptation
- Adrenaline in fihgt or flight = More likely to survie a confrontation w a predator
- Immune system prevents illness caused by pathogens
- enzymes break down food
- poison in skin deters predators

42
Q

Extremophiles

A

Organims adapted to extreme environments e.g. volcanic vents, nuclear reactora

43
Q

What is black smoker bacteria

A

Found on deep sea volcanic vents. Heat resistant enzymes that dont denature

44
Q

Adaptations to cold environments

A

Reduce heat loss =
- Thick furs to insulate heat
- Thick layers of fat to insulate heat
- Small surface area : volume ratio to reduce heat los

45
Q

Adaptations to cold environments

A

Increase heat loss =

46
Q

Plant adaptations

A

Structural behavioural functional

47
Q

Structural in plants

A

Waxy cuticle = prevents water loss
Less stomata = Less transpiration = Less holes for water to diffuse throughOth

48
Q

Other plant adaptations

A
  • Poisonous to prevent eaten
  • Large flowers attract pollinators
49
Q

What is competition

A

Plants and animals compete with each other for resources

50
Q

What do plants compete for

A

Light, mineral ions in salt and water
e.g. Weeds removed by farmers using herbicides

51
Q

Why do farmers remove weeds

A

Results in lower crop yield

52
Q

What do animals compete for

A

Space, food, water, mates
e.g. Male robins compete for territory in English gardens

53
Q

Intraspecific competition

A

Between the same species

54
Q

Interspecific competition

A

Between different species

55
Q

What happens if one organism outcompetes another

A

Species becomes extinct e.g. grey squirrels outcompeting red

56
Q

Why do populations fluctuate

A

Organisms eat each other

57
Q

Photosynthesis in carbon cycle

A
  1. Plants remove CO2 from the atmosphere through their stomata
  2. Plants use CO2 for photosynthesis to make glucose (carbon compound)
  3. Glucose can be used to make other carbon based compounds (e.g. carbs, proteins, lipids, cellulose)
  4. Some glucose is stored as starch
58
Q

Feeding in carbon cyclr

A
  1. Animals eat plants
  2. C passed along food chain
  3. Animals use some C compunds consumed to make other C compounds

(carbs protein lipids)

59
Q

Decay in carbon cyclr

A
  1. Plants and animals are decayed by microorganisms
  2. Microorganisms use the C compounds to make other C compounds
  3. Microorganisms respire to release CO2
60
Q

Respiration in carbon cycle

A
  1. Plants animals microorganisms respire
  2. Release CO2 back into atmosphere
61
Q

Fossil fuels in carbon cycle

A
  1. Remains of decayed plant and animal matter become fossil fuels
  2. Combustion of fossil fuels releases Co2 into the atmospherw
62
Q

Nutrient cycle

A
  1. Plants and animals die to produce organic matter
  2. Microorganisms cause decay in warm and moist conditions
  3. These produce nitrates and other mineral ions
  4. Roots of plants absorb the nitrates

Repeat

63
Q

Decay by microorganisms

A
  1. Microorganisms break down (decay) plant and animal material waste for energyhat
64
Q

What affects the rate of decay

A

a) High oxygen levels
b) High moisture levels
c) Warm conditions

65
Q

Why is decay important

A

Farmers provide optimum conditions for the rapid decay of biological material

Compost (full of mineral ions) is used as a natural fertiliser for growing garden plants and crops

66
Q

What is biogas

A

Anaerobic decay produces methane gas
Methane gas used as fuel

AQA Higher Biology (9 decks)

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