ecosystems Flashcards
community
all the different organisms living and interacting with one another in a particular area
population
makes up communities with varying species
how to calculate population
pop. size = (number of organisms in all quadrats x total size of area where organism lives) / total area of quadrats
abiotic factors
the non living aspects of an ecosystem, e.g. temperature, light intensity, moisture and pollutants
mutualism
both organisms benefit, e.g. algae is protected inside polyp and provides food for the coral
parasitism
only the parasite benefits, e.g. bed bugs drinking the blood of humans
eutrophication
- addition of more nutrients to an ecosystem than it normally has
- often happens with fertilisers used in crops
- excess fertiliser runs of into water sources
- results in algae growth which causes reduced oxygen and light levels
reforestation
- planting trees in previously deforested areas
conservation
effort made to protect a rare or endangered species or habitat
types of cycles
water, nitrogen carbon
explain the water cycle
- water from animals, plants and oceans are collected into the air through transpiration and evaporation
- evaporated water is condensed into clouds
- precipitation occurs, causing the formation of rivers and lakes
- the cycle continues
desalination
- the removal of salts from water
- e.g. distillation
4 key components of the carbon cycle
- decomposers
- respiration
- photosynthesis
- combustion
explain the nitrogen cycle
- nitrogen from the air is turned into nitrates by nitrogen fixing bacteria
- nitrates are absorbed by plants to make amino acids
- amino acids pass into animals when they eat plants
- animals produce nitrogen in waste product and dead remain
- decomposing bacteria convert the nitrogen into ammonia
- nitrifying bacteria convert the ammonia into nitrates, the cycle continues
soil fertility
- how well the soil can support plant growth
