ecosystems Flashcards
what is the carrying capacity and why may the population size vary
the maximum size that a population can remain sustainable in a particular habitat, this population varies because of:
1. the effect of abiotic factors
2. interaction between organisms and biotic factors
how does intraspecific competition effect size of population
as competition increases as the size of the population increases and gets nearer to the maximum that can be supported sustainably. if it exceeds the population will decline
how does temperature affect population
each species has an optimum survival temperature.
i’m cold blooded animals when temperature drop enzyme works slowly metabolic rate slows down so population grows more slowly when the temp increases enzymes denature
The warm blooded animals maintain a constant body temperature the further it gets from optimum the more they expand to try and maintain their normal body temp. Leaves less energy for individual growth reproduce more slowly so population gets smaller
how does light effect population size
the rate of photosynthesis increases as light intensity increases so plants grow and they produce more seeds population is therefore greater
how does ph of soil/water effect population
it affects the action of enzymes which have an optimum PH. Population is larger when the appropriate PH exists and the population is smaller or non existent where the PH is different from the optimum
how does water and humidity effect population size
where water is scarce population is small and consist of species adapted for dry environments. humidity effect transpiration .
population is adapted to tolerate low humidity
what is interspecific competition
competition between different species.
An organisms role is the niche no two species can occupy the same niche as there would be to muxh competition.
The more similar the niche the greater the competition and it will lead to one species becoming competitively excluded
what is intraspecific competition
competition within a species
e.g plants competing for light
what are autotrophs
primary producers e.g algae
what is a heterotroph
primary consumers e.g herbivores
secondary consumers e.g canrivores
tertiary consumers e.g carnivores that eat other carnivores
what is a feeding role known as
trophic level
what is a decomposer
organisms that digest the dead remains and waste products of every type of organism releasing inorganic molecules ions
what are saprobionts
a type of decomposes that secrete enzymes onto the detritus and absorb products of digestion
why may some light not be used for photosynthesis
- doesn’t fall on photosynthetic part of the plant
-not of an appropriate wavelength
-some light is reflected or transmitted
why is some light energy not converted to chemical energy
- some energy is during inefficient reactions of photosynthesis
-other limiting factors
