Ecosystems Flashcards
What is an Ecosytem?
A natural system that is made up of plants, animals and the environment in which they live.
What are the 3 vital components in a healthy and sustainable ecosystem?
Producers, consumers and decomposers.
What does the Food chain show?
The direct links between different organisms that rely on each other as a source of food.
What does the Food web show?
The complex hierarchy of plants and animals that rely on each other as a source of food within an ecosystem.
What do Decomposers do?
Make the nutrients available again for the living things to use.
Where do consumers get energy from?
From plants.
Where do Producers get energy from?
From sunlight.
What are nutrients?
Foods that are used by plants and animals as they grow.
What are the two main sources nutrients are taken from?
Rainwater
Weathering of rocks
What are some natural changes that can have bad impacts on an Ecosystem?
Extreme weather events
Fire caused by lighting strikes
Climate change and global warming
What are some Human-induced changes that can have bad impacts on an ecosystem?
Land use change - deforestation
Alteration to water and soils, such as land drainage or adding fertilisers
Hunting or trapping of animals or birds
How does climate change and extreme weather events affect water levels?
(Pond ecosystem)
Long periods of very low water levels will cause stress in organisms, and some individuals may die.
How do fertilisers on farmland affect pond ecosystem?
Can result in an influx of nutrients into a pond. Leads to a rapid growth in algae, which affectively chokes the pond, depriving other organisms of oxygen.
What is Chalara?
A disease affecting many ash trees.
Caused by a fungus and results in tree loss and bark damage.
How does Chalara affect deciduous forest ecosystem?
Lack of ash trees in a woodland will affect the ecosystems primary production and may reduce food for consumers.
Why can Controlled hunting for species be important?
Important in maintaining balance within an ecosystem. If animal numbers allowed to escalate, this can reduce food supply for other consumers.
