Ecosystems Flashcards
Biotic
A living factor of the environment
Symbiosis
The close relationship between two dissimilar organisms
Mutualism
Symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit
Parasitism
Symbiotic relationship where one organism lives on another and feeds on it
Predation
Symbiotic relationship where one organism feeds on another
Commensalism
Symbiotic relationship where only one organism benefits but the other is unharmed
Competition
When two or more organisms rely on the same environmental resource
Decomposer
Organisms, such as bacteria and fungi, that break down the bodies of dead organisms and animal wastes, and recycle material
Producer
Organisms that make food for the community
Herbivore
An animal that only eats plants
Carnivore
An animal that only eats other animals
Omnivore
An animal that eats both plants and animals
Photosynthesis
The process by which plants use the sun to make their food
Photosynthesis
Word equation
Sunlight
Carbon dioxide + water > glucose + oxygen
Chlorophyll
Adaptions
A feature that an organism has that enables it to survive
Structural adaption
Is a body part that helps an organism survive
Structural adaption example
A bats wings to enable it to fly
Behavioural adaption
A feature of an organisms actions or way of life that helps it.
Behavioural adaption example
The spinifex hopping mouse, only goes out at night when the air is cool, so they don’t dehydrate
Interdependent
Relationship between organisms, where each affects the others survival
First order consumer
In a food chain, the position of a herbivore. Who eats the producer
Second order consumer
The animal feeding on the first order consumer
Third order consumer
The animal that feeds on the second order consumer
Functional adaptions
Is a feature of the way an organisms body works
Abiotic
A non-living factor of an environment
Functional adaption example
When you exercise, your body automatically makes your heart beat faster so more blood is supplied to your muscles
Where does energy flow in ecosystems?
Energy flows from one organism to another as it is eaten.
How much energy is available to each animal?
The energy material available to each organism is only that which is in the body cells of the organism it eats.
How much energy is actually transferred to the next organism?
The organism that obtains the energy, only gets 10% of the energy from their prey. It then uses 90% for itself and the next animal that feeds on it, gets the other 10% of the energy
Why are food chains short and cut off quickly?
This is because as the energy travels along the chain, the amount gets smaller and smaller until there is no energy left to transfer to another animal.
What are pyramids of biomass?
They show the total mass of organism at each stage of a food chain. The area of each section represents the mass of organism at each stage.
Why do the areas get smaller in the pyramid of biomass?
Because the producer will have a certain amount of mass, and it will use 90% of it for itself, then transfer 10% to the next organism in the chain. It will then use 90% and give 10% to the next animal. The amount of biomass will decrease.
Types of abiotic factors
Water Air quality Temperature Wind Fire Light Soil type Gas levels
Types of biotic factors
Food source
Relationships (such as mutualism, predation etc)
Habitat
