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Biology > Ecosystems > Flashcards

Ecosystems Flashcards

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AP® Biology flashcards Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

Ecosystem

A

Is made up of all living organisms that interact in a defined are

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2
Q

Abiotic factors (6)

A 
wind
water
mineral
soil type
temperature
oxygen
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3
Q

define abiotic factors

A

non living factors

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4
Q

factors that affect ecosystems

A

biotic factors (animals competing for food)

abiotic factors

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5
Q

succession

A

one process by which ecosystems change overtime

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6
Q

Conservation

A

the protection and management of ecosystems through human action so that natural resources can be used without them running out

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7
Q

types of biodiversity

A

habitat biodiversity
species biodiversity
genetic biodiversity between species

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8
Q

Presevation

A

the protection of an area by restricting or banning human interference, so that the ecosystem is kept in its original state

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9
Q

importance of conservation

A

economic - help humans survive, trading

social - natural beauty

ethical - organisms have a right to exist, moral responsibility to conserve for future generations

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10
Q

aims of sustainability

A

preserve the environment

ensure resources are available for future generations

allow humans to live comfortably

enable LEDCs to develop through exploiting natural resources

create a more even balance in the consumption of these resources between MEDCs and LEDCs

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11
Q

trophic levels

A

stages in the food chain

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12
Q

biomass pyramid

A

producers

primary consumers

secondary consumers

tertiary consumers

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13
Q

biomass

A

dry mass of living material in an area or in organisms

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14
Q

why is it dry mass (without water)

A

because water levels fluctuate

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15
Q

how to measure biomass?

A

collect the sample

kill the organism

place in an oven at 80degrees until all the water has evaporated

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16
Q

why is only a small sample taken from animals and why is this an issue?

A

to minimise the destruction

this may not represent the population as a whole

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17
Q

what is the units for biomass

A

gm^-2

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18
Q

why might energy be lost between trophic levels? (5)

A

the majority of sunlight is reflected during photosynthesis (can be controlled by keeping other factors maintained)

other factors may limit photosynthesis

not all the biomass is eaten (bones)

some lost in respiration (heat) (keep them warm- less respiration)

some lost in excretion

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19
Q

calculating biomass

A

biomass in each organism X total no of organisms at that trophic level

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20
Q

decomposer

A

an organism which feeds on or breaks down dead plant or animal matter to turn the organic compounds into inorganic ones available for photosynthetic producers

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21
Q

Detritivores

A

they feed on dead and decaying material (speed up decaying process) and break it down into smaller pieces of organic material to increase the SA for decomposers

22
Q

primary succession

A

newly formed or exposed area of land (no soil) eg bare rock

23
Q

secondary succession

A

this occurs on areas of land where soil is present but contains no plant or animal species (a result of a forest fire)

24
Q

factors that result in primary succession (4)

A

volcanic eruption

sand is blown by wind

salt and mud are deposited by river estuaries

glaciers retreat

25
Q

whats the first species to colonies an area called?

A

pioneer community

26
Q

pioneer community

A

can survive extreme conditions and fix nitrogen i to the atmosphere to add to the mineral content of the soil

27
Q

what happens when members of the pioneer community decompose?

A

small amounts of organic products are released into the soil (humus)

this makes the soil able to support the growth of new species of plant (secondary colonisers)

28
Q

an example of the pioneer community

A

lichens

29
Q

an example of secondary colonisers

A

mosses

30
Q

examples of tertiary colonisers

A

grassers and ferns

these plants have a waxy cuticle to prevent water loss

31
Q

what seral stage is after the tertiary colonisers

A

scrubland

32
Q

why is there less biodiversity in the climax community?

A

because the dominant species outcompetes the pioneer community (resulting in elimination)

33
Q

interspecific competition

A

individuals of different species compete for the same resources

34
Q

intraspecific competition

A

members of the same species compete for resources

35
Q

net productivity

A

the amount of energy available to the next trophic level

36
Q

what is the issue with calculating the energy transfer between each trophic level?

A

the consumers may have taken energy from sources other than the producer

37
Q

how can farmers increase the productivity of their animals? (5)

A

herbicides (kill weeds so less competition)

fungicides (more energy focus on growing than attacking)

insecticides (less biomass lost)

natural predators to eat pests

keep animals in warm indoor pens where movement is restricted

38
Q

equation for net productivity?

A

gross productivity - respiration loss

39
Q

stages of the carbon cycle (4)

A

co2 from air is taken in from plans via photosynthesis or passed directly and dissolved in oceans

from plants and oceans, the co2 can be released via respiration or just released

consumers eat the producers, decomposers eat the consumers once dead or the rest of the co2 goes to fossil fuels (combustion)

carbon can be turned into rock from dead organic matter (animals and plants)
this carbon is released into the atmosphere via volcanic eruptions

40
Q

how does the co2 get back into the atmosphere from plants, animals, decomposers and the ocean

A

respiration from plants animals and decomposers or just released via the ocean

41
Q

why do plants and animals need nitrogen?

A

to make proteins, DNA, RNA

42
Q

ammonification

A

nitrogen compounds from dead organisms are turned into ammonia by decomposers

ammonia then forms ammonium ions

43
Q

nitrification

A

ammonium ions are changed into nitrites then nitrates

44
Q

what bacteria converts ammonium ions to nitrites

A

nitrosomonas

45
Q

what bacteria changes nitrites to nitrates

A

nitrobacter

46
Q

denitrification

A

under anaerobic conditions

nitrates in soil is converted to nitrogen gas (respiration)

47
Q

nitrogen fixation

A

nitrogen in the atmosphere is turned into ammonia

nitrogen gas is absorbed by plants which are fed on by consumers

48
Q

bacteria that converts nitrogen gas into ammonia?

A

Rhizobium

found inside leguminous plants (peas and beans)

49
Q

three ways of investigating plant populations

A

frame quadrats

point quadrats

transects

50
Q

three types of transects explained

A

line transects (species that touch the tape measure are recorded)

belt transects (data is collected using frame quadrates)

interrupted transects (measurements taken at set intervals)

51
Q

reclamation

A

restoring ecosystems that have been damaged or destroyed so they can be used again

52
Q

how are fish stocks conserved

A

controlling mesh sizes- allow unwanted fish to escape and younger fish so they can reach breeding age

using fish quotas (amount of fish fishermen can catch)

Biology (31 decks)

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