Ecosystems and Energy Flashcards
What is the definition of a species?
Organisms that can produce fertile offspring
What is the definition of biodiversity?
the total variation that exists amongst all living things on earth
What is the definition of a habitat?
the place where an organism lives
What is the definition of a population?
The total number of a particular species in a particular area
What is the definition of a community?
All the living things in an area
What is the definition of an ecosystem?
All the living and non-living things in an area
What is a producer?
organism that uses energy from the sun to make its own food
What is a herbivore?
An organism that only eats plants for energy
What is a carnivore?
An organism that only eats other animals for energy
What is an omnivore?
A consumer that eats plants and animals
What is a predator?
An animal that hunts and eats other animals - hunter
What is prey?
The animal eaten by the predator - hunted
What is a niche?
The role an organism plays within the community.
What is it called when organisms want the same resources?
Competition
What are the 2 types of competition?
intraspecific and interspecific
What is intraspecific competition?
Competition within the same species
What is interspecific competition?
Competition between different species
Which type of competition is the most intense?
Intraspecific
What can be used to sample plants in an area?
Quadrat
What can be used to sample small insects in an area?
pitfall trap
What term is used to describe living factors that affect where an organism lives?
biotic
What term is used to describe non-living factors that affect where an organism lives?
abiotic
Give 3 examples of biotic factors.
disease, food availability, grazing, competition, predators
Give 3 examples of abiotic factors.
temperature, moisture, light intensity, pH, wind speed
What name is given to an organism that by its presence or absence gives an indication of how polluted an area is?
Indicator species
On average, how much energy is lost in each stage of a food chain?
90%
State 3 ways energy is lost in a food chain.
- heat 2. movement 3. undigested food
Energy used for what activity is available at the next level of the food chain?
Growth
What is a pyramid of energy?
A pyramid that shows the energy at each level of the food chain
What is a pyramid of numbers?
A pyramid that shows the number of organisms at each level fo the food chain
Which pyramid can have an irregular shape?
Pyramid of numbers
What always comes at the base of a pyramid?
Producer
