Ecosystems, Populations And Sustainability Flashcards
Define an ecosystem
Group of living and non living factors and relationships between them
Name some biotic factors
Food, disease
Name an abiotic factor
PH, temperature
What does dynamic mean?
Constant change
What are cyclical changes?
Changes that repeat themselves such as predator prey relationships
What are directional changes?
Changes that last longer than the organisms
What is an un predictable change?
Hurricanes and extreme weather
Define a population
Many groups of the same species within an area
Define a community
Many populations of different species within the same area
What is dry Biomass?
Dried mass of an organism
How do you work out efficiency with 2 trophic levels?
( Biomass of higher trophic level ÷ Biomass of lower trophic level ) × 100
Define productivity
Rate in which energy passes through each trophic level in a food chain
Define gross primary productivity
Rate sunlight is converted to chemical energy
Define net primary productivity
The amount of sunlight energy to enter into the food chain
How can human prevent respiratory losses?
Intensive rearing
Heaters
How do you work out net production Biomass or energy?
Gross production - respiratory losses
What is decomposition?
When a compound is broken down into smaller molecules
What is a decomposer?
Organism that feeds on dead material
What is a detritovore?
An organism that speeds up decay process
Outline nitrogen fixation
Nitrogen fixing bacteria, azobacter, contains the enzyme nitrogenase which combines N2 with hydrogen to form NH3
Outline nitrification
Nutrifying bacteria break down ammonium into nitrites and nitrates
Outline dentrification
When dentrifying bacteria converts nitrates back into nitrogen
Outline ammonification
When decomposes convert dead organisms into ammonium
Define abundance
Number of different species present at a given time
