ED Flashcards
ecological niche
the place where an organism lives and the roles that an organism does in its habitat
describing as niche
position/living place - geographical location, habitat. role - producer, consumer, etc, any significant competitors, regular source of food
owl niche
habitat that usually contains trees with hollows where they can nest. Usually top order consumer but may be eaten by other birds of prey
keystone species
Any species whose presence is essential for maintaining the ecosystems stability and sustainability. Eg. woylie
woylie keystone species role
dig for fungi and other foods, so fungi spores are dispersed in their scats (poo) and can germinate to form beneficial associations with many woody plants
ecological succession
transition in species composition of a biological community as species begin to inhabit barren ground or reclaim a disturbed community
primary succession
colonising species change the abiotic conditions, making them more suitable for more complex organisms, which in turn change the abiotic conditions even more, allowing even more organisms to inhabit the area. Until a stable climax community is established
primary succession process of bare rock
pioneer species (bacteria and algae), lichen, moss, grasses and herbs, shrubs, trees (climax community)
secondary succession
occurs when all life in an area has been destroyed
Carbon cycle
A Place Green Spiders Come During Reproduction Comes From Cars
10% rule
at each link in a food chain, only 10% of the chemical energy is transferred from one level to the next
decomposers
organisms that break down dead organic matter (by releasing enzymes) into a form that can be taken up by producers
detritivores
organisms that eat detritus (dead plant and animal parts and feaces) to gain energy and nutrients. they ingest the material, breaking it up into smaller and smaller pieces.
biogeochemical cycle
a pathway by which a chemical substance moves through both biotic and abiotic components of earth
fragmentation
the process by which habitat loss results in the division of large, continuous habitats into smaller, more isolates remnants
habitat destruction
the process by which natural habitat is damaged or destroyed to such an extent that it is no longer capable of supporting the species and ecological communities that naturally occur there
invasive species
a species occurring, as a result of human activities, that have spread and multiplied to the point where they damage the environment
invasive
species has a tendency to spread their range into new areas, damaging the environment
pest
animals which have a direct effect on human standard of living or the environment in areas where they are present
feral
domestic gone wild
overexploitation
unsustainable use of natural resources
invasive species do this - SICK D
spread disease, introduce domestic genes, competition, kill and eat natives, destroy habitats
effects of human impact - DEEDS GP
desertification, extinction, extreme energy, deforestation, soil erosion, greenhouse gas increase, pollution
biomagnification
the accumulation and increase in concentration of non-biodegradable pollutants in food chains
greenhouse effect
shortwave energy from the sun heats the earth’s surface, longer wave energy is re-radiated to the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases absorb the longer waves and trap the heat in the atmosphere
