Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

AQA A Level Biology > Energy and Ecosystems > Flashcards

Energy and Ecosystems Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
AP® Biology flashcards Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

Ecosystems

A

The abundance and distribution of organisms are controlled by biotic and abiotic factors

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What are biotic factors?

A

Living

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What are abiotic factors?

A

Non-living

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Population

A

All the organisms of a single species in a habitat

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Community

A

All the organisms of all the species in a habitat

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Habitat

A

The place where an organism lives

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Niche

A

The role of a species in an ecosystem

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Trophic level

A

Each stage of the food chain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Trophic level examples

A
  • Producer
  • Primary consumer
  • Secondary consumer
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Interspecific competition

A

Between different species

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Intraspecific competition

A

Within a species

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Biotic factors examples

A

Other animals or plants

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Abiotic factors examples

A

Water, soil, air, sunlight, temperature

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Gross primary production

A
  • The total amount of energy made by producers

- Per unit area per unit time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Respiratory losses

A

The energy used by organisms for respiration

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Net Primary Production formula

A

NPP = GPP - R

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Net primary production

A

NPP = Gross primary production - Respiratory loss

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What is the net primary production?

A

The amount of chemical energy a producer stores as biomass per unit area per unit time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Net production of consumers

A

I - F + R

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Net production of consumers what is F

A

The chemical energy lost to the environment in faeces and urine

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Net production of consumers what is I

A

The chemical energy store in ingested food

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Net production of consumers what is R

A

The respiratory losses to the environment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Sun energy transfer to producer

A
  • very low
  • wrong wavelength
  • light strikes non photosynthetic region
  • light reflected
  • lost as heat
24
Q

Producer energy transfer to primary consumer

A
  • low
  • respiratory loss
  • plant uses energy for metabolism
  • lost as heat
  • not all plant eaten
  • some food not digested
25
Q

Primary consumer energy transfer to secondary consumer

A
  • low
  • respiratory loss
  • primary consumer uses energy for metabolism
  • lost as heat
  • not whole animal is eaten
  • some food not digested
26
Q

When is energy transfer especially low?

A
  • Old animals (stop growing)
  • Herbivores (more poo)
  • Endotherms (warm blooded)
27
Q

How to increase energy transfer efficiency in plants

A

1 - Shorten food web
- reduce competition so the plant has more energy to create biomass
- Herbicides to kill weeds
- Fungicide to reduce fungal infections
- Insecticide kill pests
2 - Fertilisers
- prevent growth being limited by lack of nutrients

28
Q

How to increase energy transfer efficiency in animals/livestock

A

3 - Reduce respiratory loss
- restrict movement (less energy used to make biomass)
- keep warm in winter
4 - Slaughter animal whilst still growing
5 - Keep predators away
6 - Controlled diet to increase % of food digested

29
Q

How to increase energy transfer efficiency in animals/livestock and plants

A

7 - Artificially select organisms with a high yield

30
Q

Ways of measuring biomass

A

Dry biomass and mass of carbon

31
Q

How to measure dry biomass

A
  • sample of biomass is warmed on a scale until constant mass (all water evaporated)
  • temperature must be low to avoid combustion
  • amount of water in samples varies a lot so dry biomass gives a more representative sample
  • kg.m^-2
32
Q

How to measure mass of carbon

A
  • organisms made up of organic compounds
  • mass of carbon is a good indicator for biomass
  • difficult to measure
  • carbon is usually about 50% of the dry biomass
  • kg.m^-2.yr^-1
33
Q

How to calculate energy stored in biomass

A
  • calorimetry is used to estimate the amount of energy stored in dry biomass
  • burn sample completely
  • heat a known volume of water
  • measure temperature change of water
  • calculate energy release
34
Q

How are ammonium ions converted into nitrites

A

Nitrification

35
Q

How are nitrites converted into nitrates

A

Nitrification

36
Q

How are nitrates converted into nitrogen

A

Denitrification

- anaerobic conditions

37
Q

How is nitrogen gas made usable

A

Nitrogen fixation

  • legumes
  • by bacteria in root nodules
38
Q

Which form of nitrogen is usable by plants and animals

A

Nitrates

39
Q

How do plants and animals use nitrates

A

Proteins/DNA

40
Q

What happens to nitrogen when plants and animals die

A

Saprobiontic microbes (decomposers) digest dead/organic matter using extracellular enzymes

41
Q

How are ammonium ions reformed?

A

Ammonification

42
Q

What are sources of phosphate ions?

A

Rocks

43
Q

How are phosphate ions removed from rocks?

A

By erosion and weathering into rocks and soil

44
Q

How do plants and animals get phosphate ions?

A

Plants from soil, animals from eating plants

45
Q

How are phosphate ions recycled back to the soil?

A

Saprobiontic nutrition

46
Q

How do plants, animals and decomposers use phosphorus?

A

ATP/DNA

47
Q

How are nutrients recycled

A

Microorganisms break down large organic compounds into small soluble inorganic compounds which can be absorbed by producers

48
Q

Saprobionts

A

Type of decomposers that digest food by saprobiontic nutrition

49
Q

Saprobiontic nutrition

A

Digestion of dead organic matter by extracellular enzymes (products are absorbed by producers)))

50
Q

Mycorrhizae

A

Fungi that grow in a mutualistic relationship with plant roots

51
Q

Benefits of mycorrhizae on the plant

A
  • Increase in surface area of the plant

- increases absorption of minerals and water

52
Q

Natural fertiliser

A
  • Contain nitrogen and phosphorus in organic compounds

- Still need breaking down by saprobionts

53
Q

Artificial fertiliser

A

Inorganic chemical compounds that contain nitrogen and phosphorus (water soluble)

54
Q

Leaching

A
  • Water soluble compounds are washed off land by rain

- More common in artificial fertilisers

55
Q

Eutrification

A
  • Nitrite/phosphate ions leach into fresh water
  • Algal bloom
  • Blocks out light
  • Plants can’t photosynthesise and die
  • Saprobionts breakdown dead plants
  • Use up all oxygen
  • Fish die
56
Q

Harvesting crops/livestock

A
  • Removes N and P from cycles
  • Soil N and P get depleted
  • Add fertiliser to replace N and P
  • Too much fertiliser can change water potential
57
Q

Benefits of natural fertilisers

A
  • Aerate soil
  • Less leaching
  • Combine a wider range of elements
  • Consume less energy

AQA A Level Biology (13 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions