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BIO > Energy & Ecosystems > Flashcards

Energy & Ecosystems Flashcards

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Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

What is an ecosystem?

A

All the community living in a specific area + all the non- living factors of it’s environment

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2
Q

What is a community?

A

Groups of different organisms which live + interact in a particular place at the same time

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3
Q

What are biotic factors with examples?

A

Living factors e.g. predators, amount of plants, diseases

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4
Q

What are abiotic factors with examples?

A

Non- living factors e.g. light levels, temperature, pH of soil

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5
Q

What is an environment?

A

The surroundings of an organism including physical + chemical environment with which it comes into contact

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6
Q

What is a niche?

A

Each species particular role in their habitat

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7
Q

What is the suns role in the ecosystem?

A

The Sun is the source of all energy in ecosystems with photosynthetic organisms using this to produce their own food

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8
Q

Why is only 1-3% of the suns energy transferred to producers?

A
  • Most energy is absorbed by the atmosphere
  • Chlorophyll cannot absorb green and only absorbs red/blue
  • Not all light falls on leaf/chloroplast some light lands on stems
  • Energy lost during respiration
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9
Q

What is the producers role in the ecosystem?

A

Plants are autotrophs which make their own food. They provide energy to herbivores/primary consumers. This is where carbon starts in our food chain so the more productivity through photosynthesis = more biomass across trophic levels.

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10
Q

What is the role of consumers in an ecosystem?

A

It will consume producers to pass on energy through the food chain and will be consumed by other carnivores/2’ + 3’ consumers

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11
Q

Why is only 10% of energy passed along the food chain?

A

• Uneaten parts e.g. the bones, stem/roots of plant.
• Decay of dead material e.g. bacteria may decay some material.
• Excretion and egestion e.g. energy is lost in faeces
• Exothermic reactions e.g. heat lost in respiration.

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12
Q

What is GPP?

A

Gross primary productivity. This is the chemical energy store in the plant in a given area/ volume = all the energy entering due to photosynthesis

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13
Q

What is NPP for plants and animals?

A

Net primary production is the GPP with consideration to loss of energy through respiration.
For plants: NPP= GPP- R
For animals: N= I - (F+R)

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14
Q

Formula to calculate % efficiency of energy transfer through trophic levels

A

Percentage efficiency = energy after/ energy before *100

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15
Q

What is biomass with units?

A

Total mass of dry tissue or carbon measured of a given area. Biomass is what will be passed onto the next organism.
For an area: gm-2
For a volume: gm-3

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16
Q

How can the energy in a biomass be estimated?

A

Remove all the water from the sample so it is dry mass. You now have the mass of the carbon which you can use through bomb calorimetry.

17
Q

What are the 4 parts of the nitrogen cycle?

A

Ammonification: make ammonium ions
Nitrification: make nitrite ions -> nitrate ions
Nitrogen fixation: make nitrogen containing compounds
Denitrification: make N2 gas

18
Q

Describe ammonification

A

Saprobionts decompose organic matter ( faeces + dead organisms- urea, proteins, nucleic acid) to make ammonia which dissolves in water in soil to make ammonium ions

19
Q

Describe nitrification

A

Nitrifying bacteria in soil oxidize ammonium ions -> nitrite ions-> oxidized to nitrate ions

20
Q

Describe nitrogen fixation

A

Nitrogen fixing bacteria on legume nodules + free in soil reduce N2 gas to ammonia to produce aminos

21
Q

Describe denitrification

A

Anaerobic denitrifying bacteria in waterlogged soil with less O2 convert nitrates -> N2 gas

22
Q

Why can N2 gas not be used by plants directly from the air?

A

N2 has very stable tripe covalent bonds that are hard to break and absorb

23
Q

How can farmers raise productivity?

A

Keep soil light with plowed air spaces and good drainage. Nitrifying bacteria need O2 to oxidize. If waterlogged= Anaerobic denitrifying bacteria form and less NB/NFB= less nitrogen for plants so must be good soil to reduce DNB

24
Q

Why is nitrogen important to the ecosystem?

A

Plant uptake to make aminos, NAD/NADP, nucleic acid

25
Q

Positive effects of nitrogen containing fertilizer

A

It is an essential component for plant growth = increase in gross productivity = higher yield for cheaper

26
Q

Negative effects of nitrogen containing fertilizer

A

Reduced species diversity: nitrogen favors some plant= rapid growth out compete = death of other plant
Leaching: can cause watercourse pollution
Eutrophication: fertilizer into water course

27
Q

What is leaching?

A

Nitrates dissolved in rainwater go deep into soil beyond root reach. Run off into water streams -> freshwater lakes
Harmful if drunk and causes eutrophication

28
Q

What is eutrophication?

A

1) Nitrate level no longer a limiting factor so aquatic plants increase
2) Algal bloom forms = prevents light reaching bottom = plants die
3) Dead plants + Saprobionts = less O2 level so fish die
4) Less aerobics organisms = increase in anaerobic organisms = toxic waste and putrid water

29
Q

What are the 5 parts of the phosphorus cycle?

A

Weathering
Runoff
Assimilation
Decomposition
Uplift

30
Q

Describe weathering + runoff

A

Phosphate is released from sedimentary rock and then and as a result of weathering = leaching into water and soil

31
Q

Describe assimilation

A

Uptake of phosphate ions by plants and algae

32
Q

Describe decomposition

A

Saprobionts break down phosphorus ions in dead animals /waste in the soil

33
Q

Describe uplift

A

Sedimentary layers from the ocean are bought to land over many years

34
Q

Explain the phosphate cycle

A
  • Dissolved ions in bodies of water and soil are absorbed by plants
  • Passed onto animals that consume plants
  • Either excreted back into bodies of water or excreted/decomposed as guano, bones. and shells
  • Some waste and remains erode back into the bodies of water and some go through deposition = forming phosphate in rocks
  • Rocks erode into bodies of water
  • Bodies of water form phosphate in rocks via sedimentation over many years
35
Q

Role of mycorrhizae in nutrient cycles

A

Mutualistic relationship
- Increase surface area for water/mineral absorption
- Act as a sponge to hold water/mineral ions around the plant’s root
- Makes plant drought resistant + able to uptake scarce ions

36
Q

Pros/Cons of natural fertilizers

A

PROS:
- Cheaper/manure free if you own farm animals
CONS:
- Cannot control proportions of minerals added

37
Q

Pros/Cons of artificial fertilizers

A

PROS:
- Exact proportion of minerals
- Inorganic ions = more water-soluble = dissolve into soil = easier for plants to absorb
CONS:
- High solubility = rain can wash away = leaching

BIO (20 decks)

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