Environmental Change Flashcards
WHAT EFFECTS DO CHANGES IN THE ENVIRONMENT HAVE
Caused by various factors such as lack of useful food source — may affect the distribution and behaviour of organisms
ANIMALS AND PLANTS ARE EXPOSED TO ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE. WHAT TWO FACTORS CAUSE THIS
LIVING FACTORS — such as change in predator, food source, or competitor
NON LIVING FACTORS — such as change in temperature or rainfall
WHAT IS “COMPETITION” IN ANIMALS
Habitats have limited amounts of the resources needed by living organisms. They must compete with other organisms for these resources. If they are unsuccessful and cannot move to another habitat, they will die
RESOURCES ANIMALS COMPETE FOR (3)
- food
- water
- space
They might also compete for mates
RESOURCES PLANTS COMPETE FOR (4)
Plants make their own food through photosynthesis so they don’t compete for that
- light
- water
- space
- mineral salts
WHAT IS AN EXTREMOPHILE
An extremophile is an organism that lives in conditions of
- extreme temperature
- extreme acidity
- extreme alkindity
- extreme chemical concentration
Name of the extremophile of
EXTREME TEMPERATURE
Hyperthermophile
Name of the extremophile of
EXTREME ACIDITY
Acidophile
WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON SOURCE OF AIR POLLUTION
Combustion of fossil fuels
• sulfur dioxide is released if the fuel contains sulfur compounds
NAME AN INDICATOR OF AIR POLLUTION
• Lichens
– lichens are plants that grow in exposed areas such as rocks or tree bark
– they need rain water which has just enough nutrients to keep them alive
– air pollution dissolves in rain water, especially silver dioxide can damage lichens and prevent them from growing
This makes them good indicators as
• bushy lichens need really clean air
• leafy lichens an survive small amounts of air pollution
HOW IS WATER POLLUTION INDICATED
Many aquatic invertebrate animals cannot survive in polluted water, so their presence or absence indicates the extent to which the water is polluted
INDICATOR SPECIES FOR CLEAN WATER
Mayfly lava
INDICATOR SPECIES FOR LOW LEVELS OF POLLUTION
Freshwater shrimp
INDICATOR SPECIES OF HIGH LEVEL WATER POLLUTION
Water louse
INDICATOR SPECIES IF VERY HIGH LEVER WATER POLLUTION
Rat-tailed maggot
Sludgeworm
