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Biology (Year 12) QLD > Functioning Ecosystems (PPT7-8) [U3/ T2] > Flashcards

Functioning Ecosystems (PPT7-8) [U3/ T2] Flashcards

1
Q

Can energy be recycled?

A

No

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2
Q

How do ecosystems receive new energy?

A
  • From an outsie source

- Most commonly the sun

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3
Q

ecosystems must also have…?

A

organisms equipped to capture the suns energy and transform it into a useable form

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4
Q

What are the two types of energy transformations?

A
  • Photosynthesis

- Cellular respiration

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5
Q

What is photosynthesis?

A

Green plants, algae and some bacteria use the suns light energy to produce chemical energy in the form of glucose

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6
Q

What is cellular respiration?

A

The process by which organisms break down energy-rich molecules (e.g. glucose) to release the energy into a useable form

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7
Q

What is the two types of classification relating to the obtaining of energy

A
  • Autotrophs (produces)

- Heterotrophs (consumers)

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8
Q

What are the two types of producers?

A
  • Photosynthetic autotrophs

- Chemosynthesis autotrophs

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9
Q

How do Photosynthetic autotrophs produce energy?

A

use light energy from the sun to make glucose from CO2 and H2O.

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10
Q

how do Chemosynthesis autotrophs produce energy?

A

use energy from energy-releasing chemical reactions between inorganic molecules to make glucose.

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11
Q

List the major tropic levels in order

A

1) Producers
2) Herbivores
3) Primary carnivores
4) Secondary carnivores
5) Omnivores
6) Detritivores & Decomposers

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12
Q

Define food chain

A

The sequence of organisms, each which is a source of food for the next

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13
Q

Which direction do arrows travel in food chains

A
  • Food to feeder

- e.g. Producer to herbivore

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14
Q

What does a food web accomplish?

A

Shows the connections of all organisms within an ecosystem

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15
Q

What is the trophic level producers source of energy?

What organisms does it include?

A
  • Solar energy

- Green plants, photosynthetic protists & bacteria

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16
Q

What is the trophic level herbivores source of energy?

What organisms does it include?

A
  • Producers

- Grasshoppers, water fleas, antelope, termites,

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17
Q

What is the trophic level primary carnivores source of energy?

What organisms does it include?

A
  • Herbivores

- Wolves, spiders, some snakes, warblers

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18
Q

What is the trophic level secondary carnivores source of energy?

What organisms does it include?

A
  • Primary carnivores

- Killer whales, tuna, falcons

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19
Q

What is the trophic level Omnivores source of energy?

What organisms does it include?

A
  • Several trophic levels

- Humans, rats, possums, bears, raccoons, crabs

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20
Q

What is the trophic level Detritivores & decomposers source of energy?

What organisms does it include?

A
  • Consume & recyle dead plant/ animal material

- No assigned trophic level

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21
Q

How can energy flow be represented?

A

By food chains

22
Q

How is energy lost?

A
  • Heat to the atmosphere
  • During metabolic reactions within organisms (respiration)
  • Faeces and urine
23
Q

What is the 10% rule?

A

States that the total energy content of a trophic level in an ecosystem is only about 0ne-tenth that of the preceding level.

24
Q

Why is only 10% of energy passed on?

A

The remaining 90% is transformed by cellular metabolism into eventual heat energy and lost to the atmosphere or remains as chemical energy in the uneaten portion of the organism and its body waste.

25
Q

The energy available to each trophic level will always…

finish the statement

A

equal the amount entering the trophic level minus total losses to that level.

26
Q

What are the three ecological pyramids used?

A
  1. Energy
  2. Biomass
  3. Numbers
27
Q

What does a pyramid of numbers show?

A

The total number of individual organisms at each level in the food chain of an ecosystem.

28
Q

What does the pyramid of biomass display?

A
  • Dry weight typically used as a measure
  • Water content of organisms varies
  • Organism size is taken into account
  • May be inverted
29
Q

What does a pyramid of energy show?

A

The producers highest quantity of energy that decreases at each level of the food chain.

30
Q

THE WATER CYCLE (Yellow sticky note)

A

CN11,

31
Q

CARBON CYCLE (Yellow sticky note)

A

CN11

32
Q

NITROGEN CYCLE (Yellow sticky note)

A

CN11

33
Q

Define Transformation

A

Changing its form

34
Q

Define transfer

A

Moving to another location

35
Q

Define habitat

A

The place or space in which an organism lives out its life.

36
Q

Define niche

A

The functional position or role a species plays in a community; its total way of life.

37
Q

What are the two types of niche

A
  • Fundamental

- Realized

38
Q

Define fundamental niche

A

The full range of environmental conditions (biological and physical) under which an organism can exist.

39
Q

Define realized niche

A

The niche that is actually occupied.

It is narrower than the fundamental due to pressure from and interactions with other organisms.

40
Q

Define competition

A

The active demand between two or more organisms for a resource

41
Q

What are the two types of competition

A
  • IntrAspecific

- IntERspecific

42
Q

Define IntrAspecific competition

(sAme = IntrA)

A

Competition between members of the same species

43
Q

Define IntERspecific competion

(diffERent = IntERspecific)

A

Competition between different species sharing a habitat

44
Q

What is niche partitioning?

When does it occur?

A

Niches are separated to avoid competition

Niche partitioning occurs when different species live in close proximity to each other and use slightly different resources.

45
Q

What is the competitive exclusion principle

A

The fact that no two species can occupy the same niche is called the Gause competitive exclusion principle

46
Q

How is competition alleviated?

Provide an example

A 
Resource partitioning
E.G.
- Feeding at different times (Temporal)
- Feeding at different heights (Depth)
- Different sized prey
47
Q

Define adaptation?

A

An inherited feature of an organism that enables it to survive and reproduce in its habitat

48
Q

What are the three types of adaptation

A

Behavioural - the way an organism acts
Physiological - the way the body works
Structural - the way an organism is structured (its physical features)

49
Q

Define a specialised niche

Provide an example

A
  • Very well-defined or narrow physical, biological or chemical requirements for survival
  • More susceptible to extinction

E.G.
- Dugong: requires seagrass and warm calm water

50
Q

Define a generalised niche

Provide an example

A
  • Species which can exist in a broad range of conditions
  • In the face of change, organisms occupying a broader niche have a better chance of survival

E.G.
- Humans, cockroaches, flies, rats

51
Q

Define a keystone species

A

A plant or animal that plays a unique and crucial role in the way an ecosystem functions.
They play a pivotal role and their elimination or severe reduction can significantly alter an ecosystem.

52
Q

Provide an example of a keystone species

A
  1. Elephants - alters vegetation structure
  2. Termites - breaks down plant cellulose
  3. Ochre star - feeds on mucsles

Biology (Year 12) QLD (16 decks)

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