HB E Flashcards
1
Q
Physical conditions and non-living resources
Eg Climate, weather soil, nutrients, light.
A
Abiotic
2
Q
Evolutionary process
leads to the development or persistence of an organism’s behavior and ability to survive / reproduce.
A
Adaptation
3
Q
Continually wooded since before 1600 (in England).
Semi-natural ancient woodland is dominated by naturally regenerated native trees and shrubs
A
Ancient Woodland
4
Q
They obtain energy from an inorganic source i.e. sunlight or inorganic chemical energy.
i.e. Plants, some bacteria.
A
Autotrophs
5
Q
Variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome or the entire earth
A
Biodiversity
6
Q
Total weight of all the living organisms, or a designated group of living organisms, in a given area.
A
Biomass
7
Q
living organisms. They can also influence the distribution of organisms in an ecosystem.
A
Biotic
8
Q
Plant species confined to soils with high (alkaline) pH
A
Calcicole
9
Q
Plant species confined to soils with low (acidic) pH
A
Calcifuge
10
Q
A group of biological taxa (as species) that include all the descendents of one common ancestor.
A
Clade
11
Q
Behaviour of an animal that benefits another at its own expense.
A
Altruism
12
Q
The genetic constitution of an individual organism.
A
Genotype
13
Q
The set of observable characteristics of an individual resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment.
A
Phenotype
14
Q
a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.
A
Ecosystem
15
Q
Exclusively native to a particular place or biota.
A
Endemic
16
Q
The animal and plant life of a particular region, habitat, or geological period.
A
Biota
17
Q
Plant community existing at the stable end point of succession.
A
Climax Community
18
Q
Association between two individuals of different species in which one benefits and the other does not gain benefit or disadvantage.
A
Commensalism
19
Q
The individuals from a number of species in a particular locality.
A
Community
20
Q
Relationship between individuals using the same resource to each other’s disadvantage. Competition may be exploitation (directly through the depletion of the resource) or interference (through one individual interfering with another’s access to the resource).
A
Competition
21
Q
A result of competition between two species for a limiting resource in which one species completely eliminates the other. Ecologically identical species cannot co-exist, but can live in different areas of the same woodland.
A
Competitive exclusion
22
Q
Abiotic factors influencing the external environment of an organism and, as a consequence, the organism’s functioning.
A
Conditions
23
Q
To sustain and develop habitats and species.
A
Conservation
24
Q
Heterotrophic micro-organisms that break down dead organic matter.
A
Decomposers
25
Animals that eat dead and usually decaying organic matter.
Detritivores
26
The spatial range of a species, usually on a geographic scale but sometimes on a smaller scale, or the arrangement or spatial pattern of species over its habitat.
Distribution
27
Deoxyribonucleic acid. The molecules inside cells that carry genetic information and pass it from one generation to the next.
DNA
28
The scientific study of the distribution and abundance of organisms and the interactions with the environment (including with each other) which cause these patterns of distribution and abundance.
Ecology
29
A system of living organisms and their physical and chemical environment.
Ecosystem
30
Organisms that rely on external heat sources to regulate body temperature or do not regulate temperature at all.
Ectotherms
31
Organisms that maintain a roughly constant body temperature by generating internal heat.
Endotherms
32
Proteins produced by cells that act as catalysts in biochemical processes.
Enzyme
33
Change in the characteristics of a species over time and the development of new species through reproductive isolation.
Evolution
34
Number of seeds, eggs or offspring produced by an individual.
Fecundity
35
A simple expression of feeding relationships in a community, starting with plants and ending with top carnivores.
Food chain
36
A network of feeding relationships within a community.
Food web
37
The type of environment that an organism or population lives.
Habitat
38
Animals that eat plant material only.
Herbivores
39
Organisms that obtain energy from complex organic compounds that have been synthesised by other organisms. I.e. Organisms that eat plants and/or other animals.
Heterotrophs
40
The state of inactivity of some animals during the winter; marked by a drop in body temperature and metabolic rate
Hibernation
41
Competition between members of two or more species
Interspecific competition
42
Competition among members of a single species
Intraspecific competition
43
Lacking a backbone, hence an animal without bones e.g. insect, mollusc, jellyfish, worm.
Invertebrate
44
Plant of the Pea family that forms root nodules containing nitrogen fixing bacteria.
Legume
45
The entire span of life of an organism from the moment of fertilization (or asexual generation) to the time it reproduces in turn.
Life cycle
46
The rate at which the chemical reactions within the cell or organism take place.
Metabolic rate
47
The sum of all chemical reactions occurring within the cell or and organism.
Metabolism
48
A habitat that is really small e.g. a flower head, underneath the bark of a tree.
Microhabitat
49
The regular, seasonal movements of animals between breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Migration
50
This is the DNA that is transferred through the mitochondria of the egg in reproduction. It is not the same DNA as the chromosomes that mix to create the unique individual (50% each from the egg and sperm). Is therefore passed through the generations via the females and is used for plotting evolutionary pathways.
Mitochondrial DNA
51
Association between two individuals of different species in which both benefit.
Mutualism
52
Fungi developing a mutualistic association with plant roots.
Natural Selection
53
The role played by an organism within a community or ecosystem. The fundamental niche is the range of conditions that can be tolerated and the resources that can be utilised. The realised niche is the proportion of the fundamental niche actually occupied as a result of competition.
Niche
54
A nutrient is a chemical that an organism needs to live and grow, or a substance used in an organism's metabolism which must be taken in from its environment.
Macronutrients are those used by the body in large amounts (e.g. Carbohydrate).
Micronutrients are those used by the body in small amounts (e.g. Calcium).
Nutrient – Micro, macro
55
Relationship between two individuals of different species where one member benefits and the other is disadvantaged (although not killed until at least after the parasite has successfully reproduced).
Parasitism
56
A scale from one to fourteen of acidity (1-6) and alkalinity (8-14), 7 being neutral. Actually stands for ‘potential of hydrogen’ and is on a log scale.
pH
57
Free draining, acidic soil where long term leaching has occurred.
Podzols
58
Initial plant community in succession, often well adapted to specific abiotic problems associated with a particular substrate.
Pioneers
59
Community maintained in a preclimax state, e.g. by fire, grazing or human interference.
Plagioclimax
60
All the individuals of a particular species existing in a particular locality.
Population
61
The act of one animal (predator) catching and consuming another (prey).
Predation
62
The process by which green plants capture light energy from the sun through photosynthesis. Gross primary production is the total amount of energy captured. Net primary production is the fraction of gross production that remains after the organism has used energy for its maintenance - this can be used for growth.
Primary Production
63
A square shaped piece of equipment used to define a given area whilst carrying out a survey e.g. 1 meter quadrat is a wooden or metal or string square 1 meter by 1 meter.
Quadrat
64
A commodity that is used by an organism and can therefore be in short supply and the subject of competition. Eg. Food, light, space.
Resources
65
One of the basic units of biological classification in taxonomy. Usually defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. This mostly works but sometimes the definition can be less distinct and similarity of DNA, morphology or ecological niche may be more appropriate. Presence of specific locally adapted traits may further subdivide species into subspecies.
Species
66
Pores on the surface of plant leaves or stems used for gaseous exchange.
Stomata
67
The gradual change and development of an ecosystem over time.
Primary succession starts from a bare uncolonised surface.
Secondary succession on a previously colonised substrate which may still contain plant seeds and organic matter
Succession
68
To keep going continuously e.g. population. Sustainable development – to meet the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations.
Sustainable
69
The science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a hierarchical structure or classification scheme.
Taxonomy
70
Regulating the body temperature (see Ectotherms and Endotherms).
Thermoregulation
71
A line along which you travel whilst collecting data during a survey.
Transect
72
An animal whose nerve cord is enclosed in a backbone of bony segments called vertebrae i.e. fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.
Vertebrate
73
Non-succulent plants with a range of adaptations making them drought tolerant.
Xerophytes
74
Fungi developing a mutualistic association with plant roots.
Mycorrhiza
75
Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
Linnean System
76
The history of organismal lineages as they change through time - Tree of Life
Phylogeny
77
1) at least 1,500 vascular plants as endemics
2) 30% or less of its original natural vegetation
3) 2.3 % of the Earths land (34 locations)
Biodiversity hotspot
78
Mineral soils - frequent or constant waterlogging
Gleys
79
Heavy rainfall results in material being washed out and redeposited at greater depth
Podzols
80
Pure organic soils where organic matter has accumulated because of waterlogging
Peat
81
Free draining soils with distinct mineral/organic and mineral layers are called
Brown Earths
82
the concentration of a solution expressed as the total number of solute particles per litre
Osmolarity
83
Maintenance of a relatively constant internal environment in a variable external environment
Homeostasis
84
also known as dicots, are one of the two groups into which all the flowering plants or angiosperms were formerly divided.
The name refers to one of the typical characteristics of the group, namely that the seed has two embryonic leaves or cotyledons.
Dicotyledons
85
Produced by, or influenced by the soil.
Edaphic
86
Organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it.
Epiphyte
87
Climbing vine found throughout tropical rainforests. They begin life on the forest floor but depend on trees for support as they climb upwards towards the sunlight they need for survival.
Lianas
88
Diverse in character or content.
Heterogeneous
89
When the organisms live together in close physical association
Symbiotic mutualism
90
Involves permanent pairings in which one or both partners cannot lead an independent life
Obligate mutualism
91
Belonging to the same species.
Conspecific
92
The quality or state of being diverse in character or content.
Heterogeneity
93
We may distinguish living from non-living things based on 6 characteristics
1. having the capacity to evolve.
2. having the ability to adapt to environmental stimuli.
3. having a complex, organized structure based on organic (carbon) compounds;
4. acquiring material and energy from their environment and converting these into different forms;
5. actively maintaining their complex structure;
6. growing and reproducing using a molecular blueprint (DNA);
94
What human factors often influence the short-term distribution of resources needed by a specific human population?
social, economic and political
95
Which ecological discipline investigates the physiology of individuals and considers the consequences of function and behaviour.
Physiological Ecology
96
Which ecological discipline explores patterns of behaviour in animals
Behavioural Ecology
97
Which ecological discipline focuses on the impact of evolution on current ecological patterns.
Evolutionary Ecology
98
Which ecological discipline uses molecular biological techniques to investigate ecological problems.
Molecular Ecology
99
Individuals as a subdivision used by ecologists who study
the response of individuals to their environment (biotic and abiotic factors) is the key area of interest
100
Populations as a subdivision used by ecologists which are interested in
abundance and population fluctuation within a single species
101
A group of organisms that resemble one another in appearance, behavior, chemistry, and genetic structure
Species
102
Comprise of a number of species in a defined area
Communities
Ecologists are often interested in the composition and structure of communities and the processes which determine them.
103
What is the first law of thermodynamics?
Energy can neither be made nor destroyed and it can only be changed from one form to another
104
What is the second law of thermodynamics?
there is no loss of total energy, but there is a loss of useful energy
105
Which principle states that too much or too little of any Abiotic factor can limit or prevent growth of a population?
The limiting factor principle
106
Ecological divisions from small to large (4)
Individuals, Communities, Populations, Ecosystems
107
The Linnaean Systems 7 divisions:
Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
108
The most common way to list the taxonomic name of an organism is to use
binomial nomenclature which is a two name system that lists the genus and species
109
If the internal level of factor is too high e.g temp the mechanism will reduce it, too low, it will increase it. This process by which the response is opposite to the signal is known as
Negative Feedback
110
The degree of environmental variation a species can cope with is the range of
Tolerance
111
Factors that dictate climate (8)
1. Latitude
2. Size of land mass
3. Proximity to oceans
4. Wind and Ocean current patterns
5. Positions of land masses
6. Position of mountain ranges
7. Altitude
8. Seasonal variation in sun and precipitation
112
The major factors affecting primary production are
annual temperature and precipitation.
Associated parameters i.e wind, humidity, latitude, altitude and topography result in biotic regions called Biomes
113
The boundaries of individual species, communities and biomes are not distinct and abrupt, but blurred and gradual
Ecotones
114
A line on a map joining locations having the same mean temperature at a particular time of year
isotherm
115
The upper limit of the water-holding capacity of soil is called
field-capacity
116
Plants which grow in high salinity
Halophytes
117
The sole energy source that can be used by green plants
Radiant energy
118
Living biota in soil includes (4)
micro-organisms, fungi, nematodes and earthworms
119
Plants require a range of major (macro) nutrients particularly (3)
nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium
120
'Other' human related ways of nutrient loss include (3)
Fire, harvesting of crops and deforestation.
121
Aquatic plants used dissolved carbon known as
Hydrosphere carbon
122
Soil provides habitats with 3 systems:
1) nutrient delivery
2) recycling
3) waste-disposal
123
The study of soil is called
Pedology
124
Where partners may coexist without reliance on each other and are only mutualists opportunistically
Facultative mutualism
125
Consume fleshy fruit but excrete or dispose of the seed
Frugivores
126
Provides one partner with a degree of defence against predators or competitors
Defensive mutualisms
