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IE Flashcards

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Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

What are abiotic factors

A

Non-living components of the environment which include physical factors

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2
Q

What the abiotic factors

A

pH
Salinity
Light intensity
Temperature
Water availability
Oxygen content

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3
Q

What is a species’ tolerance range

A

A range that they can exist in

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4
Q

What happens at the upper or lower limits of the tolerance range

A

Individuals experience stress, affecting health, rate of growth, reproduction

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5
Q

What is a species’ optimal range

A

Range withing which a species is best adapted to live in. It thrives with a high population

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6
Q

What is a biotic environment

A

Living components of an ecosystem

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7
Q

What is an ecosystem

A

Consists of different groups of communities of organisms interact with each other and the natural environment

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8
Q

What is predation

A

When an organism kills and eats another organism

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9
Q

What is parasitism

A

A relationship whereby an organism benefits at the expense of another organism (host)

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10
Q

What is mutualism

A

A relationship whereby both organisms benefit

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11
Q

What is commensalism

A

A relationship whereby one organism benefits while the other is neither harmed nor benefits

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12
Q

Why is energy considered non-cyclic

A

It is unidirectional and cannot be recycled. It does not go back to the organism that produced it

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13
Q

How many percent of the light energy from the sun reaching the earth’s atmosphere enters the ecosystems

A

1%

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14
Q

what is the word equation for photosynthesis

A

water + carbon dioxide -> oxygen + glucose

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15
Q

what is the word equation for respiration

A

oxygen + glucose -> water + carbon dioxide + energy

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16
Q

What do you call an organism that feeds on other organisms to survive

A

Heterotroph

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17
Q

What do you call an organism that make nutritional organic substances from inorganic elements

A

Autotroph

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18
Q

What are the ways energy can be lost to the environment

A

Respiration
Uneaten body parts
Undigested matter (faeces)
Excretory products

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19
Q

What is cellular respiration

A

Process in which glucose is broken down in the presence of oxygen, with the release with large amounts of energy. Carbon dioxide and water are released in the process

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20
Q

How is the trapped chemical energy in dead organisms, undigested matter and excretory products released

A

It is released when decomposers break down the organic materials to inorganic materials. Decomposers used some of the trapped chemical potential energy for their needs while the rest is lost as heat

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21
Q

What does a food chain show

A

Feeding relationship among a series of organisms through which energy is transferred in the form of food

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22
Q

What are the differences between a food chain and food web

A

Food chain:
- Single linear pathway
- One organism occupies one trophic level
- Energy transferred from one level to another

Food web:
- Several interconnecting pathways
- One organism occupies multiple trophic levels
- Organisms can obtain energy from multiple different sources

23
Q

Similarities between a food chain and food web

A

10% of energy transferred from one trophic level to another
Both start at a producer
Arrows show flow of energy

24
Q

Why must nutrients be recycled

A

Nutrients are finite

25
Q

How are nutrients returned to the natural environment

A

Decomposers, such as bacteria and fungi, break down dead organisms into simpler substances, returning the nutrients to the natural environment

26
Q

State the importance of the carbon cycle

A

Ensures that there is a continuous supply of carbon dioxide for plants to carry out photosynthesis
Allows energy to be transferred from one organism to another in the form of carbon compounds, thus sustaining the lives of non-photosynthesizing organisms in the food chain

27
Q

What are the processes that remove carbon from the atmosphere

A

Photosynthesis
Feeding
Formation of fossil fuels

28
Q

What are the processes that release carbon from the atmosphere

A

Decomposition
Respiration
Combustion

29
Q

What is a carbon sink

A

A carbon sink stores carbon for an indefinite period. It stores more carbon than it releases. Thus, a carbon sink is also a carbon reservoir

30
Q

How much carbon dioxide released by human activities is absorbed by oceans

A

one third

31
Q

How does the ocean store carbon

A

Carbon dioxide dissolved in the ocean’s water is absorbed and used by phytoplankton and algae for photosynthesis
Some carbon compounds are buried in the seabed in the form of fossil fuels

32
Q

How are the oceans affected as carbon sinks by climate change

A

Climate change increases the temperature of water, reducing the ability of oceans to dissolve carbon dioxide

33
Q

What happens when trees die

A

Carbon stored in their tissue is slowly released via decomposition
Their remains may be buried deep in the ground, forming coal after millions of years

34
Q

What are some examples of natural carbon sources

A

Volcanoes, natural fires, respiration, decomposition

35
Q

Impacts of deforestation

A

Soil erosion
Climate change
Desertification
Flooding and landslides

36
Q

Explain soil erosion

A

Trees removed -> soil no longer protected -> directly exposed to impact of rain
No roots of trees -> nothing to hold soil down & absorb rainwater -> topsoil eroded/washed away

37
Q

Explain flooding and landslides

A

Without roots to hold onto the soil and absorb excess water, soil gets washed off slopes onto the bases of mountains, resulting in landslides
When soil near the river gets eroded, it gets washed into the river, blocking the flow of water and causing the water level to rapidly rise, resulting in flooding

38
Q

Explain desertification

A

The destruction of land that leads to desert-like conditions
With eroded topsoil, land becomes barren
Results in habitat loss as land is unsuitable to live in and local extinction

39
Q

What is climate change

A

Climate change is the change in state of climate overtime due to natural variability or human activity

40
Q

What is the greenhouse effect

A

Natural process in which greenhouse gases absorb and re-emit heat radiated from the earth to space, trapping heat

41
Q

What is the link between impacts of deforestation and climate change

A

Deforestation further aggravates the greenhouse effect as there are fewer trees in trees to remove carbon dioxide in atmosphere. Forests cleared by burning releases carbon stored in the trees’ biomass in the form of carbon dioxide

42
Q

What is deforestation

A

The clearing of forests to meet demands of increasing human populations

43
Q

What are the impacts of climate change

A
  1. Destruction of ecosystems and widespread extinction of plant and animal species -> Rapid nature of climate change likely to exceed ability of plants and animals to migrate or adapt, resulting in increased risk of extinctions
  2. Rise in mosquito-borne diseases -> Dengue virus and its vector thrive in warmer climates. Due to climate change, distribution range of mosquitoes widen and some places which were traditionally dengue-free are at increasingly at risk of diseases
44
Q

Explain eutrophication

A
  1. Occurs when water bodies get more nutrients than usual
  2. Causes rapid growth of algae
  3. Blocks sunlight from reaching submerged plants
  4. Plants die as cannot photosynthesise
  5. Bacteria decompose plants
  6. Bacteria multiply, reducing amount of oxygen
  7. Suffocates other organisms
45
Q

What is biomagnification

A

Process whereby there is a progressive increase in the concentration of a substance as it moves up the trophic levels

46
Q

What causes biomagnification

A

Water pollution due to inorganic waste and insecticides

47
Q

Definition of an invasive species

A

When a species is accidentally or deliberately introduced into a new environment beyond their native ranges and can survive, reproduce and spread and have a negative impact on local organisms

48
Q

What are the three phases for a successful invasion

A

Introduction
Establishment
Spread

49
Q

Concerns regarding invasive species

A

Introduction of diseases that are new to native species
Competition with local species for resources
Economic losses
Acting as predators/parasites to native species
Habitat loss

50
Q

Traits of invasive species

A

Fast growing
Rapid reproduction
High dispersal ability
Tolerant to a wide range of environmental conditions
High number of offspring
Lack of natural predators and diseases

51
Q

Reasons for conservation

A

Prevent extinction
Maintain rich biodiversity

52
Q

Conservation of marine ecosystems

A

Enforcement of laws
Clean-ups of beaches

53
Q

Conservation via environmental biotechnology

A

Use biodegradable materials instead of plastic
Use alternative fuels instead of biofuels

Science Y2 (13 decks)

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