Interactions and Interdependence: Ecology and ecosystems Flashcards
What is the environment made up of?
Different ecosystems.
What make up the living parts of an ecosystem?
Animals, plants, bacteria, protists and fungi.
What make up the non-living parts of an ecosystem?
The conditions the organisms need in order to survive. Eg. Amount of light and water, air, the right temperature and soil.
What are the four different levels of interactions?
Populations, communities, ecosystems and biosphere.
Give an example of a population.
All the dandelions on a lawn.
This is just a guideline, there are many others as well
Give an example of a community.
A wetland community with a population of fish, a population of frogs, a population of algae and a population of reeds.
This is just a guideline, there are many others as well
What is the non-living part of an ecosystem called?
The habitat.
What is the living part of an ecosystem called?
The community.
Name the 4 subsystems called “spheres”
Biosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere
Name an ecosystem found on land.
Desert, forest, grassland…
Name an ecosystem found in water.
River, coastal
How are feeding relationships shown?
In a food chain or web.
True or false:
Different populations in a community will depend on each other for food.
True
True or false:
If the population of one organism changes, it won’t affect the numbers of other organisms in the food web.
False
It WILL affect the numbers of other organisms in the food web.
Give an example of an interaction between organisms.
Pollination of certain plants by animals like mammals, insects and birds.
Fill in the gaps:
An ecosystem consists of two parts; a _____ part (biotic factors) and a _____ part (abiotic factors)
Living, non-living
What do living organisms compete for?
- Food
- Light
- Water
- Space
- Mates
True or false:
Feeding relationships between living things are not important biotic factors in ecosystems.
False
Feeding relationships between living things are other particularly important biotic factors in ecosystems.
How does temperature affect living organisms in an ecosystem?
Most organisms live in temperatures between 0-40 degrees celsius. Temperatures will vary with the seasons, as well as with day and night.
How does wind affect living organisms in an ecosystem?
Wind can stunt growth and affect animal activities. Wind is also used by some plants for pollination and the distribution of seeds.
How does water affect living organisms in an ecosystem?
In areas where water is limited, plants and animals must be able to reduce water loss.
How does light affect living organisms in an ecosystem?
Plants need light for photosynthesis. Some plants grow better in shade while others grow best in full sunlight.
How does soil affect living organisms in an ecosystem?
Soils are classified as sandy, loamy or clayey, which all have different properties. These properties influence the kind of plants that can grown in them.
How does slope affect living organisms in an ecosystem?
Water runs off steep slopes quickly and there is little soil because of erosion. Few plants can grow in these conditions.
True or false:
There is a specific size range for ecosystems to be classified as ecosystems.
False
The size of an ecosystem varies
Give an example of a large ecosystem
Forest, grassland
These are just a guideline. There are many more
Give an example of a small ecosystem
Rotting log, puddle of water
These are just a guideline. There are many more
Fill in the word:
For plants and animals to survive in an ecosystem, they need to be able to _____ with changes to the habitat.
Cope/adapt
