intro

Question 1

what are the 6 levels of ecological structure?

Answer 1

1. Individual
2. Population
3. Community
4. Ecosystem
5. Biome
6. Biosphere

Question 2

Define ‘population’,

Answer 2

Group of conspecifics

Question 3

Define ‘community’

Answer 3

Group of heterospecifics that sometimes interact with each other

Question 4

Define ‘ecosystem’

Answer 4

biotic and abiotic factors that affect each other

Question 5

Define ‘biome’

Answer 5

groups of similar ecosystems which form a large area of similar space

Question 6

Define ‘biosphere’

Answer 6

the entire planet and the atmosphere (incoming radiation included)

Question 7

in terms of varying colour patterns on prey animals, how does morphology aid survival?

Answer 7

predators may be habituated to hunt only one morphological group.

Question 8

is the carbon cycle a closed open system?

Answer 8

closed total mass of carbon never changes on the planet

Question 9

what is primary production?

Answer 9

the process of synthesising organic compounds from sunlight and atmospheric CO2.

Question 10

what is the equation for primary production?

Answer 10

∆B(change in biomass between time 1 and time 2)= B1(biomass at time 1)- B2(biomass at time 2)

Question 11

Define biomass

Answer 11

mass off an organism per unit of land

Question 12

what two things are used to ‘catch’ sunlight?

Answer 12

chlorophyl and phycobilin

Question 13

define ‘chemoautotroph’

Answer 13

normally bacteria that obtains energy from hydrogen sulphide and carbon

Question 14

what is assimilation

Answer 14

photosynthesis

Question 15

true or false: assimilation is an oxidative reaction

Answer 15

false, it is a reduction reaction

Question 16

what is dissimilation?

Answer 16

respiration

Question 17

true or false: respiration is an oxidative reaction.

Answer 17

true O2 is added to the product

Question 18

define primary productivity

Answer 18

rate of biomass production per unit of of area

Question 19

define gross primary production

Answer 19

total energy synthesised from sun

Question 20

define net primary production

Answer 20

the actual production rate of consumable biomass

Question 21

define net

ecosystem production

Answer 21

the actual export of consumable biomass for the entire ecosystem

Question 22

how do you measure aquatic primary production?

Answer 22

incubate a light and dark bottle and subtract O2 change in the dark from O2 change in the light one. Only respiration will occur in the dark and both assimilation and respiration will occur in the light.

Question 23

what is the equation for gross primary production?

Answer 23

∆B(change in biomass between time one and two)+ L(biomass loss due to death/plant parts+ biomass loss to consumer)