Key Area 1: Ecosystems Flashcards
What is an ecosystem?
An ecosystem consists of all organisms living in a particular habitat and the non-living components in which they interact
What is a population
The number of organisms present in an ecosystem of 1 species
What is a habitat
Where an organism lives
What is a community
All the populations in an ecosystem
What is a species
A group of organisms which can interbreed to produce fertile offspring
What is a producer
These are green plants that make their own food using photosynthesis
What is a consumer
These are organisms that eat plants and/or animals to obtain energy
What is a herbivore
An organism that eats only plant matter
What is a carnivore
An organism that eats only meat/animals
What is an omnivore
An organism that eats plants and animals
What is the definition of biodiversity
The range of different organisms present in an ecosystem, a biome or the whole planet
What is a predator
An organism which hunts and eats prey
What is a prey
An organism that is hunted and eaten by a predator
What do food chains link?
The organisms within an ecosystem
What does a food chain show
The direction of the energy transfer from organism to organism
What is a food chain
Shows the feeding relationship between a producer, primary consumer, secondary consumer and so on
What is a food web
Shows the interconnection of several feeding relationships
What is a niche
An organisms niche is the role that it plays within a community
What are a niches interaction with other organisms examples
Competition, predation and condition it can tolerate (temp)
What would animals compete for
Food, water, shelter, mates
What would plants compete for
Sunlight, space, nutrients, water
What does an intraspecific competition involve
Competition between the same species for the same rescources
What does an interspecific competition involve
Competition between different species for the same resources
Why is intraspecific competitions more intense
They fight for the same requirements
What does a food chain always start with
A producer (green plant)
What does a niche relate to?
The resources it requires in an ecosystem such as light and nutrient availability
When would a competition occur?
When resources are short in supply
