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Biology > Life On Earth > Flashcards

Life On Earth Flashcards

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AP® Biology flashcards Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

Biotic factors

A

Living factors that affect an ecosystem

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2
Q

Biodiversity

A

The number and variety of organisms found within an ecosystem

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3
Q

Ecosystem

A

A natural biological unit made of living and non-living parts

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4
Q

Ecology

A

The study of ecosystems

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5
Q

Habitat

A

The place where an organism lives

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6
Q

Examples of Biotic factors

A

Predation, competition for resources, disease, food availability, grazing.

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7
Q

Examples of Abiotic factors

A

pH, temperature, moisture, light intensity.

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8
Q

Biomes

A

Various regions in our planets distinguished by their climate, flora and fauna.

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9
Q

Flora

A

Plant life.

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10
Q

Fauna

A

Animal life.

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11
Q

Niche

A

The role an organism plays within a community.

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12
Q

Parasite

A

An organism that feeds from its host and causes it harm.

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13
Q

Predator

A

An organism that hunts and eats other organisms.

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14
Q

Decomposer

A

An organism that feeds from dead organisms and releases useful substances back into the environment.

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15
Q

Food chains

A

Diagrams that show the energy flow in ecosystems.

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16
Q

Energy loss from a food chain

A

90% of energy is lost as heat, movement or undigested materials.
10% is passed on.

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17
Q

A population

A

Total number of organisms of one species living in a habitat.

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18
Q

A community

A

Made up of all the living organisms in a habitat.

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19
Q

A species

A

A group of organisms which can interbreed to produce fertile offspring.

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20
Q

Producers

A

Organisms that produce their own food through photosynthesis.

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21
Q

Comsumers

A

Animals that eat other organisms.

22
Q

Herbivore

A

Only eats plants.

23
Q

Carnivore

A

Only eats meat.

24
Q

Omnivore

A

Eats both plants and animals

25
Q

Food webs

A

Several food chains linked together.

26
Q

Pyramids

A

Food chains in a pyramidal shaped diagram.

27
Q

Pyramid of numbers.

A

Number of organisms at each stage in a food chain.

28
Q

Pyramid of biomass

A

Dry weight or mass of organisms at each stage in a food chain.

29
Q

Pyramid of energy

A

Energy at each stage in a food chain

30
Q

Most accurate pyramid

A

Pyramid of biomass

31
Q

Nitrogen cycle

A

Decomposition by bacteria > nitrification > denitrification > nitrogen fixation.

32
Q

Abiotic factors

A

Non-living factors that affect an ecosystem

33
Q

Nitrifying

A

Bacteria convert ammonium compounds to nitrites and then further bacteria converts in into nitrates.

34
Q

Denitrifying

A

Bacteria break down nitrates and release nitrogen gas into the air.

35
Q

Nitrogen fixing

A

Free living soil bacteria and bacteria that live inside small swellings called nodules on the roots of plants can absorb atmospheric nitrogen and fix into nitrates.

36
Q

Decomposers

A

Decomposers break down waste organisms, by converting proteins and nitrogenous wastes to ammonium compounds. These ammonium compounds which contain nitrogen are then converted to nitrites and then nitrates.

37
Q

Interspecific competition

A

Competition between members of DIFFERENT species requiring similar resources in an ecosystem.

38
Q

Intraspecific competition

A

Competition between members of the same species.

39
Q

Pitfall traps are used to sample soil insects, what are sources of errors and ways to minimise them

A

Error 1: animals may eat other animals
Error 2: doesn’t represent entire ecosystem
Way 1: disguise and put ethanol into trap
Way 2: set up several traps

40
Q

Quadrats are used to sample plants, what are sources of errors and ways to minimise them

A

Error 1: doesn’t represent entire ecosystem
Error 2: some plants may be partially inside the quadrat
Way 1: repeat
Way 2: establish a set of rules for counting that everyone follows

41
Q

Quadrats

A

Used to measure the abundance of plants in an ecosystem

42
Q

Pitfall traps

A

Used to sample the ground living insects in an ecosystem

43
Q

Light meters are used to measure light intensity what are sources of errors and ways to minimise them

A

Error: observer may cast a shadow on light meter
Way: hold above head height

44
Q

Moisture meters are used to measure the moisture content in the soil, what are sources of errors and ways to minimise them

A

Error: moisture from previous measurements may be on probe
Way: wipe probe clean before use

45
Q

Thermometers are used to take the temperature of soil, what are sources of errors and ways to minimise them

A

Error: probe not inserted deep enough into soil
Way: push into the soil to half its depth

46
Q

pH meters are used to measure the pH of the soil, what are sources of errors and ways to minimise them

A

Error: reading may be contaminated from previous measurements
Way: wipe clean before use

47
Q

Identification keys

A

Used to identify unfamiliar organisms.

48
Q

Mutation

A

A random change to the genetic material of an organism; they are also the only sources of new alleles

49
Q

Rare

A

Doesn’t happen often

50
Q

Random

A

Aren’t guided and have no specific purpose

51
Q

Spontaneous

A

Unplanned/without cause or warning

52
Q

Variation

A

Small differences between individuals in a species.

Biology (6 decks)

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