Life processes in the biosphere Flashcards
What are the stages of natural land restoration?
Bare rock then lichen and mosses then annual weeds then perennial weeds and grasses then shrubs then trees
Features of bare rock landscapes?
low water and nutrients availability, high temperature and light levels
Features of trees landscape?
high and nutrients availability, low light and temperature levels
What are examples of where primary succession would happen?
places where a natural disaster happened (volcano eruption)
Identify some early colonisers on the bare rock landscape.
Lichen, moss and annual weeds
What are the roles of species that are early colonisers?
provide nutrient sources, helps create water sources, resevoirs
What is taxonomy?
The scientific study of how living things are classified
What is Succession?
the gradual process of change in an ecosystem brought about by the replacement of one community by another until a stable climax is established
What is pioneer species?
The first species to populate an area during primary succession
What is primary succession?
An ecological succession that begins in an area where no biotic community previously existed
What is lithosere?
succession on bare rock
What is colonisation?
The first species move into an area and start to grow
What are autotrophs?
Organisms that make their own food
Species definition?
A group of organisms that are closely related and can mate to produce fertile offspring
Niche definition?
An organism’s particular role in an ecosystem, or how it makes its living.
What is a sweep net?
a large net that is brushed along foliage to estimate what kind of species live there
What is kick sampling?
uplifting water sediment then dragging a net through to catch all the contents
What are Surber samplers?
place a net in the stream, then use a trowel to lift up rocks and wash them upstream so all contents flow into the net
What is colonisation media?
creating a home/habitat to see what species are close
What are pitfall traps?
a container dug into the ground so small species will fall into it with a cover on to protect it from weather and large predators
What are beating trays?
When a tray is placed below a branch then the branch is hit repeatedly with a stick so insects and pests fall onto the tray
What are light traps?
a light is placed above a funnel sticking out of a box so that moths will go towards the light, fall into the box and not be able to escape
What are Tullgren tunnels?
fill a funnel with soil then place it onto a container with a lamp overhead so some bugs will try escape the heat and light by digging town into the container
What is earthworm extraction from soil?
dig up an area of soil then filter it for worms. Then mix mustard/irritant and water and pour it in the hole created and worms should start to surface
