Life Sciences Booklet 2 Flashcards
What does every organism depend on?
Every organism depends on and interacts with other living and non-living things to stay alive. Depends on for food and environment for protection and a place to stay
What is ecology?
Ecology is a particular branch of science that studies how organisms interact with each other and their environment
What is a person who studies ecology called?
Ecologist
How are interactions classified?
Interactions are classified into four levels which are populations, communities, ecosystems, biosphere
What is an individual?
Individuals all one unit of a species and live together in populations
What is populations?
Is a group of individuals of the same species living in the same area at the same time
What is a community?
Is a group of populations living in the same area at the same time. They are different populations. We study how different populations interact
What is an ecosystem?
All living and nonliving things in the same area at the same time, and how they interact with each other. Can be large or small populations.
What is the biosphere?
All of the ecosystems on Earth combined. The world. We study on a larger scale. It includes climate change, change of earth over time, how movement of the Earth affect ecosystems, wind patterns, rock and soil formation. Includes lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere
What is the lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere?
- Includes lithsphere (rocky crust)
- hydrosphere (water on surface, underground and in air)
- atmosphere (layers of gases surrounding the Earth)
What do ecosystems consist of?
Consist of abiotic (nonliving) and biotic (living) organisms
What are the abiotic factors in an ecosystem?
- Light intensity
- Temperature
- Moisture
- PH and mineral content
- Wind intensity and direction
- Slope
*
What is light intensity?
Light is required for photosynthesis. Plant species have a evolved for optimum grows in the light available in the climate or habitat. Limited light limit photosynthesis. This affect the distribution of plants which affect the distribution of animals that eat those plants.
How have plants adapted in light intensity?
Some plants adapt to Lausanne night by developing bigger leaves to optimise photosynthesis. Other plants have evolved for optimum growth in bright sunlight. Are the plans have evolved to grow in shade
What is temperature?
Animals and plants have evolved to go healthy at their optimum temperature. Plants are a primary food source and they dictate which animals live where. Placing an organism in a cold area where there are optimum temperature is hotter they would die.
What is moisture?
Living organisms are adapted to growing in the moisture levels available to them. Water is a requirement for photosynthesis. Plants need water to produce glucose and oxygen. This includes water and rain content.
What happens when plants receive too much moisture?
When planted too exposed to too much water there route to become waterlogged. This means they are unable to respire and they will rot and die. Some plants have adapted to wetter conditions and thrive in these areas.
What is pH and mineral content?
PH of soil has a huge effect
What does the pH of soil have an affect on?
pH of soil has a huge effect on plants, that grow in them
What does azeleas grow best in?
Some plants grow in acidic soil the best.
What does clematis grow best in?
Some plants prefer alkaline soil
What does hydrangea grow best in?
Som plants grow in both (neutral)
What does the pH of water have an effect on?
pH of water has an effect on aquatic organisms found there. Different species have evolved to survive
What does a low pH mean?
Low means acidic
What does a high pH mean?
Base/alkaline
What is a neutral pH?
Seven
What does pH mean?
Power of hydrogen or potential of hydrogen
What do you some plants require to grow well? Minerals
Some plants require high levels of soil manuals to grow well. For example magnesium which is required to produce chlorophyll
What does it mean when plants have a unnaturally yellow leaves?
Magnesium deficiency
What does the strength and direction of wind affect?
Strength of wind and direction has a huge impact on where organisms are found in an ecosystem. Many organisms prefer a sheltered location
What is most likely to happen with plant seeds?
Plant seeds are likely to settle and germinate. Animals which depend upon these are more likely to live close
What does the strength of wind have an effect on growth?
Strength of wind affects growth of individual organisms. For example shape and height of plants
What happens if the animal has not adapted to the wind?
Have not adapted equals no advantage of survival
What do you slopes have an affect on?
The gradient or steepness of a Particula surface of the Earth affect the rate of water run-off
What do steep slopes encourage?
Steep slopes encourage fast run off of water which causes soil erosion. Soil tends to be shallow and infertile with reduced plant growth. Plants are small and animals are not really present
Why are gentle slopes better?
Gentle slopes are better because there is a slower flow of surface water, reduces erosion, increases availability of water to plants
Overall what do slopes influence?
Over or influence is the surface temperature of soil
What anchor soil on slopes?
Roots on slopes anchors soil
When plant can’t grow what happens?
Plants can grow then the soil is removed
True or false
Organisms interact in different ways, not in exact same way
True
What is the first level of biotic interaction as well as the second level?
Biotic
Symbiosis, competition, feeding
Paratism, mutualism, commensalism
What is symbiosis?
Describes the way in which two different species living together in the same community. They interact with each other over long periods of time. Includes paratism, mutualism and commensalism.
What is parasitism?
One species benefits or gains something from the relationship and the other species is harmed in some way. The host may die in some interactions.
What is an example of parasitism?
Ticks are parasites and feed off the blood of many animals, for example dogs, cows,
What is mutualism?
Occurs between any two species where both of the individuals benefit from the interaction. Both species gain something from the other, so we can say it is mutually beneficial.
What is an example of mutualism?
Pollination is an example of mutualism as the bee gets food (nectar) from the flower and the flower is pollinated by the bee so that it can reproduce. Rhino and bird
What is commensalism?
One species benefits, while the other one is unaffected by the relationship. Unlike parasitism, in commensalism the other species is not harmed or benefited in any way.
What is an example commensalism?
A whale shark with remora fish. The remora fish get scraps of food that fall out of the shark’s mouth. The whale shark is unaffected.
What is competition?
Two species need to share valuable and limited resources. For example food and water. In this way it is competition. Different species compete for the same resources
What is feeding?
Species interact when one species can use the other species as a food source, for example a predator and prey. For example lion and zebra
What is a predator and prey
A predator is an animal that hunts, kills and eats other animals for food. Prey is a term used to describe organisms that predators kill for food.
Why do you living organisms need to be fed?
Need to be fed to carry out life processes
What do you other organisms feed on to obtain energy?
Plants can produce their own food. Other organisms feed on this to obtain energy
How do we identify feeding types?
Identify different feeding types based on how the organism obtains its food. In other words producer and consumer
What are producers?
Producers are organisms that are able to produce their own organic food. They do not need to eat other organisms to do this.
What is another name for producer?
Autotroph
Where does the word autotroph come from and what does it mean?
The term autotroph comes from the Greek words autos meaning ‘self’ and trophe meaning ‘nourishing’. So autotroph means ‘self-feeding’
What biotic components go through photosynthesis?
Plants and green algae make food during photosynthesis
What are consumers?
Organisms which cannot produce their own food need to eat other organisms to get food. All animals are consumers, as they cannot produce their own food.
What is another name for consumer?
Heterotrophs.
The term heterotroph comes from the Greek words heteros meaning “different’ and trophe meaning ‘nourishing’. So heterotroph means “different-feeding or feeding on different things.
There are many types of consumers. How do we classify them?
Many types of consumers. Classify on the food they consume
What are the types of consumers?
- Herbivores
- Carnivores
- Omnivores
- Insectivores
- Decomposers
What are herbivores?
consume Plant matter only
What are carnivores?
Consume animal matter only
What are insectivores?
An organism that consumes insects only
What are decomposers?
Decomposes break down dead plants and animal matter and perform a valuable service as ‘earth clean up crew’
What would happen without decomposers?
They are the most undervalued participants in an ecosystem. The nutrients are recycled and used by plants. Without them dead matter would be everywhere. No decomposers = no life.
What are examples of microscopic decomposers?
Protozoa and bacteria
What are examples of decomposers that are not microscopic?
Fungi, earthworms, termites, dung beetles and millipedes
What is energy flow?
The flow of energy from the sun to different organisms. It is important as it supports the life processes. Multiple food chains are combined and are known as food webs
Where does the energy come from in food webs?
Energy is vital. All energy in food webs come from the Sun.