living world Flashcards
what are ecosystems:
complex natural system made up of plants, animals and the environment
Biomes
Global scale ecosystem
Producers (eg: plants)
convert energy from sun by photosynthesis into carbohydrates
Consumers:
Get their energy from eating producers, creating direct links within ecosystems (food chains) and more complex (food webs)
Decomposers
Dead plant and animal material is broken down by decomposers to add nutrients within the soil
Abiotic and biotic:
Biotic: living features (plants, animals and fish)
Abiotic: Non living environmental factors (e.g, climate, soil, light)
Abiotic and biotic:
Biotic: living features (plants, animals and fish)
Abiotic: Non-living environmental factors (e.g, climate, soil, light)
Producers in a feshwater pond ecosystem
waterlily
consumers in freshwater pond ecosystem
stickleback
kindfisher
heron
duck
decomposers in freshwater pond ecosystem
rat tailed maggot
Waterworm
Water flea
what is nutrient cycling
this is when plants use nutrients in the soil from decomposers
Small scale Uk ecosystem
Canons park:
consumers: squirrels, rabbits, sparrows, foxes
producers: moss, bushes, deciduous trees and some evergreen trees
decomposers: mushrooms
Why do food chains need to be balanced
It shows how each organism depends on someone else for survival
Impact n the ecosystem of changing one component within the food chain
(Natural changes)
Slow natural change have few harmful effects
Rapid changes have serious impacts. Eg: extreme weather events like droughts can be devastating to freshwater ponds
Changes of ecosystem due to human activities
-Farmers are trying to keep balance by using less fertiliser
-Some have planted hedgerows and grass margins to protect wildlife such as bees, insects and wildflowers
-Ponds may be drained to use for farming
-Hedgerows removed to increase size of fields, habitats will be distroyed.
