Organisation within ecosystems

Question 1

What is the biosphere?

Answer 1

The part of the Earth that contains all living things. It is the narrow belt that extends from the depths of the ocean, to the upper atmosphere.

Question 2

What is ecology?

Answer 2

The study of the relationships between organisms, and between organisms and their environment.

Question 3

What are the levels of biological complexity?

Answer 3

Individual - population - community - ecosystem - biome

- biosphere

Question 4

What are biomes?

Answer 4

A biome is a distinct biogeographical unit consisting of a biological community that has formed in response to a shared regional climate and environment. Made of sveral ecosystems.

Question 5

What are some examples of terrestrial biomes?

Answer 5

Tundra, temperate forest, desert, tropical rainforest

Question 6

What are the main factors influencing biome distribution?

Answer 6

latitude (linked to temperature)

Precipitation levels

Question 7

What is an ecossytem?

Answer 7

A biological community and its environment. Comprises of the biotic and abiotic features of a region.

Question 8

What is a community?

Answer 8

A community is a naturally occurring group of organisms living together as an ecological entity; the biological part of the ecosystem.

Question 9

What is an ecological niche?

Answer 9

The ecological niche describes the functional position of an organism in its environment. Comprised of its habitat, its activity pattern, and the resources it uses.

Question 10

What is the fundamental niche?

Answer 10

The full range of environmental conditions (biological and physical) under which an organism can exist.

Question 11

What is the realised niche?

Answer 11

The realised niche of the organism is the niche that is actually occupied. Smaller than fundamental niche due to interactions with and pressure from other organisms.

Question 12

What is a habitat?

Answer 12

An organism’s habitat is the physical place or environment in which it lives. Provides organism with resources (food, mating sites, shelter

Question 13

What are some examples of devices used to measure abiotic factors?

Answer 13

Oxygen meter, pH meter, wind meter

Question 14

What is an abiotic gradient?

Answer 14

The variations of abiotic factors within an ecosystem. The effects of physical (or environmental) gradients are particularly evident where physical conditions change markedly within a short distance.

Question 15

Describe how tidal pools exhibit a strong abiotic gradient.

Answer 15

Pools closer to the mainland have more exposure, are warmer, and have less dissolved oxygen than pools closer to the ocean.

Question 16

Describe how tropical rainforests exhibit a strong concentration gradient.

Answer 16

Tropical rainforests have a wide variety of microhabitats provided by the layered structure of the forest. The physical conditions at the uppermost level are quite different to those at the forest floor with respect to light intensity (and quality), wind speed, and humidity.

Question 17

How are abiotic factors distributed in an ecosystem?

Answer 17

Abiotic factors are unevenly distributed in an ecosystem. This affects the abundance and distribution of organisms throughout the ecosystem.

Question 18

Identify the main abiotic factors affecting aquatic ecosystems

Answer 18

Light availability, pressure, gas and ion concentration, pH, salinity.

Question 19

Describe how abiotic factors affect the distribution of organisms in aquatic environments.

Answer 19

Phytoplankton live close to surface to perform photosynthesis. Organisms in deeper water rely on food chains from phytoplankton to other autotrophic levels for food, as there is no sunlight.