Paper 2 Topic 7 Flashcards
A _______ is the place where an organisms lives.
habitat
A __________ refers to all of the organisms of a particular species that live in the same habitat.
population
In ecology, what is a ‘community’?
All the populations of different species that live together in a habitat
An _________ is the interaction of a community of living organisms (biotic) with the non-living (abiotic) parts of their environment.
ecosystem
___________ is an interaction between organisms or species in which they both try to use the same limited resources.
Competition
Give three resources that animals compete for:
Food
Water
Mates
Territory
Give three resources that plants compete for:
Mineral ions
Water
Light
Space
All organisms in an ecosystem depend upon one another, with countless complex relationships between them all.
What do we call this concept?
Interdependence
If the population of snakes falls, what is likely to happen to the rabbit population?
Increase
______ factors are also known as living factors, and refer to processes by which one living organism affects other living organism in its environment.
Biotic
Is predation considered a biotic factor or an abiotic factor?
Predation is a biotic factor as it is determined by living organisms (the predators).
Give 2 biotic factors:
The availability of food
The level of disease
Is temperature considered a biotic or abiotic factor?
Temperature is an abiotic factor as it is not influenced by living organisms.
Give 2 abiotic factors:
Level of mineral ions in the soil
Wind intensity
Soil pH
Give a biotic factor that might affect a community:
The spread of a new disease
What does the term ‘structural adaptations’ refer to?
The physical features of the organism
Give 2 examples of structural adaptations:
The shape of an organism
The colour of an organism
Give a feature of a camel that would be considered a structural adaptation:
They have large feet to stop them falling into the sand
What does the term ‘behavioural adaptations’ refer to?
The way an organism acts
Give an example of a behavioural adaptation:
The response of an organism when it sees a predator
Which feature of a camel would be considered a behavioural adaptation?
They often spit when they feel threatened
What does the term functional/ physiological adaptations refer to?
The processes that take place within an organism
Give an example of a functional adaptation:
How an organism metabolises chemicals
The production of venom
Give a feature of camels which would be considered a functional adaptation:
They produce very concentrated urine
They can metabolise fat to produce water
Some species of bird migrate to different regions of the world at certain times of the year.
Which type of adaptation is this?
Behavioural adaptation
Some species of snake have bright and distinct patterns on their scales to warn other species that they are venomous.
Which type of adaptation is this?
Structural adaptation
What is an extremophile?
Extremophiles are microorganisms that live in extreme environments, such as those with high temperatures, pressures, or salt concentrations.
Give 2 types of organisms which are extremophiles.
Archaea
Bacteria
A model that shows how energy passes from organism to organism is called a ____ _____.
food chain
Organisms at the very start of a food chain that can create glucose using photosynthesis are known as ___________.
Producers
Give two groups of organisms which are producers:
Plants
Algae
Producers are organisms that create their own food using…
… energy from the sun.
Which resource do plants not compete for?
Food
What do primary consumers feed on?
Producers
________ consumers are organisms that eat secondary consumers.
Tertiary
As energy passes along a food chain, most of the energy is ____.
lost
Which is the secondary consumer in the following food chain?
tree → caterpillar → shrew → owl
Shrew
What is a predator?
An animal that hunts and kills other animals for food
An organism that is killed and eaten by a predator is known as ____.
prey
One of the key jobs of an ecologist is studying the _________ and ____________ of organisms.
abundance
distrubution
Abundance refers to..
…how many organisms there are.
Distribution refers to…
…where the organisms are.
Explain :
-> what sampling means
-> why it is often used.
-> Sampling means only counting a subset of the organisms in a habitat.
-> This is done because it would be impossible, or very time consuming, to count all the organisms
What is the name of small metal frames, often 1m x 1m, that ecologists use to sample the organisms in a habitat?
Quadrats
Quadrats - to measure _________
Transects - to measure how ____________ changes
Quadrats - to measure abundance
Transects - to measure how distribution changes
Ecologists use a method called ‘sampling’, where they only measure a subset of the organisms, and use that subset to make ____________ _____ ___ _____ __________.
predictions about the whole population.
________ are square frames, that have been subdivided into lots of smaller squares. We can use them to sample a habitat and estimate the size of a population.
Quadrants
A rectangular field measures 25m long and 12m wide. What is the area of the field?
300m2
Ecologists sample a field using 10 quadrats, and and find the following number of dandelions in each:
1, 4, 2, 2, 3, 4, 2, 5, 0, 1
What is the mean number of dandelions per quadrat?
1 + 4 + 2 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 2 + 5 + 0 + 1 = 24
24 ÷ 10
= 2.4
Estimate the dandelion population size for a field with an area 300 m² and a mean of 2.4 dandelion plants per 1 m² quadrat.
300 x 2.4 = 720
What is a transect?
A line through a habitat along which organisms are sampled
Using transects to study the distribution of dandelions in an open field stretching from a lake to a woodland: 4 steps
1) A transect line (usually a tape measure) is laid out in a straight line between the lake and woodland.
2) Quadrats are placed at regular intervals along the transect line.
3) The abundance of dandelions is measured by counting the number of dandelions in each quadrat along the transect line, from the lake to the woodland.
4) Steps 1-3 are repeated using new transect lines (these must be parallel to the first). By using multiple transect lines, the data gathered is more representative of the area.
Using quadrats to estimate dandelion numbers:
1) Place multiple tape measures along the length and width of the field, forming a large grid.
2) Use a random number generator to generate 10 pairs of random coordinates.
3) Place quadrats at those coordinates and count how many dandelions are found in each quadrat.
4) Calculate the mean number of dandelions per m2.
5) Estimate the total population size using our mean number of dandelions per m2 and the total area of the field.
Why is recycling nutrients important for all living organisms?
It provides the nutrients that living organisms use to grow and reproduce.
1) Water from lakes, rivers, oceans, and the soil, __________ into water vapour, and rises into the atmosphere.
2) Water can also evaporate from plants in a process called _____________.
3) As the water vapour accumulates it can condense to form ______.
4) Later, the water will fall as rain, which we call ____________.
5) The water will then seep into the soil, flow into rivers or lakes, and be taken up by plants.
6) The whole cycle then repeats over and over.
1) Water from lakes, rivers, oceans, and the soil, evaporates into water vapour, and rises into the atmosphere.
2) Water can also evaporate from plants in a process called transpiration.
3) As the water vapour accumulates it can condense to form clouds.
4) Later, the water will fall as rain, which we call precipitation.
5) The water will then seep into the soil, flow into rivers or lakes, and be taken up by plants.
6) The whole cycle then repeats over and over.
Evaporation is the process of l______ w_____ turning to w_____ v_____. This change in state requires e_____.
Evaporation is the process of liquid water turning to water vapour. This change in state requires energy.
What happens to water vapour during condensation?
Water vapour turns into liquid water
Which process in the carbon cycle removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere?
Photosynthesis
Give 2 processes in the carbon cycle release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Combustion
Respiration
Decomposition
Which carbon-containing compound do plants produce during photosynthesis?
Glucose
Why is it important that there is carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?
Carbon dioxide is needed for photosynthesis in plants
Give 2 organisms which decompose dead organic matter:
Bacteria
Fungi
What is biodiversity?
The variety of living things on earth, or within a particular ecosystem
Give 2 reasons why maintaining high biodiversity is important.
-> It increases the stability of the ecosystem, so that changes are less likely to have adverse affects
-> Many species provide specific services, such as pollination
-> Many of our medicinal drugs come from wild species
Give two impacts of rapid growth in the human population:
More resources are being used
More waste is being produced
As humans produce more and more waste, it pollutes the water, land and a__.
air
Give two substances contributing to water pollution:
Sewage from cities
Fertiliser from agriculture
Give two substances contributing to air pollution:
Smoke from combustion
Acidic gases from burning fossil fuels
Give two substances contributing to land pollution:
Nuclear waste
Landfill
One way we can improve biodiversity is through b_______ p_______.
breeding programs
Which sort of species do breeding programs seek to help?
Those that face extinction
An alternative to breeding programs could be to make the habitat a p__________ area. This would make the habitat s____ so that the species could recover n________.
protected
safe
naturally
How do field margins and hedgerows in agriculture help increase biodiversity?
They provide extra habitats and food sources so that a wider range of species can survive.
How can the government encourage businesses (including farmers) to reduce damage to biodiversity.
-> Set laws prohibiting or requiring certain things
-> Pay businesses for carrying out certain practices (like planting hedgerows)
-> Setting quotas or limits on harmful practices (such as quotes for deforestation)
Give 2 human activities that have a positive impact on biodiversity:
Setting limits on CO2 emissions
Recycling our waste
Creating marine protected areas
The a_________ is a layer of gases surrounding the Earth that is held in place by gravity.
atmosphere
Give 3 greenhouse gases (GHGs).
Water vapour
Carbon dioxide
Methane
Solar r________ from the sun passes through the atmosphere and hits the earth.
Some of this energy is r________ straight back towards space, while some is a_______ by the earth and then reemitted towards space.
Some of the r________ energy makes it all the way to space, but much is absorbed by small molecules called g_________ gases.
These molecules then reemit the energy and the whole process of absorption and emission can happen over and over again.
This trapped energy keeps the atmosphere w_____ and more stable than it would otherwise be.
radiation
reflected
absorbed
reemitted
greenhouse
warmer
5 steps to the greenhouse effect
1) Solar radiation from the sun passes through the atmosphere and hits the earth.
2) Some of this energy is reflected straight back towards space, while some is absorbed by the earth and then reemitted towards space.
3) Some of the reemitted energy makes it all the way to space, but much is absorbed by small molecules called greenhouse gases.
4) These molecules then reemit the energy and the whole process of absorption and emission can happen over and over again.
5) This trapped energy keeps the atmosphere warmer and more stable than it would otherwise be.
True or false? Until now, the earth’s atmosphere has always been the same temperature.
False!! The earth’s temperature has always fluctuated. What is different this time is that it is unnatural and happening very fast.
What is the difference between global warming and climate change?
Global warming refers to the overall increase in the earth’s temperature
Climate change is a consequence of global warming and refers to the effects on the climate, such as large-scale shifts in weather patterns
One effect of global warming is the m______ of ice caps. This will increase the volume of water in the ocean and could lead to seasonal f_______, or the submersion of entire islands. This is made worse by the fact that water e______ when it is heated, so it will also increase in v_____.
One effect of global warming is the melting of ice caps. This will increase the volume of water in the ocean and could lead to seasonal flooding, or the submersion of entire islands. This is made worse by the fact that water expands when it is heated, so it will also increase in volume.
What is the difference between the climate and the weather?
Weather) refers to short term atmospheric conditions, like whether it’s raining or sunny on a particular day
Climate) describes the typical weather conditions in an entire region for a very long time
Give an impact of climate change around the world:
Species in affected areas may become extinct
What is deforestation?
The large scale clearance of trees from an area
Give a human activity which does NOT reduce the amount of land available for plants and animals:
Burning fossil fuels
Give 3 reasons for deforestation.
To clear land for agriculture
Logging for wood
Mining
THE MAIN PROBLEMS WITH DEFORESTATION:
-> There will be fewer trees carrying out p_____________ and absorbing carbon dioxide from the a_________. This means there is more carbon dioxide contributing to global warming.
-> Deforestation often involves b_______ the trees, which releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
-> It destroys animals’ h________, meaning that fewer species can survive. This reduces b___________.
photosynthesis
atmosphere
burning
habitats
biodiversity
Give 2 points to describe the soil of peat bogs:
Acidic
Waterlogged
Do peat bogs have high or low levels of oxygen?
Low
The soil is waterlogged, so there is no space for air (and hence oxygen).
Do peat bogs have higher or lower levels of aerobic respiration, as compared to normal soils?
Lower
There’s not very much oxygen, so there isn’t very much aerobic respiration.
Do peat bogs decay organic matter more or less than normal soils?
Less
Decomposition requires aerobic bacteria, so the lack of oxygen reduces decomposition.
Do peat bogs act as carbon sinks?
Yes
The dead organic matter doesn’t decay as much, and so a lot of the carbon stays in the soil.
Many areas of peat bog have been destroyed. Which two human activities contribute to peat bog destruction?
-> Draining the peat to use the land for agriculture
-> Cutting out the peat to burn as a fuel
Explain how draining peat bogs contributes to global warming.
-> The draining of water allows air (and oxygen) to return to the soil
-> This allows microorganism to carry out aerobic respiration and decay the organic matter
-> This releases CO2 which acts as a greenhouse gas, and contributes to global warming
Over the past 200 years, the human population has i________ dramatically. In ____, there were approximately 1 billion humans on earth. Today, there are almost 8 b______.
increased
1820
billion
The average person also eats a lot more than the average person did in the p___, and the food they eat is often more resource intensive to produce in the first place. For example, meat and dairy require more resources to produce t___ rice or grain.
past
than
G_____ food production has had to increase massively over the past 200 years due to an increased population.
Give 3 factors which have helped to make this possible:
Global
1) Clearing of forests and other natural lands for agriculture
2) Application of fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals
3) Selective breeding
4) Genetic modification
Roughly how much has the world population increased by in the last 200 years?
1 billion ➔ 8 billion people
Do people eat more or less food today than in the past?
More food
Over the past 200 years, why has the food that we eat become more intensive to produce?
Our diets have changed to include food that require more land and resources to produce.
For example, we consume more meat and fewer grains.
Give 3 things that humans done to allow them to increase their production of food:
Clearing land for agriculture
Application of fertilisers
Application of pesticides
Application of herbicides
Selective breeding
Genetic modification
Improved irrigation
G__________ m_______ o________, also known as GMOs, are organisms whose genome has been m_______. This normally involves the addition of a helpful gene, such as a gene to cause faster g_____, or a gene that makes the organism r________ to a disease.
Genetically modified organisms
modified
growth
resistant
Some c____ have been genetically modified so that they p______ t_____ that kills insect pests. This means that any insects that try to feed on them will die, and so won’t be able to damage them - increasing the crop y____. This also means that farmers don’t have to use as much c_______ pesticide.
crops
produce toxins
yield
chemical
Give an example of pest resistance gene
An example of this is the ‘Bt toxin’, which is naturally produced by the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt).
Scientists have inserted the gene for the Bt toxin into some crop species so that they produce the toxin, making them resistant to insect pests.
Some crops can be modified to i________ the amount of useful vitamins __ minerals they c______.
increased
or
contain
Give an example of crop modification for increased vitamin A and why it is useful:
‘Golden Rice’ has been genetically modified to produce a chemical that is converted to vitamin A in the body. This is helpful in regions of the world where vitamin A often causes deficiency diseases, such as blindness.
Give 3 examples of GMOs having improved traits:
Drought resistance
Increased yield
Herbicide tolerance
Virus resistance
Production of specific proteins (e.g. insulin)
Flood resistance
What does ‘GMO’ stand for?
Genetically modified organism
What do pesticides do?
Kill insects
What type of organism is the Bt toxin naturally produced by?
Bacteria
What type of organism has been genetically modified to produce the Bt toxin protein?
Plant
‘Golden Rice’ has been genetically modified to produce a chemical that is converted to vitamin _ in the body. This is helpful in regions of the world where lack of this vitamin can often cause deficiency diseases, such as _________.
A
blindness
Give 3 traits that can be improved by genetic modification.
Increased yield
Increased drought resistance
Herbicide tolerance
Virus resistance
Production of specific proteins
Pesticide resistance
Increased nutrients
Flood resistance
M__________ is a protein made by fungi that can be used to make high protein meat substitutes for v_________ meals. It is made by the fungus Fusarium and grown in aerobic conditions on glucose s____.
Mycoprotein
vegetarian
syrup
Which protein-rich food that is suitable for vegetarians is produced from a fungus using biotechnology?
Mycoprotein
What type of organism is mycoprotein made from?
Fungi
