Populations in ecosystems

Question 1

community

Answer 1

populations of different species living in the same habitat

Question 2

ecosystem

Answer 2

all living organisms and non living features in an area that interact with each other

Question 3

habitat

Answer 3

place where an organism lives, characterised by physical conditions and the type of other organisms present

Question 4

population

Answer 4

total number of organisms of a species at a given time

Question 5

abiotic factors

Answer 5

non living

eg temp, pH, rainfall

Question 6

biotic factors

Answer 6

living

eg food availability, competition

Question 7

interspecific competition

Answer 7

competition between organisms of different species

Question 8

intraspecific competition

Answer 8

competition between organisms of the same species

Question 9

niche

Answer 9

role of organism in its community, includes its biotic (organisms it eats) and abiotic (temps the organism can live in) interactions
a niche can only be occupied by one species- means there is less competition for food/resources

Question 10

succession

Answer 10

change in community over time either due to a change in environmental or abiotic factors

Question 11

primary succession

Answer 11

progressive colonisation of bare rock or other barren terrain by living organisms
area colonised by pioneer species
change the environment/abiotic factors eg provide nutrients/growing soil
becomes less hostile for other species
different species present at each stage
reaches climax community

Question 12

climax community

Answer 12

mature stable community at the final stage of succession
abiotic factors are the same over a period of time
same species present over time
population stable around carrying capacity