S Ecology: Habitat Study

Question 1

Definition of ecology

Answer 1

Ecology is the branch of biology that studies the relationships of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings (their environment).

Question 2

Why is ecology important?

Answer 2

Ecology is important because:
It provides knowledge about the way the earth works.
It provides evidence of the independence between the natural world and people.
A better understanding of ecological systems will allow scientists to predict the consequences of human activity on the environment.
It gives a systematic way to monitor the effect of industrial development on local habitats.

Question 3

Definition of habitat

Answer 3

A habitat is a natural environment where a particular organism lives.

Question 4

What needs does a natural habitat provide for its organisms?

Answer 4

Every organism has its own unique habitat that provides for its needs.
This is where they get their food, water and shelter.
They also breed in their natural habitat.

Question 5

What factors determine whether a species will survive or not?

Answer 5

The climate of a habitat, the food available in the habitat, competition from other species- these are some of the factors that determine whether a species will survive or not.

Question 6

Community definition

Answer 6

A community is all the animals and plants that live in a particular area (habitat) and share the resources in that area.

Question 7

What is an ecological community?

Answer 7

An ecological community is a group of interacting species living in the same place.

Question 8

How is a community bound together?

Answer 8

A community is bound together by the effects that species have on one another.

Question 9

What do all organisms have in a community that keeps the community healthy?

Answer 9

Within a community, organisms all have a unique niche, or role, they fill to keep the community healthy.

Question 10

Ecological niche definition

Answer 10

The ecological niche of a species is its role in a community, how it fits in and how it interacts with other organisms.

Question 11

Give an example of a niche of some animals

Answer 11

herons live near fresh water and nest high in mature trees. They feed on fish.
Mallards are found in almost any freshwater habitat. They feed on plants and animals on or just below the surface of the water. They will also feed in stubble fields away from water.

Question 12

What is the greatest cause of extinction in species?

Answer 12

Habitat loss and habitat damage are by far the greatest causes of extinction in species.

Question 13

What can studying a habitat provide?

Answer 13

Studying a habitat can:
Give us info about the different life forms that live in it.
Help us understand how different animals and plants adapted to their habitat.
Helps us understand the impact of human actions on other life forms.
Help us identify the factors that can lead to harmful changes in the habitat.
Help us to prevent harmful conditions that can easily destroy that habitat.

Question 14

Definition of abiotic factors.

Answer 14

Abiotic factors are the non-living things that affect organisms in their habitats, for example, air temp, soil temp, soil pH, light intensity.

Question 15

What instrument is used to measure air temp, soil temp, soil pH, light intensity?

Answer 15

air temp: Thermometer/temperature sensor
soil temp: Soil thermometer/temperature probe
soil pH: Universal indicator/pH sensor
light intensity: Light meter/light sensor

Question 16

What does the health of the habitat rely on?

Answer 16

The health of the habitat depends on the organisms that harness energy from the sun and keeps that habitat alive, that is plants.

Question 17

What are plants described as and why?

Answer 17

Plants are described as producers because they make the food that all the organisms in the habitat are dependant on for energy to live.

Question 18

How do you identify organisms found in a habitat?

Answer 18

Organisms may be identified using a key for the particular habitat that they are found in.

Question 19

What is a key?

Answer 19

A key asks questions about the organism that you want to identify. By answering these questions you are led to the identity of the organism.

Question 20

Definition of producers

Answer 20

Producers are green plants that make their own food using the process of photosynthesis.

Question 21

What depends on producers and why? What are they referred to?

Answer 21

Animals, because they cannot produce their own food, are dependant on plants for energy. These animals are referred to as consumers.

Question 22

What do producers do exactly?

Answer 22

These plants convert light energy into chemical energy in food.

Question 23

Consumers definition

Answer 23

Consumers are organisms (mostly animals) that feed on other organisms for their food.

Question 24

What are predators?

Answer 24

Animals that hunt, catch and eat animals are known as predators

Question 25

What are prey?

Answer 25

Animals that are hunted, caught and eaten are known as prey.

Question 26

What are herbivores?

Answer 26

Consumers that eat plants.

Question 27

What are carnivores?

Answer 27

Consumers that eat other animals.

Question 28

What are omnivores?

Answer 28

Consumers that eat both plants and animals.

Question 29

List some ways of catching animals in the field in order to identify them.

Answer 29

Pooter, beating tray, pitfall trap

Question 30

Explain the apparatus pooter.

Apparatus: How it is used: Used to collect

Answer 30

Apparatus: Pooter
How it is used: One tube is placed over the organism and you suck through the second tube with gauze (the gauze prevents you from swallowing the organism).
Used to collect: small insects (such as greenfly) and spiders.

Question 31

Explain the apparatus beating tray:

Apparatus: How it is used: Used to collect

Answer 31

Apparatus: Beating tray
How it is used: A white sheet/tray is held under the leaves of a tree or shrub. The branches are shaken or beaten with a stick to dislodge the animals and they fall onto the sheet.
Used to collect: Insects and small animals that live on the leaves of shrubs and trees.

Question 32

Explain the apparatus Pitfall tray.

Apparatus: How it is used: Used to collect

Answer 32

Apparatus: Pitfall trap.
How it is used: A jar is sunk into the ground (the mouth of the jar must be level with the soil).
A flat stone supported by small stones forms a lid (the lid prevents rain from getting in).
Used to collect: Animals e.g. ground beetles, that walk along the surface of the ground.
Useful to compare animals that are out at night with those during the day.

Question 33

Decomposers definition

Give examples

Answer 33

Decomposers are organisms that break down dead plants and animals into material that go back into the soil.
Decomposers in a grassland include earthworms, beetles, woodlice, bacteria and fungi.

Question 34

Adaptation definition

Answer 34

Adaptation is the way an organism is suited to survive in its environment.

Question 35

In a nutshell, what was Darwin’s theory?

Answer 35

In a nutshell, Darwin said that if a living organism is well adapted to its environment, it will survive to reproduce fertile young.

Question 36

When do we say an organism is adapted to its environment?

Answer 36

We say an organism is adapted if it has the qualities that enable it to survive in its surroundings.

Question 37

What does adaptation involve?

Answer 37

Adaptation will involve changes or adjustments in the structure and behaviour of organisms in order to be able to survive in its particular habitat.

Question 38

Give 3 examples of plant and animal adaptations in different habitats.
Habitat > Plant adaptation and benefit > Animal adaptation and benefit
hedge grow, grassland, woodland

Answer 38

Hedge grow > Nettles have stinging hairs to prevent them from being eaten by certain animals. > Peacock butterflies have long tube-like mouth parts that allow them to suck nectar.

Grassland > Buttercups have bright yellow petals to attract insect pollinators > Earthworms are a dark colour for camouflage.

Woodland > Primroses flower early in the spring and get more light, before the leaves come out on the trees > Sparrowhawks have large feet with needle-sharp talons for catching their prey.

Question 39

Competition definition

Answer 39

Competition is the interaction between members of the same species (intraspecific) or members of different species (interspecific) for resources that are in short or limited supply.

Question 40

What may plants compete for and what can animals compete for? Give an example of two species competing against each other.

Answer 40

Plants may compete for light, water and space.
Animals may compete for food, mates and territory. An example of competition between different species in Ireland is the competition between the red and grey squirrel.

Question 41

Interdependence definition

Answer 41

Interdependence is the way one thing relies on another.

Question 42

What non-living things do living organisms depend on?

Answer 42

Living organisms will depend on non-living things such as air, light, warmth, water and minerals. They also rely on soil and rock for shelter.

Question 43

What does interdependence include?

Answer 43

Interdependence includes how organisms are dependent on each other for food and energy.

Question 44

What do food chains show?

Answer 44

Food chains show the way energy is passed from one organism to another through food.

Question 45

What do food webs show?

Answer 45

A Food web shows a number of interconnecting food chains.

Question 46

What happens if the producer at the beginning of a food chain dies?

Answer 46

if the producer at the beginning of a food chain in a habitat dies off, the rest of the organisms in the food chain are also in danger of dying off due to lack of food.

Question 47

What does the feeding relationship show?

Answer 47

This feeding relationship shows very clearly the interdependence of organisms on each other.

Question 48

Why do animals rely on plants and why do plants rely on animals?

Answer 48

Animals depend on plants for their food (either directly, by feeding on plants, or indirectly, by feeding on other animals that feed on plants.
Plants depend on animals for pollination - plants rely on animals to carry pollen from flower to flower to ensure the formation of fruit.
Plants also rely on animals to disperse their seeds to ensure germination of the next year’s crop.

Question 49

Frequency definition and what is a quadrat

Answer 49

Frequency is the percentage chance of finding a particular organism in one throw of a quadrat.
A quadrat is an open square of wood, usually, 50cm square.