T7 adaptations, interdependence and competition Flashcards
state the levels of organisation in an ecosystem
individual, population, community, ecosystem
what is an ecosystem
interaction between the living components and non-living components
state the factors that plants may compete for
light
space
water
mineral ions from soil
factors that animals may compete for
food
mates
territory
what is intraspecific competition
competition within a species
what is interspecific competition
competition between different species
what is interdependence
different species in an ecosystem depend on each other for various resources, if 1 species is removed, the whole community may be affected
what is a stable community
community in which all the biotic factors and all abiotic factors are balanced so that population sizes remain relatively constant
what are abiotic factors
non-living factors
abiotic factors that may affect an ecosystem
light intensity, temperature, moisture, soil pH and mineral content, O2 level, CO2 level, wind intensity and direction
why might light intensity affect an ecosystem
different species of plants may have different optimum light intensities for growth
why does temperature affect an ecosystem
different species of plants and animals may have different optimum temperatures for growth and survival
how does soil pH affect an ecosystem
certain plants may grow better in either alkaline or acidic soil
soil pH may affect the appearance of the plant
how does moisture level affect an ecosystem
many plants can’t survive in waterlogged soil as their roots can’t respire
certain plants are adapted to high moisture levels
how does wind intensity affect an ecosystem
plant seeds are more likely to germinate in locations with lower WI which may also attract animals that depend on the plant to live nearby
how does soil mineral content affect an ecosystem
most plants require a high level of soil minerals to grow well
example of a type of plants that have adapted to low soil mineral content
carnivorous plants catch insects to compensate for the low level of soil mineral content
how does carbon dioxide concentration affect an ecosystem
higher CO2 concentration leads to more plant growth
how does oxygen concentration affect an ecosystem
aquatic animals cannot survive in areas with low oxygen concentration
state the biotic factors that may affect an ecosystem
food
new predators
new pathogens
competition
what are adaptations
features that enable organisms to survive in their living environment
organisms living in extreme environments called
extremophiles
3 examples of extreme living conditions
high temperature
high pressure
high salt concentration
example of where extremophile bacteria can be found
in deep sea vents
