Topic 10.1 The Nature of Ecosystems Flashcards
Community
The organisms of all species that live in a habitat at one time (interdependent)
Abiotic factors: Climatic factors
-Wind speed
-Humidity
-Light intensity
Abiotic factors: Edaphic factors (soil)
-pH
-Oxygen concentration
-Nitrate concentration
-Salinity
Abiotic factors: Topographic factors (shape of landscape)
-Water speed
-Depth
Biotic factors
-Competition
-Predation
-Disease
-Symbiosis:
-mutualism
-parasitism
Ecosystem
Self contained unit make up of the biotic and abiotic factors in an area
(Ecosystem = Community + Habitat)
Biome
An area classified according to the species that live in that location
Population
A group of individuals of the same species in a habitat
Environment
All the factors in a habitat which affect an organism
(These may be biotic or abiotic)
Producer
The first organism in a food chain, an autotroph capable of manufacturing organic molecules normally by photosynthesis
Consumer
Organisms that feed off of other organisms
Decomposer
An organism whose ecological function involves the recycling of nutrients by performing the natural process of decomposition as it feeds on decaying organisms
Biodiversity
The variation that exists within and between all forms of life
Population
Groups of the same species in one area
Guttation
Water from xylem seeps out of edges and tip of leaf root due to pressure
Succession
The process of a community changing over time.
(It is heavily influenced by the conditions in the environment)
Primary succession
Plants grow where no plants have grown before (begins with bare rock)
Secondary succession
Plants grow where a population has previously been but has been destroyed (eg. forest fire)
Order of succession
Bare rock –> Pioneer species (opportunist) –> Decomposition –> Grasses grow –> Nutrients in soil allow shrubs to grow –> Increase in soil depth allows trees to grow
Opportunist
Take advantage of the bare rock to grow
Climax community
A self-sustaining community ………?
Plagioclamax