Topic 2

Question 1

Define species

Answer 1

group of organisms that share common characteristics and that interbreed to produce fertile offspring

Question 2

Define habitat

Answer 2

environment in which a species lives

Question 3

.

Answer 3

.

Question 4

What’s a fundamental niche

Answer 4

The full range of conditions and resources in which a species could survive and reproduce

Question 5

What’s a realised niche

Answer 5

the actual conditions and resources in which a species exists due to biotic interactions.

Question 6

What are abiotic factors

Answer 6

Non living, physical factors that influence the organism and ecosystem - temp, sunlight

Question 7

What are Biotic factors, give examples

Answer 7

l

Question 8

how should interactions be understood

Answer 8

in terms of the influence each species has on the population dynamics of other, and upon the carrying capacity of the other’s environment.

Question 9

What are the different types of interactions?

Answer 9

Predation, herbivory, paradise, mutualism, disease and competition

Question 10

Define population

Answer 10

A population is a group of organisms of the same species living in the same area at the same time, and which are capable of interbreeding.

Question 11

What is the difference between paratism and mutualism?

Answer 11

Mutualism is the interaction between two or more organisms where both organisms can benefit from the interaction. An example of mutualism is a Clownfish and a Sea Anemone. … Parasitism is the interaction between two species where only one benefits from the other organism and the other is harmed in return.2

Question 12

Define limiting factors

Answer 12

A limiting factor is anything that constrains a population’s size and slows or stops it from growinga

Question 13

Explain population growth curves

Answer 13

A rapid and exponential growth at the beginning as due to low limiting factors and the competition then increases and then the population fluctuates around the carrying capacity.

Question 14

What’s commensalism?

Answer 14

When one species benefits form the symbiotic relationship but nothing happens to the other one.

Question 15

What’s paratism?

Answer 15

Symbiotic relationship in which one species is benefited and the other is adversely affected e.g a tapeworm living in the gut of a pig

Question 16

What’s predation?

Answer 16

The consumption of one species (the prey) by another (the predator)

Question 17

What’s pursuit and ambush?

Answer 17

Pursuing is simply chasing it down and catching it. e.g gecko and spider. Ambush is when predators catch prey unaware.(use of camouflage…)

Question 18

What does Herbivory mean?

Answer 18

The consumption of plant species by an animal

Question 19

What’s competition?

Answer 19

The interaction between organisms that are trying to attain the same resources. This could be food, mates, territory

Question 20

What are decomposers?

Answer 20

Feed on dead and decaying material, thus recycling nutrients.

Question 21

What are some Abiotic Growth Factors?

Answer 21

• Favourable light
• favorable temperature
• Favourable chemical environment (optimal level of critical nutrients)

Question 22

What are some biotic growth factors?

Answer 22

• High reproductive rate
• Generalised niche
• Adequate food supply
• Suitable habitat
• Ability to compete for resources
• Ability to hide or defend against predators
• Ability to resist diseases and parasites
• Ability to migrate and live in other habitats
• Ability to adapt to environmental change.

Question 23

What are some abiotic limiting factors? (environmental resistance)

Answer 23

• Too much or too little light
• Temperature too high or too low
• Unfavourable chemical environment

Question 24

What are some biotic limiting factors?

Answer 24

- Low reproductive rate
Specialised niche 
- Inadequate food supply
- Too many competitors
- Inability to resist diseases and parasites
- Inability to migrate and live

Question 25

What is a density dependent factor?

Answer 25

Density dependent factors are factors that affect population depending on the number of organisms they are limiting factors that are more impactful if there is a high population.

Question 26

What is a density independent factor?

Answer 26

Density-independent factors are limiting factors that affect populations no matter how large a population is. Examples would be natural disasters…

Question 27

Analyse an S-Curve graph. Why is it like this?

Answer 27

• Initial rapid growth
• slow down as carrying capacity is reached
• Slow growth at first when the population is small and there is a lack of mature adults. - low limiting factors
• Ables the population to expand exponentially
• As population grows competition increases
• As it reaches carrying capacity the population fluctuates due to negative feedback mechanisms.

Question 28

Describe and explain the difference between graph A and B. ( add image)

Answer 28

In graph A we can see that if both species are raised the same way they both grow at a very similar rate and both reach a similar maximum capacity.

In graph B we can see that when both species have been grown together in the same environment causing some inter-specific competition and showing us the realized niche for both species. After 4 days the graph indicates that P.aurelia is clearly dominant and reaches a stable carrying capacity whereas P.caudatum slowly depreciates in it’s population density and almost disappears into a weak population. These are both their realized niche.

Question 29

What are two types of population growth?

Answer 29

Exponential growth and logistic growth. Logistic growth reaches carrying capacity;

Question 30

What are the four steps of graphs

Answer 30

Insert green table

Question 31

What is an invasive specie?

Answer 31

Species which have been introduced into an environment to which they are not naturally found. If they become a problem, out-competing the native species, they are classed as invasive. This can have catastrophic impacts onto the ecosystem.

Question 32

What is intraspecific competition/ give examples

Answer 32

When the competition is between the same species.

Question 33

What is interspecific competition/ give examples.

Answer 33

When the competition is between different species.

Question 34

Define exponential growth.

Answer 34

When there is a rapid growth of an organism with a growth rate that isn’t affected by any limiting factors since there aren’t any.