Topic 5: On the Wild Side Flashcards
What is the definition on an ecosystem?
A community and its interactions with the non living parts of its habitat.
What is the definitions of a community?
All of the populations in a habitat or area at a given point in time.
What is the definition of a population?
All the organisms of one species in a habitat or area, at a given point in time.
What is the definitions of a habitat?
The area where an organism lives.
What is a biotic factors and examples?
Living environmental factors that influence the populations within their communities.
E.g. interspecific competition and parasitism.
What is an abiotic and examples?
Non-living physical and chemical factors that influence populations within their community.
E.g. light intensity, temperature, humidity and soil/water pH.
How do biotic factors control the number and distribution of organisms in a habitat?
Biotic factors have drastic effect on the number and distribution of organism. Any effect on these factors have a direct impact on population density and distribution.
E.g. food availability - more food means organism have a higher chance of surviving and reproducing meaning there population increase. Also organism tend to live near and around constant food sources (rivers)
How does abiotic factor effectthe distribution and abundance of organisms in a habitat?
Any effect to abiotic factors doesn’t directly relate to the size of the community. They always affect the same proportion of the community.
E.g. light intensity affect the rate of photosynthesis of plants more light means increased plant growth.
What is the definition of niche?
The role of a species within its habitat.
E.g. what it ears and what species depends on it for food.
How does the concept of niche effect the abundance of organisms in a habitat?
If two species occupy a similar niche within a habitat, they will be competing with each other causing their populations to become smaller and abundance to therefor be lower.
How does the concept of niche impact the distribution of organisms in a habitat?
- Species can only survive in habitat to which they are well adapted to the biotic and abiotic condition. If they are not they will move to a more suitable location and distribution will change.
- species will only be found where the abiotic factors are favourable as unfavourable conditions will hinder an organism ability to reproduce and survive.
What is the definition of carrying capacity?
The maximum population size that an ecosystem can support.
What is the definition of succession?
A sequence of changes in a community, over a period of time.
What is primary succession?
The process that occurs when newly formed or newly exposed land is inhabited by an increasing number of specie.
- magma cooling and forming newly exposed rock
- glacial retreat exposing bare rock
What the are stages of succession.
- Pioneer species will colonise the land. (As they are specially adapted to cope with the harsh conditions xerophytic and halophytic)
- Pioneer species will improve the abiotic conditions (stabilise soil, add humus)
- The less hostile conditions been other organisms will colonise the land. (Further improving conditions, helping soil retain more water)
- As conditions improve more specie will colonise which influence completions and affecting the abundance and distribution of previous organism.
- Newer species will continue to outcompete the previous species until the final community in reached. (Climax community)
What is a climax community?
The final community in a succession, which is self sustaining, stable and dominated by one or several species.
What is secondary succession?
Recolonisation of an ecosystem that has been cleared or damaged, meaning that there are remnants form previous communities.
How can humans prevent succession?
Human activity often prevent or irrupt the process of succession stopping a climax community from developing.
- regular mowing prevents woody plant form establishing
- grading activity of livestock can prevent new plants establishing
What is photosynthesis?
The process by which light energy is absorbed and used to break down water molecules. This produces oxygen and hydrogen (break down of water molecules) which is combined with CO2 to produce glucose and releasing oxygen.
6H20 + 6CO2 + light energy —> C6H12O6 + 6O2
Why is ATP energy needed?
Organism need tap energy to maintain their cells and stay alive
- building new molecule from products of digestion
- Move substances across cell membrane in active transport
- muscle contractions
- conduction of nerve impulses
What is ATP?
adenosine triphosphate is used to trade and supply energy within cells.
How is ATP formed?
ATP is produced during respiration by the addition of inorganic phosphate to ADP.
ADP + P —> ATP
This reaction is catalysts by the enzyme ATP synthase (stored in thylakoid membrane)
How does ATP produce energy to be used in biological processes (and catalyst)?
ATP is broken down by hydrolysis. This is the process where water is used to break down ATP into ADP and an inorganic phosphate. This process releases energy which is then used for biological processes.
ATP —> ADP + P
Catalysed by ATPase
Where does the light dependent reaction take place?
The light dependent reaction relies on direct light meaning it takes place across the thylakoid membrane within the chloroplast.
Why does the light dependent reaction need light?
Light energy enables the splitting of water molecule in a reaction (photolysis) producing
- 2 hydrogen ions (protons)
- 2 electrons
- one atom of oxygen
The protons and hydrogen ions are used during the reaction while oxygen is given off as a waste product.
What is the steps of the light dependent reaction in non cyclic photophosphorylation?
- Light energy is absorbed by chlorophyll pigments in the photosystems.
- Light energy excites the electrons in the photosystems (moves them to a higher energy level)
- Excited electrons move along the electron transport chain, releasing energy to synthesis ATP.
- Photolysis of water produces oxygen, electrons and H+. The electrons are used to replace the ones lost in chlorophyll. These H+ ions produced accumulate in the thylakoid membrane and oxygen is released into the atmosphere.
- Photophosphorylation of ADP produces ATP. (light energy released from excited electron as they move done electron transport chain used to combine ADP and P)
- Reduction of NADP to from reduced NADP (NADPH) in PSI.
- NADPH and ATP produced passes to the light independent reactions.
What is NADP?
NADP is a coenzyme and its role is to transfer hydrogen form one molecule to another. It gains hydrogen and becomes reduced. It can reduce other molecules by receiving hydrogen and oxidise molecules by receiving hydrogen.
What is cyclic photophosphorylation?
- Light hits PSI
- Electron are excited to a higher energy level and leave the photosystem
- The excited electrons pass along the electron transport chain, releasing energy (drives chemiosmosis).
- energy used for ADP + Pi –> ATP
- At the end of electron transport chain the electron rejoin PSI in a complete cycle
- the ATP produced enters light in-dependent reaction
What is the light-independent reaction?
The light independent reaction (Calvin cycle) it produces complex organic molecules (starch and cellulose) and get energy from ATP and NADPH form light dependent reaction. It is often referred to as carbon fixation as its is the reduction of canon dioxide using the products form light dependent reaction.
Where does the light-interdependent (Calvin cycle) take place?
Does not rely on direct light take place in the stroma within the chloroplast.
What are the basic three steps of the Calvin cycle?
- Carbon dioxide is combined with ribulose bisphosphate (RuBP) a 5 carbon compound, yielding two molecules of glycerate 3 phosphate (GP), a 3 carbon compound.
- GP is reduced to GALP another 3 carbon compound
- RuBP is regenerated from GALP in reactions that use ATP
What are the detailed steps of the Calvin cycle (light independent reaction)?
- CO2 enters the plant through the stomata and diffuses into the stroma.
- The CO2 is fixed with RuBP (a 5 carbon compound) producing and unstable 6 carbon compound.
- This breaks down into two 3 carbon compounds called GP. (catalyst by enzyme RUBISCO)
- Energy from ATP and hydrogen form NADPH are used to reduce the 2 molecules of GP into two 3 carbon compound called GALP.
- Some of the carbons in GALP go towards the production of useful organic molecule such as glucose
- The rest remain in the Calvin cycle to allow the regeneration of RuBP which requires ATP (5 out of the 6 carbons are used to regenerated RuBP)
How is glucose produced by photosynthesis used to form other organic compounds?
The intermediate molecules of Calvin cycle GP and GALP produce
- GP is used to produce amino acids (polypeptides) and fatty acids (triglycerides and phospholipids)
- GALP is used to produce hexose sugar (glucose), glycerol (used in triglycerides and phospholipids p) and nucleic acids (DNA and RNA)
What is a chloroplast?
Organelles in plant cells where photosynthesis occurs
What is the structure of chloroplast?
Chloroplast is surrounded by a double membrane (chloroplast envelope) which is filled with fluid (stroma). Within the chloroplast a separate system of membrane ps are found consisting of a series of thylakoids. Several component are embedded in the thylakoids membranes ATP synthase and pigments.
What is the chloroplast envelope and how is it related to its function?
The chloroplast envelopes is a double membrane which enclosed the chloroplast. It contains transport proteins in the inner membrane to control the flow of molecule between stroma and cytoplasm.
What is the stroma?
A fluid like substance found in the inner membrane surrounding the thylakoid membrane contains enzymes. It is the site if the light independent reaction of photosynthesis (Calvin cycle).
What is the thylakoid membrane?
Surrounds the thylakoids and is the site of the light dependent reaction of photosynthesis. It contains photosystems and the necessary enzymes associated with photosynthesis and space for accumulations of hydrogen ions.
What are the structure and function of photosystems?
There are two type of photosystems both found in the thylakoid membrane. Each photosystems absorbs light of a different wavelength maximising light absorption.