Topic 7 Ecology Flashcards
Define interdependence.
The need of abiotic and biotic species to live in a habitat.
Define a stable community.
When all the abiotic and biotic oraganinsm are in balance.
What are ecosystems?
Plants and animals living in the same habitat togeher e.g rainforest.
Define a community.
Different species living in the same habitat.
Define an abiotic factor.
A non-living factor e.g. light intensity, PH of soil, wind direction, Oxygen conc. in water.
What is a biotic factor.
A living facotr. E.g. Pathigens, new predators, new competition and food availability.
3 adaptations:
Behavioural = how they behave e.g. basking in the sun
Functional = reproduction/ metabolism
Structural = shape/ colour e.g. razor teeth.
Define a producer.
Photosynthesis on there own e.g. algae plants.
Define a primary consumer.
Energy transferred by organisms through eating them
Define a secondary consumer.
Eats primary consumer prey etaen by predator e.g. herbivores/carnivores
Give the order of consumers.
Producer
Primary consumer
Secondary consumer
Tertirary consumer
How do you prevent bias when using quadrats?
Using a random number generator.
Explain the water cycle.
Sun evaporates water from lakes, seas etc into water vapour.
W.V condenses to form clouds
Water returned to land by precipitation
Runs off rain into lakes
Cycle begins again
Explain the carbon cycle.
Carbon dioxide is taken in through photosynthesis.
Carbon is eaten by consumers and passed on or plants die and decompose and respire the carbon.
Can also be out back through burning of fossil fuels and wood.
What does an increase in biodiversity cause?
Means that different species are less reliable on other speies for living.
What’s the problem in what we are doing?
Using up raw materials quicker than they are being produced.
Define biodiversity.
Variety of different species living in earths/ ecosystems
What do humans do to biodiversity?
Decrease biodiversity through the destruction of habitats e.g. deforestation.
What are peatbogs used for?
Fuels or compost.
What are peatbogs?
They are plants that have decomposed without having enough oxygen. But they are being used more tha they are being produced. Thye are habitats and are ebing destroyed usually found on farms.
Why does deforestation occur?
To grow crops for biofuels, farming, houses, roads etc.
What is deforestation?
Cutting down a large number of trees for human use.
What does deofrestation cause?
Less carbon dioxide is being taken in and more carbon dioxide is beign relased through the burning of wood and destrys habitats thus decreasing biodiversity.
Explain global warming.
More heat is being absorbed and relflected causing the temperature to increase.
