Topic 7 Ecology Flashcards
What is a community?
Populations of different species living in habitat
What are abiotic factors?
Non living factors of environment
What are biotic factors?
Living factors of environment
What is an ecosystem?
Interaction of community of living organisms (biotic) with non living (abiotic) parts of environment
What is interdependence?
Within community each species depends on other species for food, shelter, pollination, seed dispersal
If one species removed -affects whole community
What is a stable community?
All species and environmental factors in balance so population size remains fairly constant
What are the 3 types of adaptations?
Structural
Behavioural
Functional
What are functional adaptations?
Inside organisms body, related to processes like reproduction and metabolism
What are 3 extreme environments, extremophiles can be adapted to live in?
High temperatures
High pressure
High salt concentration
What happens to the numbers of predators and prey in a stable community?
Rise and fall in cycles
What are the 4 stages of the water cycle?
1) Evaporation + transpiration
2) condensation
3) precipitation
4) drains into sea
What is the first stage of the water cycle?
Energy from sun makes water from land + sea evaporate- water vapour
Transpiration- water evaporates from plants
What is the second stage of the water cycle?
Water vapour carried upwards (warm air rises), gets higher cools and condenses, forms clouds
What is the third stage of the water cycle?
Water falls from clouds as precipitation onto land, provides fresh water for plants + animals
What is the fourth stage of the water cycle?
Drains into sea, process starts again
What are 3 environmental changes that affect the distribution of species in an ecosystem?
Temperature
Availability of water
Composition of atmospheric gases
What are 3 causes of environmental changes?
Seasonal
Geographic
Human interaction
How do materials decay?
Broken down (digested) by microorganisms
What are 3 conditions that speed up the rate of decay?
Warm
Moist
Aerobic
Why do warmer conditions speed up the rate of decay?
Increase rate enzymes
Why do aerobic conditions speed up the rate of decay?
Microorganisms respire
