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Biology > Topic 7 - ecology (in GCSE) > Flashcards

Topic 7 - ecology (in GCSE) Flashcards

1
Q

4 levels of organisation in an ecosystem

A

Individual, population, community and ecosystem

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2
Q

What is an ecosystem

A

The interaction between the living component and non-living components

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3
Q

State the 4 factors that plants may compete for

A

Light, space, water and mineral ions from the soil

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4
Q

State the 3 factors that animals may compete for

A

Food, mates and territoy

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5
Q

What is intraspecific competition

A

Competition within a species

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6
Q

What is interdependance

A

Different species in an ecosystem depend on each other for varioud resources, if one species is are removed, the whole community may be afected

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7
Q

Wat is a stable community

A

A community in which all the biotic factors and all the abiotic factors are balanced so that population sizes remain relitively constant

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8
Q

What are abiotic factors

A

Non-living factors

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9
Q

State 5 abiotic factors that may affect an ecosystem

A

Light intensity, temp, moisture, wind intensity and direction, soil pH, carbon dioxide/oxygen levels

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10
Q

What may light intensity affect an ecosystem

A

Different species of plants have different optimum ligh intensities

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11
Q

Why does temperature affect an ecosystem

A

Different species of plants and animals have diffeent optimum tempertures for growth and survival

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12
Q

Why does soil pH affect an ecosystem

A

Certain plants may grow better in either alkaline or acidic soil, soil pH may affect the appearance of the plant

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13
Q

Why does wind intensity affect an ecosystem

A

Plant seeds are more likely to germinate in locations with lower wind inensity

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14
Q

Example of plants that have adapted to low soil mineral content

A

Carniverous plats that catch insect to compensate for the low levels of minerals in the soil

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15
Q

4 biotic factors that mau affect an ecosystem

A

Food availability, new predators, new pathogens, competition

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16
Q

Define population

A

A species that occupy the same habitat

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17
Q

Define habitat

A

The place in which an orgnism lives

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18
Q

Define community

A

Populations of different species interacting

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19
Q

What do food chains show

A

the feeding relationship of different organisims and the flow of energy between the organisms

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20
Q

Define biomass

A

The total dry mass of living material

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21
Q

What are biotic features

A

living factors

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22
Q

What do arrows show in a food chain

A

The direction of biomass transfer

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23
Q

Describe a general food chain

A

Producer-> primary consumer -> secondary consumer -> tertiary consumer

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24
Q

What is a producer

A

An organism that makes it’s own food

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25
What types of organisms are producers
Photoynthetic organisms, that trap the energy from the sun
26
What is a primary consumer
An organism that feeds on producers
27
What is a secondary consumer
An organism that feeds on primary consumers
28
What is interspecific competition
Competition between different species
29
What is a tertiary consumer
An organism that feeds on secondary consumers
30
What is a predator
A consumer that kills and eats other animals
31
What is prey
An animal that is killed and eaten by another animal
32
Describe the pattern of predators and prey in a stable community
The number of predators and prey rise and fall in cycles
33
What apparatus is used to measure the abundance and distribution of organisms in an area
Quadrat
34
What apparatus is used to study the distribution of organisms across a gradiet
Belt transect
35
When considering the abundance of organisms, what is meant by the term 'mean'
The average number of organisms
36
How is arithmetic mean calculated
Sum of each number of each organism divided by the totl number of ach type of organisms
37
Why have humans' consumption of resources and waste production increased
Rapid rise in population, increased in standard of living
38
3 places polution occurs
air, land, water
39
3 examples of water pollutants
sewage, fertiliser and chemicas
40
How does eutrophication occur
Fertilisers from farms pollute water and cause excessive growth of algae which depletes the oxygen content in water so animals die, dead plants and animals are decomposed by bacteria which decreases oxygen levels further
41
2 examples of air pollution
Smoke, acidic gases
42
2 examples of land polution
chemicals, landfill waste
43
How materials cycle through the living and non-living componants of an ecosystem (4)
- Organsims take in elements from their surroundings, e.g. soil,air - Elements converted to complex molecules which become biomass - Elements transferred along food chains - Elements returned to the environment during excretion and decomposition of dead organisms
44
3 molecules cycled through ecosystems
Oxygen, Carbon dioxide, water
45
Describe the carbon cycle (4)
- Plants fix carbon dioxide into organic molecules during photosynthesis - THE organic carbon-containing molecules arepasses onto organisms that eat the plants - Carbon dioxide is released back inot the atmosphere by respiration from animals and plants - Burning fossil fuels also release carbon dioxide inot the atmosphere
46
Why is the carbion cycle important
Carbon-containing molecules like glucose are important for living organisms to grow and provide energy for vital funmctions within cells
47
Describe the water cycle (4)
- water from lakes and oceans evaporates - Evaporated water condenses inot clouds and returns to earth as precipitation - Water from precipitation is useful for life on land - Water then returns to rivers and oceans through surface run-off
48
Why is water cycle important
L:iving organisms require water and the cycle provides organisms on land with a continuous supply of water
49
Why microorganisms important for material recycling
Return carbon to environment by releasing carbon dioxide when respiring when decomposing dead matter. Decomposition of material returns mineral ions to soil to be used for other organsims
50
What is decomposition
The breakdown or dead material inot simpler organic matter
51
How decomposers decompose dead matter
Release enzymes which catalyse breakdown of dead material inot smaller molecules
52
2 types of decomposition
Aerobic decomposition and anaerobic
53
3 factors that affect rate of decomposition
Oxygen availability temperature water content
54
Why oxygen needed in decomposition
Most decomposers require oxygen for aerobic respiration
55
How decomposition still occurs without oxygen
Some decomposers can respire anaerobically, but it is slower as less energy is produced
56
How water content affects decomposing rate
Need water to survive Water needed for secretion of enzymes and absorbtion of dissolved molecules but waterlogged soil reduces oxygen so rate decreases
57
How temp affects decomposition rate
50 degrees is optimum, then denatures
58
What is compost
Nutrient rich product of the rapid decay of waste biological material in optimum conditions set by gardeners and farmers
59
How compost used
Natural fertiliser to promote crop and garden plant growth
60
Describe how biogas generators work
Provide methane gas for fuel through anaerobic decomposition that occur in animal waste
61
4 Human activities that reduce land available for animals and plants
- Building - Farming - Quarrying - Landfill
62
Why have peat bogs been destroyed
To produce compost to increase food production
63
Why does destruction of peat bogs greatly contribute to greenhouse effect
They stored carbon and buring them has released a large volume of carbon dioxide
64
How to calculate efficiency of biomass transfer
(Energy transfered/ total energy) x 100
65
% of incident energy from light for photosyntheis producers transfer
1%
66
% of biomass from one trophic level to another
10%
67
4 reasons biomass transfer not 100%
- Egestion - Excretion removes waste products - respiration where large amounts of glucose is used - Parts of organism is inedible
68
4 biological factors affecting food security
- Rising birth rate - Changing diets - New pests and pathogens - Increased agriculture cost

Biology (9 decks)

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