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Biology AQA Year 2 > Topic 7C: Ecosystem > Flashcards

Topic 7C: Ecosystem Flashcards

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1
Q

What is a Habitat?

A

The place where an organism lives e.g. a rocky shore or a field

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2
Q

What is Population?

A

All the organisms of one species in a given area at a given time

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3
Q

What is community?

A

Populations of different species living in a given area and at given time

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4
Q

What is an ecosystem?

A

A community, with all the non-living conditions in the area in which it lives.

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5
Q

Define abiotic conditions?

A

The living features of the ecosystem eg temperature/ availability of water

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6
Q

Define biotic conditions?

A

The living features of the ecosystem eg the presence of predators or food

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7
Q

What is niche?

A

The role of species within its habitat.

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8
Q

What is adaptation?

A

A feature that members of a species have that increases their chance of survival and reproduction

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9
Q

What type interactions are involved in a niche?

A

Biotic interactions- organisms it eats, and those its eaten by
Abiotic interactions- the oxygen an organisms breathes in, the CO2 it breathes out

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10
Q

Why might people think that two species have the same niche?

A

Because theyre either both eaten by the same species or eat the same species BUT there are slight differences like what part of the organism they eat.

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11
Q

Does every species have their own unique niche?

A

yes

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12
Q

What happens when two species try to occupy the same niches?

A

They start to compete with each other.

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13
Q

Example of similar but different niches?

A

Common pipistrelle
-fly and catch insects at 45kHz
Soprano pipistrelle bat
-fly and catch insects at 55kHz

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14
Q

Which organisms are adapted to abiotic conditions?

A

Otters
Seals
Hedgehogs hibernate

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15
Q

How are Otters adapted to abiotic conditions?

A
  • they have webbed paws
  • means they can both walk on land and swim
  • increases chance of survival because they can live and hunt on both land and water
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16
Q

How are Seals adapted to abiotic conditions?

A
  • thick layer of blubber

- keeps them warm

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17
Q

How are Hedgehogs adapted to abiotic conditions that allows them to increase their chance of survival?

A
  • they hibernate
  • lowers their rate of metabolism
  • conserves energy
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18
Q

Which organisms are adapted to biotic conditions?

A
  • Sea Otters
  • Male Frogs
  • Bacteria/antibiotics
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19
Q

How are Sea ottters adapted to abiotic conditions?

A
  • use rocks to smash open shellfish

- another source of food source

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20
Q

How are Male frogs adapted to abiotic conditions?

A
  • mating calls attract females

- increases successful mating

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21
Q

How are bacteria and antibiotics adapted to abiotic conditions?

A
  • kill other species of bacteria in the same area

- less competition

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22
Q

What is a population size?

A

The total number of organisms of ones species in a habitat

23
Q

What is a carrying capacity?

A

The maximal stable population size of species that an ecosystem can support

24
Q

How does carrying capacity vary?

A

due different abiotic and biotic factors

25
Q

What factors are abiotic?

A

temperature
space availability
water
light

26
Q

What happens when there is ideal abiotic factors?

A

Organisms grow fast and reproduces successfully

27
Q

What are the factors that are affected by biotic conditions ?

A

IntRAspecific Competition
IntERspecific Competition
Predation

28
Q

What is intraspecific competition?

A

Competition within a species

29
Q

What is interspecific?

A

Competition between different species

30
Q

What is predation?

A

When prey and predator population are linked.

31
Q

What is succession?

A

When the ecosystem changes over time

32
Q

What does it mean when yousay the ecosystem is dynamic?

A

It means it is constantly changing

33
Q

What are the two types of succession?

A

Primary succession

Secondary succession

34
Q

What is primary succession?

A
  • When there is land that has been newly formed or exposed
  • no soil
  • no organic material
35
Q

Give an example of primary succession?

A
  • Where a volcano has erupted to form new rock surface

- when the sea level has dropped exposing new area of land.

36
Q

What is secondary succession?

A
  • When the land has been cleared of all plants

- but soil remains

37
Q

Give an example of secondary succession?

A
  • after a forest fire

- deforestation

38
Q

Outline the stages of primary succession/secondary succession

A
  • pioneer species start colonising new land surface
  • pioneer species survive harsh hostile abiotic conditions
  • they grow and adapt
  • they change the abiotic conditions
  • they die and decompose from microorganisms
  • this provides organic material basic soil
  • makes it less hostile
  • new species start to move and grow
  • increase biodiversity
  • they grow and change the environment to become less hostile
  • eventually leads to climax community
39
Q

What have as succession goes on?

A
  • ecosystems become more complex and diverse

- biodiversity increases

40
Q

What is the final stage of succession?

A

Climax community- an ecosystem supporting the largest and most complex community of plants and animals it can. It is at a steady state

41
Q

What is climax community?

A

No further succession occurring

42
Q

Primary succession can start on….

A
  • bare rock
  • sand dunes
  • salt marshes
  • lakes
43
Q

Name a pioneer species?

A
  • marram grass

- because it has deep roots to get water and tolerate salty conditions

44
Q

Example of primary succession from bare rock to woodland

A
  • pioneer species colonise rocks (eg lichens)
  • lichens do this by breaking down rocks and releasing energy
  • lichens die and decompose forming thin soil
  • other species like mosses can grow now
  • As soil deepen larger plants that need more water start to move
  • the environmental conditions start to change
  • shrubs/fern and small trees become to grow and compete
  • DIVERSITY increases
  • Dominant species lead to climax community
45
Q

Different ecosystems have different….

A

Climax communities

46
Q

What is the climax community in temperature climate?

A
  • plenty of water
  • mild temperatures
  • not much change between seasons
  • contains large trees
  • because deep soil has developed
47
Q

What is the climax community in polar climate?

A
  • not much water
  • temp low
  • massive changes between seasons
  • no large trees
48
Q

What is conservation?

A

The protection and management of succession

49
Q

What is plagioclimax?

A

When human activities prevent succession and artificially stops climax community from developing.

50
Q

Why do people sometimes stop succession

A

Because they want to preserve the current ecosystem

51
Q

Ways of managing succession?

A
  • Managed fires

- animal grazing

52
Q

What are the different methods of conservation?

A
  • some focus on the conserving a particular species

- some focus on conserving a particular habitat

53
Q

Provide examples of conservation techniques?

A
  • plant conserved in seed-banks
  • fishing quotas
  • protected areas eg national parks
  • captivity for endangered species

Biology AQA Year 2 (15 decks)

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