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GCSE- Biology > Topic 9- Ecosystems > Flashcards

Topic 9- Ecosystems Flashcards

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1
Q

What is an organism?

A

-A singular
-living thing

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2
Q

What is a population?

A

-The number of the
-same species
-in an area

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3
Q

What is a community?

A

-Different populations living
-in an area

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4
Q

What is an ecosystem?

A
  • Abiotic and biotic factors
  • interacting
  • together in an area
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5
Q

Biotic vs Abiotic

A

-Biotic is living
-Abiotic is not living e.g rocks/ light

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6
Q

What is the importance of interdependence?

A
  • If one population increase/ decrease too heavily it can impact other species
  • grass -> Rabbit -> Fox ->
    • With less foxes, rabbits increase
    • Grass decreases and rabbits die
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7
Q

Parisitism?

A
  • An organism lives on or inside another
  • The parasite benefits and the host is harmed
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8
Q

Mutualism?

A
  • 2 species live together
  • Both benefit
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9
Q

Parasite example?

A

Tape worm
- Hooks attach to small intestine
- Large SA to absorb nutrients
- Release eggs in feaces

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10
Q

Mutualism example?

A

Bees and flowers
-Bees receive nectar
-Pollen is spread for reproduction

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11
Q

Core Practical: Investigate the relationship between organisms
and their environment using field-work techniques, including
quadrats and belt transects

A

-Place quadrate at the same intervals
- Count number of species in the quadrate
- Use the light meter to find the light intensity
- Also test for other abiotic factors e.g pH or temperature

-Belt transects, form a graph/ coordinates
- Roll a dice to find random coordinates
- Record light + number of species

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12
Q

How to estimate number of species in a total area using data from quadrats and belt transects?

A

Avg number of species x total area

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13
Q

How does the energy transferred up the food chain change?

A
  • Only 10% of energy is passed when consumed
  • Rest of energy is lost to surroundings e.g heat/ KE/ faeces
  • Or used to grow, reproduce
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14
Q

What is the food chain system broken down?

A

Primary producer ->
Primary consumer ->
secondary consumer ->
tertiary consumer ->
quaternary consumer ->
(Decomposers eat everything)

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15
Q

What does the arrow in the food chain follow?

A

Movement of energy

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16
Q

What is biomass in reference to the food chain?

A

Mass of all species on a specific trophic level

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17
Q

Why are there normal only 4-5 trophic levels?

A

There isn’t enough biomass/ energy (biomass is converted into energy) for more trophic levels

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18
Q

How do the trophic levels increase?

A

-Tropic level 1 is the primary producer
- Tropic level 2 is the primary consumer
-3 is the secondary consumer

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19
Q

Dangers of fish farming? X6

A

EUTROPHICATION- Fish excretion (faeces and gills) contains ammonia -> Toxic
- Densely populated, easy spread of disease and parasites
- Escaped fish can compete with native species for resources
- Escaped fish can spread disease and parasites.
- Consumers could eat antibiotics (in fish) and get immunity
- Carnivores fish (salmon) need to eat lots of fish (damage population)

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20
Q

Why is introduction of non-indigenous species dangerous?

A
  • Compete for resources (food, shelter)
  • Can bring disease
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21
Q

How did the grey squirrel hurt the red squirrel population?

A

-Grey squirrels are more aggressive
- Grey squirrels are larger
- Grey squirrels have a more versatile diet
- Left red squirrels stress, unable to reproduce
- Grey squirrels have 2-7 litter vs Red 3-4 litter
- Grey squirrels carry disease ( squirrel box)

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22
Q

What is eutrophication?

A
  • Nutrients in water causes microorganisms/ algae to grow,
  • Deplete oxygen and sunlight levels
  • causes plants and animals to die
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23
Q

How is eutrophication caused by humans?

A
  • Sewage (ammonia/ nitrogen)
  • Fertilisers (nitrogen)
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24
Q

Why is it beneficial to maintain biodivesity?

A
  • Maintains balance food chain
  • Mangroves protect coastlines
  • Vegetation prevents floods/landfalls
  • Herbal/ wild medicine (sloths fungus cures cancer)
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25
Q

What is food security?

A

The amount of food needed to support an area

26
Q

How is food security affected?

A
  • Rise in population, more to feed
  • Pathogens and pests attack crops
  • Farming animals means less vegetable consumption
  • Climate change causing extreme weather
  • Increased cost of farming
27
Q

What is the carbon cycle breakdown?

A
  • Carbon in atmosphere
  • Plants and algae absorb carbon for photosynthesis (made into protein, fats and carbohydrates)
  • Animals eat plants with carbon in/ aerobic respire -> Carbon back to atmosphere
  • Decomposers respire (eat carbon filled animals and plants)
28
Q

What happens to carbon if there is a lack of oxygen in the soil?

A
  • Decomposing microorganisms can’t function effectively
  • Carbon turns into fossil fuels
29
Q

How do decomposers benefit the soil?

A

Release mineral ions to the soil

30
Q

What is the natural water cycle?

A
  • Ocean evaporates
  • Form clouds
  • Precipitation (potable water)
  • Consumption (Plants, animals)
  • Streams ( Through-flow) back to ocean
31
Q

What is desalination?

A
  • Evaporating sea water and collecting the condensed fresh water.
32
Q

What are the negatives of desalination?

A
  • Uses lots of energy
  • Lots of waste salt returned to ocean
  • Only richer countries can produce
33
Q

What are the positives of desalination?

A
  • 97% of water is saline, less water insecurity
  • Poor countries can purchase water
34
Q

What is reverse osmosis?

A
  • Use energy to push salt water at high pressure through a
  • Polymer membrane
  • With small holes extract the clean water
35
Q

What are the negatives of reverse osmosis?

A
  • High waste salt quantity back in sea
  • Membranes easily clogged
36
Q

What are the positives of reverse osmosis?

A
  • 97% of water is saline, less water insecurity
  • Uses less energy than desalination
37
Q

What is the nitrogen cycle breakdown?

A
  • Nitrogen too unreactive in atmosphere
  • Lightning/ nitrogen-fixing bacteria convert nitrogen into nitrates
  • Nitrates absorbed by plants for growth (proteins/ amino acids)
  • Plants eaten by animals ( proteins/ amino acids)
    ——— Decomposing bacteria convert nitrates from dead plants and animals into ammonia
  • Nitrifying bacteria converts ammonia into nitrates
  • Denitrifying bacteria converts nitrates back into nitrogen
38
Q

What does denitrifying bacteria do?

A
  • Converts nitrates into nitrogen
  • Returns nitrogen back into atmosphere
  • Remove nitrogen from the cycle
39
Q

What does nitrogen fixing bacteria do?

A

-Turns unreactive nitrogen into nitrates

40
Q

What does nitrifying bacteria do?

A

-Converts ammonia back into nitrates

41
Q

What does decomposing bacteria do?

A
  • Converts nitrogen from dead organisms into ammonia
42
Q

Where is nitrogen-fixing bacteria found?

A
  • Root nodules
    Legumes:
  • Onions
  • Clover
  • Beans
43
Q

Why do farmers plant legumes in between crop cycles?

A
  • Legumes have root nodules
  • Nitrogen-fixing bacteria replenish nitrates in soil
44
Q

Why do farmers want high nitrate levels in the soil?

A
  • Crops grow faster
45
Q

How can farmers make soil more nitrate rich?

A
  • Chemical fertilisers (ammonium nitrate)
  • Animal manure
46
Q

Why is little oxygen in soil bad for farmers?

A
  • As denitrifying bacteria is anaerobic, nitrates in the soil will be converted back into nitrogen
  • Nitrogen-fixing bacteria is aerobic, nitrogen won’t be converted into nitrates
47
Q

What animals show that water is highly polluted?

A
  • Sludge worms
  • Rat-tailed maggot
  • Blood worm
    • Adapted aspects to survive on low oxygen e.g through skin, tail extends to air.
48
Q

What animals show water is fresh?

A
  • Freshwater shrimp
  • Stonefly
  • Need oxygen rich/clean water
49
Q

What are the positives of using indicator species for monitoring pollution?

A
  • Gives a general idea of polluted vs cleaner areas
  • Natural monitor, cheap
50
Q

What lichen can survive in polluted air?

A
  • Crusty lichen
51
Q

What lichen can survive in slightly polluted air?

A
  • Leafy lichen
52
Q

What lichen can only survive in clean air?

A
  • Bushy lichen
53
Q

What are these lichens sensitive about in the air?

A

Sulphur dioxide and other pollutants

54
Q

What are the negatives of using indicator species for monitoring pollution?

A
  • Can’t determine the actual chemical levels of pollution
55
Q

How does temperature affect the rate of decomposition?

A
  • Warmer, more enzyme activity
  • Too hot, denature enzymes
  • Too cold, microorganism do not reproduce
56
Q

How can we test how temperature affects decomposition and what are the problems?

A
  • Wait for milk to curdle in two temperatures (outside the fridge)
    ——-> Not a distinct temperature, as room temp changes
    ——–> Takes ages
  • Place lipase in milk to break down the lipids into fatty acids (IN A WATER BATH) - fatty acids make it acidic -
  • Use cresol red (indicator) purple in alkali, yellow in acid
  • Add alkali (sodium carbonate) to milk to begin it off as alkaline.
57
Q

How can we improve the second/ lab method of testing temperature on the rate of decomposition?

A
  • Use an electric water bath
58
Q

What and why does lack of oxygen do to the rate of decomposition?

A
  • Slows decomposition
  • Microorganisms need oxygen to respire aerobically.
59
Q

What and why does lack of water do to the rate of decomposition?

A
  • Lowers decomposition
  • Needed for transport
  • Needed for microorganisms to digest
60
Q

How to calculate rate changes in the decay of biological material?

A
  • Change in pH/ Time (hours)

GCSE- Biology (4 decks)

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