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GCSE Comb Sci Biology > Topic Nine > Flashcards

Topic Nine Flashcards

Ecosystems

1
Q

Which term describes organisms, such as plants or algae, that make their own food?

A

producers

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2
Q

Which term describes organisms that get their food by eating other organisms?

A

consumer

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3
Q

Which term describes animals that eat plants or algae?

A

herbivores/primary consumers

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4
Q

Which term describes animals that kill and eat other animals?

A

predators/carnivores/secondary consumers

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5
Q

Name a type of diagram that shows the feeding relationships between organisms.

A

food chain/food web

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6
Q

Which scientific term means all the organisms and the environment they interact with?

A

ecosystem

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7
Q

Which scientific term means all individuals of the same species living in a particular area?

A

population

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8
Q

Which piece of equipment could be used to investigate the number of plants in an area?

A

quadrat

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9
Q

Which term describes all the animals, plants, other organisms, rain, soil and other factors in a rainforest?

A

ecosystem

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10
Q

Which term describes all the organisms living in a lake?

A

community

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11
Q

Groups of the same species living in different areas are different … ?

A

populations

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12
Q

In a food web, which term describes organisms that feed on plants?

A

herbivores/primary consumers

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13
Q

What term describes how one species needs other species in the same habitat for its survival?

A

interdependence

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14
Q

In a study of abundance of small plants in a field, samples would be taken using which piece of equipment?

A

quadrat

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15
Q

What is the scientific term for the feeding levels in a food chain?

A

trophic levels

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16
Q

Which type of diagram displays the biomass in all the different levels of a food chain?

A

pyramid of biomass

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17
Q

Which term measures the dry mass of all living tissue in an organism?

A

biomass

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18
Q

Name the source of energy that is transferred to plants.

A

light/Sun

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19
Q

Which term describes any living part of an ecosystem?

A

biotic

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20
Q

Which trophic level forms the bottom level of a pyramid of biomass?

A

producers

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21
Q

Which energy transfer is least useful for organisms?

A

to environment by heating

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22
Q

How do you calculate the efficiency of energy transfer between trophic levels?

A

energy transferred to biomass divided by total energy supplied to organism

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23
Q

Name two resources that plants need from their environment.

A

any two from: light, water/rainfall, space, nutrients, warmth/temperature, carbon dioxide, oxygen/air

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24
Q

Which term describes something that has been added to the environment, causing harm to the organisms?

A

pollution/pollutant

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25
Q

Which method can be used to study the distribution of organisms (how they are spread) in a straight line through an ecosystem?

A

belt transect

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26
Q

Give two examples of abiotic factors that affect organisms.

A

any two from: light, water/rainfall, space, nutrients, warmth/temperature, carbon dioxide/oxygen concentration

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27
Q

Is predation an abiotic or biotic factor in ecosystems?

A

biotic

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28
Q

Which term describes the struggle between organisms for a limited resource?

A

competition

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29
Q

Give one example of a limited resource that animals might struggle with each other for.

A

any suitable example, such as: mates, nesting space, food, water

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30
Q

Give one example of a limited resource that plants might struggle with each other for.

A

any suitable example, such as: light, water, nutrients

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31
Q

Which term means the number of different species living in an area?

A

biodiversity

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32
Q

Which cycle describes the relationship in population size of a secondary consumer and the animal species that it eats?

A

predator–prey cycle

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33
Q

You might expect the number of predators to drop in an area if their preferred prey species declines in number. Suggest why this drop may not occur.

A

the predators start to eat a different prey

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34
Q

The malaria protist causes harm when it infects a human. Which term describes this relationship between the malaria protist and human?

A

parasitism

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35
Q

How does the malaria protist benefit from being inside a human?

A

anything suitable, such as: gets nutrients, multiplies in number

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36
Q

Which term describes a close relationship between two species that benefits both species?

A

mutualism

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37
Q

Name one material, other than water, that cycles through ecosystems.

A

any one suitable, e.g. carbon, nitrogen

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38
Q

Which process changes water on the Earth’s surface into water vapour in the air?

A

evaporation

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39
Q

Which process describes how plants absorb water from the soil and release it into the air?

A

transpiration

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40
Q

Which process causes the formation of clouds of water droplets from water vapour in the air?

A

condensation

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41
Q

What is potable water?

A

suitable for drinking

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42
Q

Which process produces potable water from salty water?

A

desalination/distillation

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43
Q

Name one group of organisms that includes decomposers.

A

any suitable, e.g. bacteria, fungi, microorganisms

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44
Q

In what form is carbon in the atmosphere?

A

carbon dioxide

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45
Q

Name one carbon compound found in living organisms.

A

any suitable carbon-containing compound, e.g. sugars, fats, proteins, DNA

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46
Q

Which process of living organisms removes carbon from the atmosphere?

A

photosynthesis

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47
Q

Which term describes an organism that breaks down dead plants or animals?

A

decomposer

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48
Q

Which term describes the breaking down of dead plant or animal tissue?

A

decay/decomposition

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49
Q

Which process in living organisms adds carbon to the atmosphere?

A

respiration

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50
Q

Which process causes carbon to be added to the atmosphere from fossil fuels?

A

combustion

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51
Q

Which biotic process removes carbon from the atmosphere?

A

photosynthesis

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52
Q

Name two groups of organisms that carry out the biotic process that removes carbon from the atmosphere.

A

any two groups that are producers, e.g. plants, algae

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53
Q

Why do fertilisers added to fields affect plant growth?

A

contain nutrients

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54
Q

Name one problem caused to the environment by spreading too much fertiliser on fields.

A

any suitable, e.g. eutrophication of water, death of fish in rivers

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55
Q

Which name is given to bacteria that convert nitrogen from the air into nitrogen compounds?

A

nitrogen-fixing bacteria

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56
Q

Name one alternative to using powdered fertiliser that a farmer could use to improve crop growth.

A

any suitable, e.g. spread manure/animal waste, crop rotation

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57
Q

Ecosystem

A

Animals, plants and everything living within a certain area

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58
Q

Community

A

Plants and animals that live in an ecosystem - they are all dependant upon one another

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59
Q

Things in a community are _________ upon one another

A

dependant

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60
Q

True/False: Things in a community can survive without each other

A

False, they can’t

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61
Q

Animals in a community eat ______ and therefore cannot survive without them

A

plants

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62
Q

Plants rely on _______ to distribute their seeds

A

animals

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63
Q

Give 2 things that a species needs to survive and reproduce

A

Any 2 from food, water, air and sometimes a mate

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64
Q

Abiotic factors are living/non-living factors

A

non-living

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65
Q

Biotic factors are living/non-living factors

A

living

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66
Q

True/False: Abiotic and biotic factors will affect any organism

A

True

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67
Q

Light intensity is an abiotic/biotic factor

A

Abiotic

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68
Q

Temperature is an abiotic/biotic factor

A

Abiotic

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69
Q

Water levels is an abiotic/biotic factor

A

Abiotic

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70
Q

pH is an abiotic/biotic factor

A

Abiotic

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71
Q

Ion levels is an abiotic/biotic factor

A

Abiotic

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72
Q

Wind is an abiotic/biotic factor

A

Abiotic

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73
Q

Carbon dioxide levels is an abiotic/biotic factor

A

Abiotic

74
Q

Oxygen levels is an abiotic/biotic factor

A

Abiotic

75
Q

Food is an abiotic/biotic factor

A

Biotic

76
Q

Predators is an abiotic/biotic factor

A

Biotic

77
Q

Pathogens is an abiotic/biotic factor

A

Biotic

78
Q

What impact does the increase or reduction of abiotic or biotic factors have on a community?

A

It can have a massive impact - for example the introduction of a new predator or pathogen can wipe out a community

79
Q

What impact can the introduction of a new predator or pathogen have on a community?

A

It can wipe out a community

80
Q

In a community, an increase or decrease in temperature could mean that…

A

An organism’s food source is gone or an organism can’t survive in that environment

81
Q

True/False: Plants can’t survive without sufficient levels of carbon dioxide and oxygen, but animals can

A

False, plants and animals can’t survive without sufficient levels of carbon dioxide and oxygen

82
Q

If you want to investigate what grows in a field, you can use a _______

A

quadrat

83
Q

What is a quadrat?

A

A portable square-shaped frame, used to mark out a small area of something and count the population of something within that area

84
Q

Why should you randomly move a quadrat around a field?

A

So you get a wide coverage

85
Q

When measuring the amount of something that grows in a field, you need to estimate the size of the field so…

A

You can work out how much area there is

86
Q

Why do you need to calculate the area of a field when trying to find plant population?

A

So you can multiply the plant population per area that you have measured and multiply it up so you cover the entire field

87
Q

When calculating the plant population of a field, you need to multiply what up to cover the whole field?

A

Plant population per area that you have measured

88
Q

A transect is more/less ordered than a quadrat

A

More

89
Q

Transect

A

Start at a point, take a line and take measurements at every point along that line

90
Q

Why would someone use a transect from a hedge to a point more central in a field?

A

So factors such as light intensity and distance from water vary and it gives a more accurate representation of the population of the whole field

91
Q

All food chains start in the same/different place(s)

A

the same

92
Q

All food chains start in the same place, with the sun providing ______

A

energy

93
Q

In a food chain, from energy from the sun, things are going to ____

A

grow

94
Q

In a food chain, energy from the sun causes things (mainly ______) to grow.

A

plants

95
Q

True/False: In a food chain, plants get eaten by other things

A

True

96
Q

Grass is eaten by cows, which are then eaten by…

A

us

97
Q

True/False: Humans can eat plants directly

A

True

98
Q

What type of consumer are we?

A

Top

99
Q

Cows are ____ivores

A

herb

100
Q

Cows are herbivores because they…

A

just eat plants

101
Q

Why is the direction of arrow really important in food chains?

A

Arrows point to the thing its being eaten by (ie an arrow between grass and a cow would point from the grass to the cow)

102
Q

The direction of an arrow in a food chain means…

A

eaten by

103
Q

Biodiversity

A

The range of plants and animals that live within a habitat

104
Q

Humans have a minor/major impact on biodiversity

A

major

105
Q

How will chopping down loads of natural fields to plant the same type of crop over and over again on effect biodiversity?

A

It will reduce biodiversity in that environment because it will replace it with the same type of crop instead of different ones - it will become less diverse

106
Q

Chopping down fields and forests to replace them with cities increases/decreases biodiversity

A

decreases

107
Q

What do microorganisms do?

A

Break down old things

108
Q

True/False: Microorganisms can break down old food

A

True

109
Q

Why do microorganisms break down old food?

A

So that the components can be recycled back through the system

110
Q

What does decay and decomposition mean?

A

Breakdown of organic matter

111
Q

Decay and decomposition generally happens as a result of ______________

A

microorganisms

112
Q

True/False: Microorganisms are alive

A

True

113
Q

Microorganisms do not work at very low/high temperatures

A

low

114
Q

Microorganisms have a very narrow/wide set of temperatures at which they work in

A

narrow

115
Q

Microorganisms rely on _______ to break things down

A

enzymes

116
Q

Enzymes slowly increase how they work as the temperature increases, but then at a certain point they will ________

A

denature

117
Q

As the level of water increases, the level of decay increases/decreases to a point

A

increases

118
Q

Why does the level of water only increase the level of decay to a point?

A

After a point the bacteria won’t be able to cope

119
Q

Why will bacteria not be able to cope if the water content is too high?

A

They need to be able to respire and have oxygen - which isn’t possible with too much water

120
Q

There is a very narrow/wide amount of oxygen which microorganisms will be able to use

A

narrow

121
Q

Without oxygen microorganisms…

A

won’t be able to do anything

122
Q

Why can’t microorganisms have too much oxygen?

A

It will start to become toxic

123
Q

In a garden, gardeners can ______ things to break down garden waste

A

compost

124
Q

Why do gardeners compost things?

A

To get rid of their unwanted things and take the nutrients and put them back onto the garden

125
Q

Compost gets rather hot/cold

A

Hot

126
Q

True/False: Compost does not smell

A

False, it gets rather smelly and gas is going to be released

127
Q

True/False: Gas is released from compost

A

True

128
Q

True/False: The gas released from compost is useless

A

False, it can be harvested and used

129
Q

What are organic compouds?

A

Any compounds that have carbon in

130
Q

What are compounds?

A

Two or more elements that are chemically bonded together

131
Q

True/False: Carbon dioxide is in the air

A

True

132
Q

True/False: Carbon dioxide can be dissolved in oceans

A

True

133
Q

True/False: Organic compounds are not in plants

A

False, they are

134
Q

True/False: Organic compounds are not in animals

A

False, they are

135
Q

True/False: Organic compounds can be present in dead plants and animals

A

True

136
Q

True/False: Organic compounds are not in fossil fuels

A

False, they are

137
Q

When we have fossil fuels we can ____ them so that the carbon in them goes into the air

A

burn

138
Q

Fossil fuels burn and carbon goes into the air. This is called __________

A

combustion

139
Q

When carbon dioxide is in the air it can by taken up by plants. This is the process of…

A

photosynthesis

140
Q

True/False: When carbon dioxide is in the air it can be taken up by plants

A

True

141
Q

What is the opposite process to photosynthesis?

A

Respiration

142
Q

Plants get eaten by _______

A

animals

143
Q

What happens to both plants and animals at the end of their lives?

A

They both die

144
Q

Organic compounds in dead plants and animals can turn into what type of fuels?

A

Fossil fuels

145
Q

How do dead plants and animals turn in to fossil fuels?

A

By being buried or sedimented

146
Q

True/False: All dead animals and plants turn in to fossil fuels

A

False

147
Q

True/False: When animals and plants die, they can go straight back up in to the air

A

True

148
Q

When plants and animals die, what process allows them to go straight back up in to the air?

A

Decay

149
Q

True/False: Animals undergo respiration

A

True

150
Q

True/False: Carbon is a static thing

A

False, it is not

151
Q

How is carbon constantly moving around?

A

From carbon dioxide in the air to carbon compounds that are in animals, plants, dead animals which then become fossil fuels which can be burnt and carbon dioxide is put back in the air

152
Q

How many years does the carbon cycle happen over?

A

Millions

153
Q

In the water cycle, heat energy from the sun comes down and does what to the surface of water on earth?

A

Warms it and makes it evaporate

154
Q

As water evaporates it becomes more/less dense

A

less

155
Q

As water evaporates it rises/falls

A

rises

156
Q

What happens to water that has evaporated when it starts to cool down?

A

It will condense

157
Q

When do clouds form?

A

When evaporated water condenses

158
Q

When clouds are heavy - when water has accumulated so much - what will happen?

A

Precipitation

159
Q

After it has rained, water will go into mountains where it will sink in or _________ deep into the mountains

A

percolate

160
Q

What does water pick up deep in mountains?

A

Things like ions, salts

161
Q

How do ions and salts affect water?

A

They effect the taste and the chemistry of it

162
Q

Some water that has been in a mountain will then come out as a stream and go into…

A

a river

163
Q

Some water that has been in a mountain will go into…

A

soil

164
Q

Where does water in soil move to?

A

Slowly back to a river or lake

165
Q

How does water in soil move slowly back to a river or lake?

A

As throughflow

166
Q

After it has rained, some water will go straight on to the ground. What happens if it lands on a rock or mud that is already saturated?

A

It will run off into the nearest river/stream/lake/reservoir

167
Q

Where does all water end up at some point?

A

In a large collection of water such as the sea, a reservoir or in a lake

168
Q

When it rains, some water is taken up by p_____

A

plants

169
Q

For what process do plants need water?

A

Photosynthesis

170
Q

In what process will water come out of plants?

A

Transpiration

171
Q

When water comes out of plants in transpiration and makes clouds, what cycle happens all over again?

A

The water cycle

172
Q

The air is about __% nitrogen

A

78

173
Q

Nitrogen is highly reactive/unreactive

A

unreactive

174
Q

In the nitrogen cycle, nitrogen is converted into…

A

nitrates

175
Q

Give 2 ways that nitrogen can be converted into nitrates

A

Any 2 from lightning, the Haber process and nitrofying bacteria

176
Q

What is the Haber process used to make?

A

Fertilisers

177
Q

Fertilisers that are made by the Haber process are put on the ground by…

A

Nitrofying bacteria

178
Q

Where are nitrofying bacteria found?

A

In the root nodules of legumes

179
Q

Legumes are eaten by…

A

animals

180
Q

Animals that eat legumes can then release…

A

nitrogen compounds

181
Q

Give 2 ways animals can release nitrogen compounds

A

Any 2 from urine, feces and death

182
Q

What do denitrifying bacteria do?

A

Take nitrate compounds that are in the soil and turn it back into nitrogen gas and release it into the air

GCSE Comb Sci Biology (9 decks)

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