UNIT 3 - Ecosystems Flashcards
What is biodiversity?
The total variety of all living things on earth
What is a habitat?
The place where an organism lives
What is a population?
A population is all the members of one species living in a habitat
What is a community?
All the different organisms living in a habitat
What is an ecosystem?
All the organisms living in a habitat and their non-living components with which the organisms interact
What is a producer?
It is a green plant that makes its own food using photosynthesis. They are always found at the start of a food chain
What is a consumer?
Organisms that eat (consume) a producer or another consumer for energy
What is a herbivore?
Organisms who only eat plant material
What is an omnivore?
Organisms which eat both plant and animal material
What is a carnivore?
Organisms who only eat animal material
What is a predator?
Organisms who hunt other animals for their food
What is prey?
Organisms that are hunted by a predator
What is a niche?
The role that an organism plays within a community
What is a species?
A group of organisms who can interbreed to produce fertile offspring
What do the arrows in a food chain represent?
The direction of energy flow from one organism to another
What is a food chain?
A diagram which shows how energy is passed on from one organism to another in an ecosystem, when organisms are eaten
What are the three ways that energy is lost from a food chain?
1) it is used in movement.
2) it is used for heat
3) undigested food
How much energy is passed on to the next organism for growth?
Very little because the majority of energy is lost
What do food pyramids do?
They give you information about the organisms at each stage of the food chain
what’s on the bottom of the food pyramid?
the producer
what is a pyramid of numbers?
a diagram that represents the number of organisms at each stage
what does a pyramid of energy represent?
the energy at each stage of a food chain
what shape is a pyramid of energy?
ALWAYS A PYRAMID
what does competition occur between? and why?
it occurs between organisms when they require the same resources but it is in short supply
state things animals might compete for?
-food
-water
-shelter
-mates
state things plants may compete for?
-light
-water
-soil nutrients
-space to grow
what is intrAspecific competition?
competition which occurs between members of the same species
what is intERspecific competition?
competition which occurs between members of different species
what is the most intense type of competition?
intraspecific competition is more intense as it is competition for ALL resources required
what are the 2 types of factors that affect biodiversity?
-biotic
-abiotic
what are abiotic factors?
non-living factors
what are biotic factors?
factors which are directly related to living organisms
what are some examples of biotic factors?
-disease
-food availability
-predators
-competition
what are some examples of abiotic factors?
-temperature
-light intensity
-pH
-moisture
What are some sources with error and results of those errors in pitfall traps:
-trap not level with soil surface: organisms wont fall in
-traps left to long/not checked regularly: organisms may eat each other
-tap not camouflaged: predation occurs, e.g. birds eating what’s in the traps
-no drainage holes in trap: trap may flood and organisms will be lost
What is a source of error and solution when measuring soil pH or moisture?
Source of error: reading may be contaminated from previous reading
Solution: wipe the probe clean between each use
What is a source of error and solution when measuring Light Intensity?
Source of error: standing infront of meter which will block the sensor
Solution: stand it the side of the meter whilst taking a reading
What is a source of error and solution when measuring Temperature?
Source of error: reading may be inaccurate
Solution: leave for a time to adjust before reading
