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Biology > Unit 7 - Ecology > Flashcards

Unit 7 - Ecology Flashcards

1
Q

State the levels of organisation in an
ecosystem.

A

Individual, population, community,
ecosystem.

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2
Q

What is an ecosystem?

A

The interaction between the living
components and non-living components.

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3
Q

State the factors that plants may
compete for.

A

● Light
● Space
● Water
● Mineral ions from soil

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4
Q

State the factors that animals might
compete for.

A

● Food
● Mates
● Territory

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5
Q

What is intraspecific competition?

A

Competition within a species.

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6
Q

What is interspecific competition?

A

Competition between different species.

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7
Q

What is interdependence?

A

Different species in a ecosystem depend
on each other for various resources, if
one species is removed, the whole
community may be affected.

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8
Q

What is a stable community?

A

A community in which all the biotic
factors (the different species) and all
abiotic factors are balanced so that
population sizes remain relatively
constant.

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9
Q

What are abiotic factors?

A

Non-living factors.

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10
Q

State the abiotic factors that may affect
an ecosystem.

A

● Light intensity
● Temperature
● Moisture
● Soil pH and mineral content
● Wind intensity and direction
● Carbon dioxide level
● Oxygen level

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11
Q

Why might light intensity affect an
ecosystem?

A

Different species of plants may have different
optimum light intensities for growth.

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12
Q

Why does temperature affect an
ecosystem?

A

Different species of plants and animals may
have different optimum temperatures for
growth and survival.

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13
Q

How 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 eg. colour of hydrangea.

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14
Q

How does moisture level affect an
ecosystem?

A

Many plants cannot survive in waterlogged
soil as their roots cannot respire.
Certain plants are adapted to high moisture
levels.

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15
Q

How does wind intensity affect an
ecosystem?

A

Plant seeds are more likely to germinate in
locations with lower wind intensity, which may
also attract animals that depend on the plant
to live nearby.

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16
Q

How does soil mineral content affect an
ecosystem?

A

Most plants require a high level of soil
minerals to grow well.

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16
Q

How does soil mineral content affect an
ecosystem?

A

Most plants require a high level of soil
minerals to grow well.

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17
Q

Give an example of a type of plants that
have adapted to low soil mineral content.

A

Carnivorous plants catch insects to
compensate for the low level of soil mineral
content.

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18
Q

How does carbon dioxide concentration
affect an ecosystem?

A

Higher carbon dioxide concentration leads to
more plant growth.

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19
Q

How does oxygen concentration affect
an ecosystem?

A

Aquatic animals cannot survive in areas with
low oxygen concentration.

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20
Q

State the biotic factors that may affect an
ecosystem.

A

● Food
● New predators
● New pathogens
● Competition

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21
Q

What are adaptations?

A

Features that enable organisms to
survive in their living environment.

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22
Q

What are organisms living in extreme
environments called?

A

Extremophiles.

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23
Q

Give 3 examples of extreme living
environments.

A

● High temperature
● High pressure
● High salt concentration

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24
Q

State an example of where extremophile
bacteria can be found.

A

In deep sea vents.

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25
Q

Define population

A

A species that occupy the same habitat.

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26
Q

Define habitat

A

The place in which an organism lives.

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27
Q

Define community

A

Populations of different species
interacting.

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28
Q

Define ecosystem

A

The interactions between the biotic and
abiotic factors in an area.

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29
Q

What do food chains show?

A

Food chains show the feeding relationships of
different organisms and the flow of energy between
the organisms.

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29
Q

What do food chains show?

A

Food chains show the feeding relationships of
different organisms and the flow of energy between
the organisms.

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30
Q

Define biomass

A

The total mass of living material.

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31
Q

What are trophic levels?

A

The stages in a food chain.

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32
Q

What do arrows in a food chain
represent?

A

The direction of biomass transfer.

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33
Q

Describe a simple food chain

A

producer → primary consumer →
secondary consumer → tertiary consumer.

34
Q

What types of organisms are primary
producers?

A

Photosynthetic organisms like green
plants and algae that trap energy from
the sun.

34
Q

What is a Producer

A

An organism that makes its own food.

35
Q

What is a primary consumer?

A

An organism that feeds on producers.

36
Q

What is a secondary consumer?

A

An organism that feeds on primary
consumers.

37
Q

What is a tertiary consumer?

A

An organism that feeds on secondary
consumers.

38
Q

What is a predator?

A

A consumer that kills and eats other
animals.

39
Q

What is prey?

A

An animal that is killed and eaten by
another animal

40
Q

Describe the pattern of predators and
prey in a stable community

A

The numbers of predators and prey rise
and fall in cycles.

41
Q

Why are producers the first trophic level?

A

● Producers provide all biomass for the food
chain (production of glucose via
photosynthesis).
● The rest of the food chain involves the transfer
of this biomass.

42
Q

What piece of apparatus is used to
measure the abundance and distribution
of organisms in an area?

A

Quadrat

43
Q

What piece of apparatus is used to study
the distribution of organisms across a
gradient?

A

Belt transect

44
Q

When considering the abundance of
organisms, what is meant the term
“mean”?

A

The average number of organisms.

45
Q

How is the arithmetic mean calculated?

A

Sum of each number of each
organism/the total number of each type
of organism

46
Q

When considering the abundance of
different organisms, what is meant by the
term “mode”?

A

The most populous organism

47
Q

When considering the abundance of
organisms, what is meant by the term
“median”?

A

The organism that represents the middle
value when the numbers of each
organism are arranged from lowest to
highest

48
Q

Describe how materials cycle through
the living and non-living components of
an ecosystem

A

● Organisms 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 environment during excretion and
decomposition of dead organisms.

49
Q

Give 3 molecules which are cycled
through ecosystems

A

Oxygen, carbon dioxide and water.

50
Q

Describe the carbon cycle

A
  • Plants fix carbon dioxide into organic molecules during
    photosynthesis.
  • The organic carbon-containing molecules are passed onto organisms
    that eat the plants.
  • Carbon dioxide is released back into the atmosphere by respiration
    from animals and plants.
  • Burning fossil fuels also releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
51
Q

Why is the carbon cycle important?

A

Carbon-containing molecules such as
glucose are important for living
organisms to grow and provide energy
for vital functions within cells

52
Q

Describe the water cycle

A
  • Water from lakes and oceans evaporates.
  • The evaporated water condenses into clouds and returns
    to earth as precipitation.
  • The water from precipitation is useful for life on land.
  • The water then returns to rivers and oceans through
    surface runoff.
53
Q

Why is the water cycle important?

A

Living organisms require water and the
water cycle provides organisms on land
with a continuous supply of water.

54
Q

Why are microorganisms important for
the cycling of materials through an
ecosystem?

A

Microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) return carbon to the
environment by releasing carbon dioxide through
respiration while they decompose dead matter. The
decomposition of dead matter in soil returns mineral ions to
the environment for other organisms to use e.g. plants use
mineral ions for growth.

54
Q

Why are microorganisms important for
the cycling of materials through an
ecosystem?

A

Microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) return carbon to the
environment by releasing carbon dioxide through
respiration while they decompose dead matter. The
decomposition of dead matter in soil returns mineral ions to
the environment for other organisms to use e.g. plants use
mineral ions for growth.

55
Q

How can different temperatures be bad
for certain communities?

A
  • If the temperature is too low, growth will be slower
    as organisms will use more energy to stay warm
  • If the temperature is too high, organisms can die
    and water will become limited as evaporation
    increases
56
Q

How can changes in water levels affect
ecosystems?

A
  • Animals may have to migrate to find water.
  • Melting ice caps may destroy the habitats of
    some animals (either animals living in icy
    regions or by sea level rise).
57
Q

How can atmospheric gases affect
ecosystems?

A
  • Some organisms cannot survive when
    certain gases are present.
  • Polluted water can cause illness to
    animals that drink it.
58
Q

What detrimental impacts can sulfur
dioxide have on the environment?

A
  • Formed when fossil fuels containing
    impurities are burnt.
  • Sulfur dioxide can dissolve in water to form
    acid rain which can erode buildings and
    pollute water sources.
59
Q

What detrimental impacts can carbon
monoxide have on the environment?

A
  • Carbon monoxide is formed from the incomplete
    combustion of fossil fuels.
  • Carbon monoxide binds irreversibly to haemoglobin
    which prevents it from carrying oxygen.
  • Too much exposure can cause unconsciousness and
    death.
60
Q

Name 5 greenhouse gases

A
  • Water vapour
  • Carbon dioxide
  • Nitrous oxide
  • Methane
  • CFCs
61
Q

Give 3 human activities that contribute to
greenhouse gases

A
  • Burning fossil fuels
  • Deforestation
  • Large scale livestock farming
62
Q

How do greenhouse gases lead to global
warming?

A
  • Greenhouse gases allow heat from the
    sun to enter the atmosphere.
  • The gases act as a ‘blanket’ and trap
    the heat in the atmosphere.
63
Q

State 3 negative consequences of global
warming

A
  • Sea level rise caused by melting icebergs.
  • Disrupted farming and agriculture.
  • Increased spread of diseases in warmer
    climates.
64
Q

What is biodiversity?

A

The variety of the different species on
earth or within an ecosystem.

65
Q

What is the importance of biodiversity?

A

To maintain the stability of an ecosystem.

66
Q

How does biodiversity ensure the
stability of an ecosystem?

A

It reduces the dependence on particular
species for resources eg. food and shelter, so
that even if one species is removed other
species can still survive.

67
Q

Why have humans’ consumption of
resources and waste production
increased?

A

● Rapid rise in human population
● Increase in standard of living

68
Q

Where does pollution occur?

A

● Air
● Land
● Water

69
Q

State an example of water pollutants

A

● Sewage
● Fertiliser
● Chemicals

70
Q

How does eutrophication occur?

A

Fertiliser from farms pollute the water, causing excessive
algae growth, depleting the oxygen in the water, causing
other plants and animals to die.
Dead plants are decomposed by bacteria and the oxygen
level decreases further.

71
Q

State an example of air pollutants.

A

● Smoke
● Acidic gases

72
Q

State an example of land pollutants.

A

● Landfill waste
● Chemicals

73
Q

State an example of land pollutants.

A

● Landfill waste
● Chemicals

74
Q

Which human activities reduce the land
available for animals and plants?

A

● Building
● Farming
● Quarrying
● Disposing of waste

75
Q

Why have peat bogs been destroyed?

A

To produce compost to increase food
production.

76
Q

Why does the destruction of peat bogs
greatly contribute to the greenhouse
effect?

A

Peat bogs are stores of carbon (carbon
sinks) and burning them releases a large
volume of carbon dioxide into the
atmosphere.

77
Q

Why have large-scale deforestation
activities occurred?

A

● To provide land for cattle or rice fields
● To grow crops to produce biofuels

78
Q

What is the greenhouse effect?

A

Greenhouse gases trap energy from the
Sun as heat in the atmosphere, keeping
the temperature on earth suitable for life.

79
Q

What is causing global warming?

A

The increase in levels of greenhouse
gases eg. carbon dioxide and methane,
causing the temperature on earth to
increase.

80
Q

What are the harmful effects of
deforestation?

A

● Destruction of many animals’ habitats
● Releases large amounts of
greenhouse gases

81
Q

State the consequences of global
warming.

A

● Rising sea levels
● Melting polar ice caps
● Changing weather patterns
● Migration of animals to find suitable habitats
● Tropical diseases becoming more common
● Extinction of species

82
Q

Describe the steps taken to maintain
biodiversity.

A

● Breeding programmes for endangered species.
● Protection and rebuilding habitats.
● Replanting field margins and hedgerows.
● Reduce deforestation.
● Reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
● Recycling rather than disposing in landfills.

83
Q

What is the purpose of replanting
hedgerows and field margins?

A

There is higher biodiversity in the
margins than the fields that they
surround.

Biology (7 decks)

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