B4.2 Ecological Niches

Question 1

what is a ecological niche?

Answer 1

An ecological niche is the role a species fulfills in an ecosystem

Question 2

what are the two zones/variables of tolerence it contains?

Answer 2

abiotic and biotic variables

Question 3

what do these variables determine?

Answer 3

the habitat (where it lives).

Question 4

what do speicies need to do to occupy a niche?

Answer 4

adapt their behaviour

Question 5

What is a biotic variable

Answer 5

Living Organisms Interacting
Organisms compete for resources like food, water, and space.

Question 6

how does the biotic intercations influence growth, survival and reproduction?

Answer 6

It affects as it is losing competitors and they may die or relocate
Limited resources
slow growth
increase mortality
and reduce reproduction.

Question 7

What are abiotic variables

Answer 7

are the non-living physical and chemical factors in an environment that affect the growth, survival, and reproduction of organisms.
Temperature, water availability, sunlight, soil composition, pH levels, oxygen, and salinity.

Question 8

how does the abiotic intercations influence growth, survival and reproduction?

Answer 8

These factors shape ecosystems by determining which organisms can thrive in a given environment because of the envriomental conditions that either help them thrive or not

Question 9

what are biotic and abiotic intercations that affect growth, survival and reprouduction?

Answer 9

Biotic- competition
Abiotic- Tempreture
Biotic- Predation
Abiotic- resoruce availiabity
Biotic- Pollination
Abiotic-Climate
Biotic- Herbviory
Abiotic- Soil moisture

Question 10

Example of the animal for biotic and abiotic

Answer 10

Abiooric- Fish in the correct saline, Ph, tempreture level, will surive well as thrive, whereas when in levels of stress that arent optium, they will not survive. Biotic- Species interactions such as predation, parasitism, mutualisms, etc may result in this species not being found throughout its entire fundamental niche

Question 11

What are organisms that are obligate anaerobes?

Answer 11

They are killed by O2
They only live in anoxic enviroments

Question 12

What are organisms that are obligate aerobes?

Answer 12

Require O2
require continous O2 and therefore live in oxic enviroments

Question 13

What are organisms that are facultative anaerobes

Answer 13

Grow better with O2 but can live without it
Use oxygen when has it meaning it lives in oxic and anoxic enviroments

Question 14

Types of plants that use photosysthesis

Answer 14

algae, ferns, Eukaryotic algae ,bacteria

Question 15

What are the three groups of photosynthesizers

Answer 15

Ferns, mosses, flowering plants
Eukaryotic algae: seaweed: Chloerlla
Bacteria:

Question 16

What is Holozoic nutrition

Answer 16

food is ingested, digested internally, absorbed and assimilated

Question 17

what are the three main modes of nutrition

Answer 17

Autotroph
Heterotroph
Mixotroph

Question 18

What is Autotroph and what are the other two types

Answer 18

Synthesize organic compounds (sugars, amino acids, fats) by using other sources of energy.

Photoautotroph- Produce organic compounds from CO2, water and light energy through photosynthesis

Chemoautotroph- Produce organic compounds from other elements (e.g. iron or NH3) through chemosynthesis.

Question 19

What is Heterotroph and what are the other three types

Answer 19

Obtain organic compounds by consuming other organism internally or externally.

Saprotrophs- Obtains food from dead and decaying matter by secreting enzymes & digesting externally.

Parasites- Obtains food from other organism without killing

Holozoic- Complex food particles are taken in and broken down.

Question 20

All animals are ….. and most but no all are …….

Answer 20

Heterotroph
Consumers

Question 21

What are Mixotrophs

Answer 21

Perform both modes of nutrient uptake depending availabiliy – photosynthesis and by consuming

Question 22

Explain better the Holozoic nutrition

Answer 22

The large food molecules must be broken down into smaller ones

Then they can be absorbed into the blood stream

Then transported to cells in the body where they are needed.

Question 23

What is the sequence of the Holozoic nutrition?

Answer 23

Ingestion- taking in of food

Digestion- The breakdown of the food

Absorbtion- The nutrients being absorved into the blood stream

Assimilation-The food becoming apart of the cell

Egestion- The removal of the unsued food

Question 24

Example of a organism that uses Holozoic nutrition

Answer 24

Many single celled organism such as amoeba

Question 25

What is the Saptotrophic nutrition in some fungi and bacteria Give me the process of how they digest What are they known as and why

Answer 25

They secrete enzymes into dead organic matter and digest extrenally They absorb the products of digestion They are known as decomposers as they break down carbon compounds in dead organic weight and release elememts such as Nitrogen allowing it to be reused.

Question 26

What are the two types of Mixotrophs

Answer 26

Facultative mixotrophs- Can be entirely autotrophic, entirely heterotrophic or use both modes Obligate mixotrophs- Must use both modes of nutrition. This is often the case if a type of nutrient cannot be synthesized by themselves.

Question 27

What is Euglena What will it do in autotroph What will it do in Heterotroph What type of Mixotroph it is?

Answer 27

is a single-celled eukaryotic algae that will photosynthesize (autotroph) in sufficient light, but can also ingest particles of food by phagocytosis, which it then digests. (heterotroph). It is facultative mixotroph.

Question 28

What are the three ways All living things can be categorised

Answer 28

Archea- Unicellullar and no nucleus bacteria eukaryotes

Question 29

What are the three variteys that the Archea include? What does Archea shows diversity in nutrition? If it is...

Answer 29

Phototrophic- Uses light enery to syntheizies sugars Chemotrophic- Uses inorganic chemicals to produce sugars Heterotrophic- obtains from other organisms and digesting them.

Question 30

How to know if the skulls seen are from a omnivour or Herbivours and infer their diet

Answer 30

Teeth of herbivores are large and flat to grind dibrous plant material Omnivores tend to have a mix of different types of teeth to break down both meat and plants in their diet

Question 31

Adaptations of herbivores for feeding on plants and of plants for resisting herbivory: Question: What are the adapations herbivores have to eat plants?

Answer 31

Insects with jaw-like mouthparts and Insects with tubular moutparts

Question 32

What are the two types of herbivores and how are they

Answer 32

Insects with jaw-like mouthparts: for biting off, chewing and ingesting pieces of leaf Insects with tubular moutparts: for piercing leaves or stems to feed on the phloem sap

Question 33

What are the adaptations of the Aphids for feeding on plants and of plants for resisting herbivory

Answer 33

Aphids have modified peircing mouth parts called stylets. These secrete the enzyme pectinase it breaks down the polysaccharide pectin which holds together the cell wall of plants. That way the style can easily pass between cell walls and access the plant’s sap

Question 34

What are the adaptations of the Cacti and Stining nettels for feeding on plants and of plants for resisting herbivory

Answer 34

Cacti- have spines to stop predators from accessing their water store.

Question 35

What are the adaptations of the Stining nettels for feeding on plants and of plants for resisting herbivory

Answer 35

Stining nettels- have thin long holloe hairs that contains an acid that causes a pianful stinging and burining sensation

Question 36

What are the adaptations of the Deadly nightshade for feeding on plants and of plants for resisting herbivory

Answer 36

Deadly nightshade- it contains toxins in its leaves stem and berries which caise paralysis i the involuntary muscles of the body

Question 37

another adapation of herbivores

Answer 37

It produces a number of phytotoxins made from secondary compounds The toxins can cause nausea, cardiac problems or hallucinations when ingested.

Question 38

Adaptations of the castor bean for feeding on plants and for resisting herbivory

Answer 38

The castor bean (Ricinus communis) produces seeds that contain ricin, which is highly toxic. In the manufacture of castor oil the toxin is removed.

Question 39

How are these toxins detoxifyed

Answer 39

Some ruminants have microbes in their guts which can detoxify the toxins or proteins in the saliva which can destroy the toxin. The liver in some mammals can also neutralize some toxins.

Question 40

Give/Define a physical type of behavioural adaptation in predators and preys and example

Answer 40

sight smell electrolocation Speed Sensitivtiy Camouflage Owls have eyes that are well adapted to identify prey in low light and vision Dolphins and bats use electrolocation to produce ultrasonic vibrations so their brains can process the how the waves bounce off to precive the enviroment Birds have good eyesite to ideinify prey Cheetas have high speed to catch prey

Question 41

Give an example of physical type of behavioural adaptation in predators and preys

Answer 41

Predators: Vampire bats: unique dentention with small molars but large incisors and canines on the upper jaw to pierce pray so he can feed on blood Prey: Buff-tip moth: it resembles broken twigs and therefore it camolflages from any predators

Question 42

Give/Define a Chemical type of behavioural adaptation in predators and preys

Answer 42

is when an organism produces or uses chemicals to aid in predation (catching prey) or to defend against predators for example: Injceting toxins Using chemical compounds to lure their prey

Question 43

Give an example of Chemical type of behavioural adaptation in predators and preys

Answer 43

Predator: Black mambas: They produce a venom, The venom paralyzes prey when injected via poison fangs. The snake can then swallow the prey without it resisting. Caterpillars of the cinnabar moth: feed on ragwort and accumulate toxins from it. Their black and yellow stripes are warning coloration which deters predators.

Question 44

Give/Define a Behavioral type of behavioural adaptation in predators and preys

Answer 44

A behavioral adaptation is a change in an organism’s behavior that increases its chances of survival and reproduction in its environment. Hiding ambushing

Question 45

Give an example of Behavioral type of behavioural adaptation in predators and preys

Answer 45

Predators: Grizzly bears: learn ambush strategies for catching salmon either by trial and error or copying others. Some bears wait at the top of waterfalls for a fish to jump out of the water. Others put their heads underwater and watch for a fish swimming past. Prey: Blue-striped snappers(fish): swim in a tight group, often with sudden changes of direction. This "schooling" behavior reduces the chance of predation because threats are more likely to be detected, and it is difficult for a predator to catch any one individual in the bewildering shoal.

Question 46

what are the adaptations of plant form for harvesting light of the four layers

Answer 46

Emergent Layer: The tallest trees in the forest have adaptations like large branches that extend above the canopy to access sunlight. They are often equipped with thick bark to withstand environmental stress. Canopy Layer: This layer contains the thickest vegetation including trees with broad leaves that maximize light absorption Understory Layer: Plants in the understory, like smaller shrubs and trees, are adapted to low-light conditions. These plants often have larger or more efficient leaves to absorb the minimal sunlight that filters through the canopy. Forest Floor: In the darkest part of the forest, plants are adapted to very low light levels. They tend to be shade-tolerant and may have specialized leaves or growth patterns that allow them to capture any available light.

Question 47

Adaptation of the Lianas to adapt to harvest light

Answer 47

Lianas are vines that take root on the forest floor and use trees as a scaffold to grow up high into the canopy. This adaptation helps lianas survive in dense forests where sunlight is limited on the ground, allowing them to compete effectively for light without needing a strong, self-supporting trunk.

Question 48

Adaptation of the Epiphytes to adapt to harvest light

Answer 48

It goal is to get up into the understorey or canopy to access sunlight. Their roots attach to the tree trunks and collect water passing along the branch.

Question 49

What is the Fundamental niche?

Answer 49

It is the potential of a spiecies based on its adaptations and tolerance to limits

Question 50

What is the Realized niche?

Answer 50

It is the actutal extent of a species when in competetion with other species

Question 51

What is competitive exclusion?

Answer 51

When two fundamental niches overlap and one species is expected to exlcude the other