Chapter 1 - Populations

Question 0

What are biotic factors?

Answer 0

Living components of an environment such as competition and predation.

Question 1

What are abiotic factors?

Answer 1

The non-living components of an environment such as temperature and rainfall.

Question 2

What is the biosphere?

Answer 2

The life-supporting layer of land, air and water surrounding the earth.

Question 3

What is an ecosystem?

Answer 3

• All the abiotic and biotic components in a specific area, such as an oak woodland, a pond or a lake.
• An ecosystem has a flow of energy and elements within it. There are many different habitats containing communities of separate populations of species.

Question 4

What is a population?

Answer 4

A group of interbreeding organisms of one species in a specific habitat.

Question 5

What is a community?

Answer 5

All the populations of different organisms living and interacting in a habitat.

Question 6

What is a habitat?

Answer 6

The place where a community of organisms lives. Each habitat contains it’s own micro habitats.

Question 7

What is an ecological niche?

Answer 7

This is where an organism lives and what it does there, including all the biotic and abiotic conditions required for it to survive.
- No two species can occupy the same niche.

Question 8

What should you consider when sampling using a quadrat?

Answer 8

1) Quadrat size
2) Number of samples in study area
3) Position of the quadrats (random sampling)

Question 9

How do you undertake random sampling in order to avoid bias and collect valid data?

Answer 9

1) Measure out study area
2) Obtain coordinates by using random number generator
3) Place quadrat at coordinates