Chapter 3 !

Question 1

Explain the process of evolution

Adaption to the environment

Answer 1

• New characteristics are produced through random mutations
• Then, natural selection takes place leading to individuals with better characteristics having an increased chance of survival

Question 2

what is a range of tolerence ?

Adaption to the environment

Answer 2

the range of a condition/ factor that an organism can survive within

Question 3

what does a large gene pool do for advantagous traits ?

Adaption to the environment

Answer 3

• Large gene pool → increases chance of surviving environmental changes
• The survivors will pass on their advantageous traits to offspring and rebuild the population

Question 4

what are 4 abiotic factors that determine survival & distribution of species ?

Adaption to the environment

Answer 4

• light
• pH
• water
• nutrients and minerals

Question 5

what happens when these abiotic factors become less suitable ?

Adaption to the environment

Answer 5

when less species are within thier range of tolerences then survival will decline

Question 6

what are 5 biotic factors that affect survival & distribution of species ?

Adaption to the environment

Answer 6

• Food supply
• Pollination
• Seed dispersal
• Disease
• Presence/ absence of other species

Question 7

Ecological succession

Ecological Succession

Answer 7

The process where the community in an area to become to climax community.

Question 8

what is a pioneer species ?

Ecological Succession

Answer 8

They are species that colonise a new area, they’re adapted to extreme conditions that become less extreme once the habitat has a higher biomass

Question 9

what is the process that means that pioneer species eventually die out ?

Ecological Succession

Answer 9

Over time they will change the habitat → becomes suitable for more organisms → may outcompete pioneer species → they die out

Question 10

what is a climax community ?

Ecological Succession

Answer 10

Final community of species that remains dominant as long as the climate doesn’t change

Question 11

what type of habitat can ecological succession be best seen and a good example ?

Ecological Succession

Answer 11

• newly created habitats with no current life
  e.g. new pond, bare rock exposed by a retreating ice sheet

Question 12

What is a sere ?

Seres

Answer 12

the sequence of stages in ecological succession during which an uncolonised habitat develops into the climax community

Question 13

hydro = hydrotherapy = water

what is the process of the hydrosere going from open water to terrestrial habitat ?

Sere

Answer 13

1. Open water
2. Floating Plants rooted in water
3. Emergent Plants on surface
4. Reed Swamp
5. Sedge Meadow
6. Woodland
7. Climax Forest

Question 14

hydro = hydrotherapy = water

What is the definition of hydrosere ?

Sere

Answer 14

The developmental stages in a plant succession which commences on a soil submerged by fresh water

Question 15

How does more plants lead to more animals arriving ?

Sere

Answer 15

More plants → more food & shelter → more animals arrive

Question 16

how does plants dying lead to lakes filling with organic matter ?

Sere

Answer 16

Plants dying → lake gradually fills with organic matter, it will also fill with soil & sediments from the surrounding area

Question 17

what is the definition of lithosere ?

Sere

Answer 17

development of a community of a species on a bare rock

Question 18

what is the process of the lithosere going from bare rock to the climax forest ?

Sere

Answer 18

• Bare Rock (pioneer)
• Lichens and Mosses
• Herbaceous Plants
• Shrubs and Small Trees
• Mature Woodland
• Climax Forest

Question 19

What is the definition of psammosere

Sere

Answer 19

The characteristic plant succession that develops on a new sand dune ecosystem and achieve

Question 20

What is the process of the Psammosere going from bare sand to forested dunes ?

Sere

Answer 20

1. Bare Sand
2. Pioneer Plants
3. Herbaceous Plants (beach vegetation)
4. Shrub Zone
5. Forested Dunes
6. Climax Community

Question 21

what is a plagioclimax community ?

Conservation of plagioclimax communities

Answer 21

These are communities that stay at their specific type of ecosystem due to human influence for our benefit E.G - farming

Question 22

when are plagioclimax communitues produced and give an example ?

Conservation of plagioclimax communities

Answer 22

They are produced by long term balances between human activity and succession
e.g. grassland

Question 23

what is a management method of lowland heathland ?

Conservation of plagioclimax communities

Answer 23

• grazing
• burning

Question 24

what is a management method of hay meadow ?

Conservation of plagioclimax communities

Answer 24

Mowing

Question 25

what is a management method of arable field ? | Conservation of plagioclimax communities

Answer 25

ploughing

Question 26

what is secondary succession ? | Conservation of plagioclimax communities

Answer 26

human activity disturbing the climax community, recreates conditions that are suitable for the species who colonised the area earlier on, so they are able to recolonise → climax community is recreated

Question 27

what happens to diversity in an extreme environment dominated by abiotic factors ? | Species diversity and ecological stability

Answer 27

low

Question 28

what does the Simpson's diversity index formula help us find ? | Species diversity and ecological stability

Answer 28

a way of quantifying level of biodiversity and measuring it

Question 29

how can large trees cause smaller plants to grow ? | Sere

Answer 29

Large trees → dense canopy → shade → smaller plants grow

Question 30

what do each symbol in the Simpsons diversity index formula mean ? (N, n, Σ, D) | Species diversity and ecological stability

Answer 30

N = Total number of organisms n = total number of organsisms of indevidual species Σ = total D = Higher the value of D = higher the diversity

Question 31

what is the Simpson's diversity index formula ? | Species diversity and ecological stability

Answer 31

D = N(N-1) / Σn(n-1)

Question 32

what is the rate of discovery of new species per year ? | Simpson's diversity index formula

Answer 32

20,000

Question 33

what are Population dynamics ? | Population dynamics and population regulation

Answer 33

processes that cause populations to change in size & structure

Question 34

what does max birth rate mean ?

Answer 34

max birth rate is determined by the species ability to reproduce, species with lower chance of survival → higher birth rates

Question 35

# r --> rapid what is an r-selected species ? | Population dynamics and population regulation

Answer 35

species that respond rapidly to to low survival rates (reach sexual maturity at a young age)

Question 36

# k = dead or slow reply what is a k-selected species | Population dynamics and population regulation

Answer 36

Species that reply slowly to a decline in population = reach sexual maturity at older age

Question 37

what are the factors determining population regulation ? | Population dynamics and population regulation

Answer 37

- birth rate - death rate - R-selected species - K selected species

Question 38

what is the maximum sustainable yield ? | Population dynamics and population regulation

Answer 38

an estimate of the greatest exploitation possible without causing unsustainable long- term population decline

Question 39

what are 3 things needed to forecast popualtion change ? | Population dynamics and population regulation

Answer 39

- current population - birth and death rate - Number of individuals immigrating and emigrating

Question 40

what are factors affecting mortality rates ? | Population dynamics and population regulation

Answer 40

- density independant factors (drought, flood etc) - density dependant factors (disease or food supply)

Question 41

what is a Density independent factor ? | Population dynamics and population regulation

Answer 41

Population density has no effect on chance of survival Eg volcanic eruption

Question 42

what are factors that affect mortality rates ? | Species diversity and ecological stability

Answer 42

Density independant factors : - drought - flood Density dependant factors : - food supply - disease

Question 43

what is a density dependant factor ? | Population dynamics and population regulation

Answer 43

Chance of survival will depend on population density of the species Eg food supply

Question 44

what is carrying capactiy ? | Population dynamics and population regulation

Answer 44

Greatest population an area can support without damaging or over exploiting the environment

Question 45

predator-prey population relationships | Population dynamics and population regulation

Answer 45

When prey increases then its more food for the predators then the prey decreases so predators decrease = predator-prey relationships have the same shape and flow

Question 46

when will artificial population control be necessary ? | Population dynamics and population regulation

Answer 46

- breeding rate is low (so captive breeding / release programme is needed) - non-indigenous species is introduced to remove indigenous species because it is either a predator / competitor / pathogen - indigenous predator has been removed so its prey has been overpopulated and needs to be culled

Question 47

whats a taxonomy ? | Ecological terminology

Answer 47

scientific grouping of organisms due to similar features

Question 48

whats a species ? | Ecological terminology

Answer 48

a group of closely related organisms that resemble each other more than other groups

Question 49

what are 3 reasons why most species can’t produce fertile offspring with others ? | Ecological terminology

Answer 49

- Behavioural differences - Anatomical differences → mating= impossible - Difference in number/ shape of chromosomes makes fertilisation impossible

Question 50

What is the process of naming species ? | Ecological terminology

Answer 50

1. First part of species name= the genus (group of most closely related species 2. Second part of species name= added to identify individual species within the genus | Latin names are given to avoid confusion between different languages

Question 51

What is evolution ? | Ecological terminology

Answer 51

Is the process thta chnages the gene pool of a species

Question 52

What is a habitat ? | Ecological terminology

Answer 52

Area or location where species or community of species live

Question 53

what is an Ecological niche ? | Ecological terminology

Answer 53

It is the the role that a species plays in its habitat

Question 54

what is a population ? | Ecological terminology

Answer 54

Includes all the indeviduals of a single specoes that live in a particular area

Question 55

what is an ecosystem? | Ecological terminology

Answer 55

Combination of the biotic and abiotic features of an area

Question 56

what is a biome ? | Ecological terminology

Answer 56

Large geographical regions with specific climatic conditions within which a characteristic community of species lives

Question 57

what are differences between ecosystems and biomes ? | Ecological terminology

Answer 57

- Biomes are much larger geographical areas - Each isolated area in a biome is a different ecosystem - eg separate coral reefs - All coral reef ecosystems= belong to the coral reef biome

Question 58

what are biospheres ? | Ecological terminology

Answer 58

all of planet earth that is inhabited by living organisms