Ecology

Question 1

Habitat

Answer 1

Environment where an organism lives

Question 2

Population

Answer 2

The total number of organisms of the same species living in the same geographical area

Question 3

Community

Answer 3

The populations of all the different species that live in the same habitat
Unlike the population, which is the same species

Question 4

Biotic

Answer 4

Living things

Question 5

Examples of biotic things

Answer 5

Animals plants and bacteria
Anything that is living

Question 6

Abiotic

Answer 6

Un living things in an environment

Question 7

Examples of abiotic things in an environment

Answer 7

Water and minerals in a soil

Question 8

Ecosystem

Answer 8

A combination of the biotic and abiotic parts of an environment and how they interact

Question 9

What is competition and what is it caused by?

Answer 9

In an ecosystem, organisms require ‘resources’ / ‘materials’
Like food from plants
However these are limited and in short supply so they have to compete with other

Question 10

How do plants compete with each other?

Answer 10

Light and space for photosynthesis
Water and mineral ions in the soil for photosynthesis

Question 11

How do animals compete with each other?

Answer 11

Food and water
Mating partners and territory

Question 12

Food factor

Answer 12

If food availability falls population decreases of species

Question 13

New predator factor

Answer 13

Pray population will fall
Competing predator will fall

Question 14

Pathogen factor

Answer 14

Can wipe out a population if it spreads

Question 15

Light intensity

Answer 15

Plants need it for photosynthesis
But if it’s too low it falls thus plants grow slower
So animals that feed on them won’t have enough food thus decrease

Question 16

Temperature

Answer 16

Causes distribution to change
As animals migrate or plants disappear

Question 17

Water

Answer 17

Needed for plants and animals

Question 18

PH and mineral soil

Answer 18

Some plants can’t grow on soil too acidic or alkaline
Also need nitrate ions

Question 19

Wing intensity and direction

Answer 19

Winds blowing can cause plants to lose water

Question 20

CO2 and H2O factors

Answer 20

Needed for photosynthesis
If it decreases so does growth decrease

Question 21

Oxygen factor

Answer 21

Needed for aerobic respiration
Or dissolved in the oxygen effecting fish

Question 22

Structural adaptations

Answer 22

Adaptations of body shape or structure

Question 23

Camel adaptations

Answer 23

Hump = store of fat as insulator to allow heat loss in other parts of the body
By reducing water loss from sweating
Also metabolic reactions in fat to produce water
Thick coat to insulate top of camel from the sun and reduce water loss by sweating
Inside mouth of leathery = chew desert plants good source of water
Eyelashes to keep dust out of eyes
Wide feet to prevent sinking in sand

Question 24

Functional adaptations

Answer 24

Adaptations of body functions

Question 25

Camel functional adaptations

Answer 25

Concentrated urine and dry feces to reduce water loss Can cope with intense heat changes

Question 26

Behavioural adaptations

Answer 26

Changes in animals behaviour to adapt to environmental

Question 27

Kangaroo ray behaviour adaptations

Answer 27

Nocturnal so they avoid heat if day time Live in burrows to keep them cool

Question 28

Arctic fox structural adaptations

Answer 28

Thick fur to provide insulation and reduce heat loss Fur on soles of feet to reduce heat loss to ground Small wars to reduce surface area thus reduce heat loss Camouflage of fur to help hunt it

Question 29

Cactus adaptations

Answer 29

Small leaves to reduce water loss or no leaves Spine to protect from animals Shallow and extensive roots to catch as much water as possible Store water in stem so can survive without rain for many months

Question 30

Extremophiles

Answer 30

Adapted for extreme conditions

Question 31

Example of extremophiles

Answer 31

Bacteria living in deep sea vents

Question 32

Producer

Answer 32

Beginning of food chain Normally a green plant

Question 33

Why are producers important?

Answer 33

Synthesise important molecules Source of all biomass in a community

Question 34

Biomass

Answer 34

Important molecules like food that gets passed down food chains

Question 35

Primary consumer

Answer 35

Eats the producer

Question 36

Secondary consumers

Answer 36

Eat the primary consumer

Question 37

Tertiary consumer

Answer 37

Eats the secondary consumer

Question 38

Predators

Answer 38

Animals that kill and eat other animals

Question 39

Prey

Answer 39

Animal that gets eaten

Question 40

Predator prey numbers graph

Answer 40

Numbers of predators and prey rises and falls in cycles Eg if pray increases so does the predator after some time Therefore the prey will decrease and over time the predator falls And prey can therefore increase as less predators So it’s a cycle

Question 41

Stable community

Answer 41

All biotic and abiotic factors are in balance

Question 42

Carbon cycle 2 key process

Answer 42

Carbon dioxide in atmosphere enters through plants taking it in for photosynthesis Returns back to atmosphere by aerobic respiration

Question 43

Carbon cycle stages

Answer 43

Carbon in atmosphere Taken in by plants and algae to make carbohydrates, fats or proteins These respire so some released back into atmosphere But some plants eaten by animals which are eaten by other animals So co2 becomes part of the molecules in cells of animals Animals also respire so released back into atmosphere But released as waste products and die Decomposition of this broken down by bacteria and fungi And respiration of this returns carbon dioxide back to atmosphere

Question 44

De composers

Answer 44

Bacteria and fungi Release carbon dioxide into atmosphere through respiration Return minerals to soil

Question 45

What happens if there aren’t enough decomposed conditions like oxygen?

Answer 45

Carbon from dead remains = fossil fuels

Question 46

Decomposition conditions

Answer 46

High temperature = enzymes work faster in hotter conditions But not too hot so the enzymes denature or die Moist = chemical reactions in decay require water Oxygen = bacteria need it for respiration

Question 47

What if there’s no oxygen for decomposition?

Answer 47

Anaerobic decay Produces biogas Could be used as fuel