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Biology > Ecology > Flashcards

Ecology Flashcards

1
Q

what is a community

A

many different populations interacting in the same habitat

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2
Q

what is an ecosystem

A

the interaction of a community of living organisms (biotic) with the non living (abiotic) parts of the environment

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3
Q

what do organisms require to survive and reproduce

A

a supply of materials from their surroundings and from other living organisms there

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4
Q

what is interdependence

A

organisms in a community depend on other organisms for vital services

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5
Q

what do plants compete for

A

light
space
water
mineral ions

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6
Q

what do animals compete for

A

space
food
water
mating partners

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7
Q

examples of needs from interdependence

A

food
shelter - birds take shelter in trees
reproduction (pollination) - flowers pollinated with help of bees

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8
Q

what is the result of adding or removing a species from a community

A

affects the population of others as it changes prey or predator numbers

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9
Q

what is a stable community

A

a community where all the species and environmental factors are in balance so the population sizes remain fairly constant

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10
Q

what is an abiotic factor

A

a non living factor

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11
Q

which abiotic factors can affect a community

A

light intensity
temperature
moisture levels
soil ph and mineral content
wind intensity and direction
carbon dioxide levels
oxygen levels for aquatic animals

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12
Q

how does light intensity affect a community

A

light is required for photosynthesis
the rate of photosynthesis affects the rate the plant grows
plants can be food sources or shelter for many organisms

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13
Q

how does temperature affect a community

A

temperature affects the rate of photosynthesis

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14
Q

how do moisture levels affect a community

A

both plants and animals need water to survive

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15
Q

how does soil ph and mineral content affect communities

A

soil ph affects the rate of decay therefore how fast mineral ions return to the soil (which are then taken up by other plants)
different species of plants thrive in different nutrient concnetration levels

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16
Q

how does wind intensity and direction affect communities

A

wind affects the rate of transpiration in plants
transpiration affects the temperature of the plant and the rate of photosynthesis because it transports water and mineral ones to the leaves

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17
Q

how do oxygen levels affect communities of aquatic animals

A

levels in water vary greatly unlike oxygen levels in air
most fish need a high concentration of oxygen to survive

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18
Q

what is a biotic factor

A

a living factor

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19
Q

which biotic factors can affect a community

A

food availability
new predators
new pathogens
competition

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20
Q

how does food availability affect a community

A

more food means organisms can breed more successfully and therefore the population can increase

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21
Q

how do new pathogens affect a community

A

when a new pathogens arises the population has no resistance to it so they can be wiped out quickly

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22
Q

how does competition affect a community

A

if one species is better adapted to the environment than another then it will outcompete it until the numbers of the lesser adapted species are insufficient to breed

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23
Q

what kind of adaptations can organisms have

A

structural
behavioural
functional

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24
Q

why do organisms have adaptations

A

to allow them to survive in the conditions where they live

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25
Q

what are structural adaptations

A

the shape or colour of a part of an organim

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26
Q

examples of structural adaptations

A

sharp teeth of a carnivore to tear meat apart
camouflage such as tan/brown colour of a lionesses coat to avoid prey spotting her
species in cold envionrments have a thick layer of fat for insulation

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27
Q

what is a behavioural adaptation

A

the way an organism behaves

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28
Q

examples of behavioural adaptations

A

individuals play dead to avoid predators
basking in the sun to absorb heat
courting behaviour to attract a mate

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29
Q

what is a functional adaptation

A

involved in processes such as reproduction or metabolism

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30
Q

examples of functional adaptations

A

late implantation of embryos
conservation of water through producing little sweat

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31
Q

what are extremophiles

A

organisms that live in environments with extreme conditions

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32
Q

examples of extreme conditions

A

high temperatures
high pressures
high salt concentrations

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33
Q

example of an extremophiles

A

bacteria which live deep in sea vents where the pressure is very high

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34
Q

adaptations for cold climates

A

smaller surface area to volume area ratio to reduce heat loss
lots of insulation from blubber or fur coat

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35
Q

adaptation for dry climates

A

adaptations to kidneys to retain lots of water producing very concentrated urine
active in the early morning and evenings when it is cooler
resting in shady areas
larger surface area to volume ratio to reduce heat loss

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36
Q

plant adaptation examples

A

curled leaves to reduce water loss
extensive root systems to take in as much water as possible
waxy cuticle to stop water evaporating
water storing tissue in stem

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37
Q

how are feeding relationships shown

A

food chains

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38
Q

process of food chains

A

begin with a producer
producers are eaten by primary consumers
primary consumers are eaten by secondary consumers
secondary consumers are eaten by tertiary consumers

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39
Q

what are producers

A

photosynthetic organisms (usually a green plant or algae)

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40
Q

how do producers work in the food chain

A

through photosynthesis they make glucose
glucose is used to make other biological molecules in the plant which make up the biomass

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41
Q

what happens when producers are eaten by primary consumers

A

energy is transferred through organisms in an ecosystem when one is eaten by another

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42
Q

what happens when primary consumers are eaten by secondary consumers

A

the animals eaten are called the prey and the consumers that kill and eat them are predators

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43
Q

what are transects and quadrants used for

A

to work out the distribution and abundance of species in an ecosystem

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44
Q

how is information from transects and quadrants processed

A

by calculating the mean, mode and median and drawing a graph

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45
Q

what will a stable community show

A

population cycles between predators and prey

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46
Q

what is the population cycle of predators and prey

A

if the population of the prey increases the population of predators will also increase
this results in the number of prey decreasing after some time as more would be consumed by the increased number of predators

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47
Q

what happens when there isn’t enough prey to feed the predators

A

the population of predators will decrease which will allow the population of prey to increase again

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48
Q

how are materials cycled

A

through an ecosystem

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49
Q

how does the carbon cycle work

A
  • co2 is removed from the air in photosynthesis by green plants and algae - they use the carbon to make carbohydrates, proteins and fats. they are eaten and the carbon moves up the food chain
  • co2 is returned to the air when plants, algae and animals respire. decomposes respire while they return mineral ions to the soil
    -co2 is returned to the air when wood ad fossil fuels are burnt as they contain carbon rom photosynthesis
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50
Q

how does the water cycle work

A
  • the suns energy causes water to evaporate from the sea and lakes forming water vapour
    -water vapour is also formed as a result of transpiration in plants
    -water vapour rises and then condenses to form clouds
    -water is returned to the land by precipitation (rain snow or hail) and this runs into lakes to provide water for plants and animals
  • this then runs into seas and the cycle begins again
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51
Q

which factors effect rate of decomposition

A

temperature
water
availability of oxygen

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52
Q

how does temperature affect the rate of decomposition

A

chemical reactions generally work faster in warmer conditions but if it is too hot the enzymes can denature and stop decomposition

53
Q

how does water affect the rate of decomposition

A

microorganisms grow faster in conditions with water as it is needed for respiration. water also makes food easier to digest

54
Q

how does availability of oxygen affect decomposition

A

most decomposers respire aerobically

55
Q

what is compost

A

decayed biological material

56
Q

what is compost used for

A

natural fertiliser for farmers and gardeners

57
Q

what is methane gas made from

A

microorganism that decompose waste anaerobically

58
Q

what is methane used as

A

burnt as a fuel

59
Q

what are biogas generators used for

A

to produce methane

60
Q

requirements for biogas generators

A

require a constant temp of 30 so the microorganisms keep respiring
it cannot be stored as a liquid so needs to be used immediately

61
Q

examples of environmental changes

A

temperature
water availability
atmospheric gas composition

62
Q

what do environmental changes effect

A

the distribution of species in an ecosystem

63
Q

how does temperature impact species in ecosystems

A

climate change may lead to insects migrating to places in the world which are becoming hotter

64
Q

how does water availability affect species in an ecosystem

A

populations will migrate to find water

65
Q

how does atmospheric gas composition affect species distribution

A

certain pollutants which affect distribution of organisms eg lichen cannot grow in places where sulfiur dioxide is present

66
Q

what can environmental changes be

A

seasonal
geographic
caused by human interaction

67
Q

what is biodiversity

A

the variety of different species of organisms on earth or within an ecosystem

68
Q

what does high biodiversity mean

A

the ecosystem will be stable

69
Q

what does biodiversity result in

A

species being less dependent on each other for things such as food and shelter

70
Q

what does the future of humans on earth depend on

A

maintaining biodiversity for food and medicines

71
Q

why is the impact of human activities getting bigger

A

the population is increasing
so more resources are being used
meaning more waste is produced

72
Q

which ways are humans destroying biodiversity

A

more land used for commercial and residential property which destroys habitats
pollution kills plants and animals
we are using up raw materials quicker than they are being produced

73
Q

which chemicals pollute the water

A

sewage
fertiliser
toxic chemicals

74
Q

what pollutes the air

A

smoke
acidic gases

75
Q

what pollutes the land

A

landfill
toxic chemicals

76
Q

what is the result of humans taking up land

A

reduces the number of habitats for animals and plants by building, quarrying , farming and dumping waste

77
Q

what is peat

A

a material that forms when plant material has not fully decayed as there is not enough oxygen

78
Q

where does peat accumulate

A

bogs that are acidic and waterlogged

79
Q

what is the use of bogs that peat grows in

A

habitat for many species , in particular migrating birds

80
Q

what is being done to peat bogs

A

they are being destroyed - drained to create space for farming
peat is used as compost
peat is dried to use as fuel as it contains carbon

81
Q

why is peat being used up quicker than it is being formed

A

the formation process is slow

82
Q

what is deforestation

A

the cutting down of a large number of trees in the same area to use the land for something else

83
Q

why does deforestation happen in tropical areas

A

to provide land for cattle and rice fields
to grow crops eg sugarcane for biofuels which are used to produce energy

84
Q

what are the problems caused by deforestation

A

as trees contain carbon , burning them results in co2 release contributing to global warming
trees take in co2 in photosynthesis so less is taken in
number of habitats are reduced decreasing biodiversity

85
Q

what happens after deforestation that causes problems

A

microorganisms decompose the dead vegetation producing co2 as they respire

86
Q

what is global warming

A

the temperature around the world increasing because we are producing more greenhouse gases

87
Q

what does increased greenhouse gas production result in

A

more heat is absorbed and reflected back to earth , heating it up

88
Q

what are the consequences of the global temperature increase

A

melting ice caps reducing habitats
rising sea levels reducing habitats as low lying areas are flooded with salty water
temperature and rainfall levels will affect migration and the distribution of different species as they may no longer survive
organisms become extinct as their habitats are lost reducing biodiversity

89
Q

examples of positive human interactions with ecosystems

A

maintaining rainforests ensuring habitats are not destroyed
reducing water pollution and monitoring the changes over time
preserving areas of scientific interest by stopping humans going there
replanting hedgerows and woodlands to provide previously destroyed habitats

90
Q

examples of negative human interactions with ecosystems

A

production of greenhouse gases leading to global warming
producing sulfur dioxide in factories which leads to acid rain affecting habitats
chemicals used in farming leak into the environment
clearing land in order to build on, reducing the number of habitats

91
Q

what has been done to reduce our negative impact on ecosystems

A

programs have been put in place to maintain biodiversity

92
Q

examples of programs put in place to maintain biodiversity

A

breeding programs to stop endangered species becoming extinct
protection of rare habitats to stop species here becoming extinct, if damaged they can be regenerated to encourage populations to live here
reintroduction of hedgerows and field margins where only one type of crop is grown
reduction of deforestation and carbon dioxide production reduces rate of global warming slowing down the rate of habitats destroyed
recycling rather than dumping waste in landfill reduces amount for land taken up for landfills

93
Q

what are trophic levels

A

different stages in the food chain represented by numbers

94
Q

what is level 1

A

organisms at the first level are called producers such as plants and algae
make their own food by photosynthesis

95
Q

what is level 2

A

primary consumers
herbivores that only eat plants

96
Q

what is level 3

A

secondary consumers
carnivores that eat herbivores

97
Q

what is level 4

A

tertiary consumers
carnivores that eat other carnivores
no predators, top of food chain - called apex predators

98
Q

what do decomposers do

A

break down dead plant and animal matter

99
Q

how do decomposers work

A

secrete enzymes
so the matter is broken down into small soluble food molecules
so they move into the microorganism by diffusion

100
Q

what do pyramids of biomass show

A

the relative biomass at each trophic level

101
Q

how are pyramids of biomass organised

A

shows relative weights of material at each level
there is less biomass as you move up the trophic levels
biomass of the organism in the level above will always be higher

102
Q

how much incident energy from light do producers transfer

A

1% because not all light lands on the green parts of the plant

103
Q

how much biomass of each trophic level is transferred to the next

A

10%

104
Q

why is a small amount of biomass of each trophic level transferred to the next

A

not all biomass can be eaten
not all of the biomass eaten is converted into biomass of the animal eating it

105
Q

examples of how not all biomass can be eaten

A

carnivores cannot generally eat bone, hooves , claws and teeth

106
Q

examples of how not all of the biomass eaten is converted into biomass of the animal eating it

A

lots of glucose is used in respiration which produces co2 as waste
urea is a waste substance released in urine
biomass consumed can be lost in faeces
herbivores do not have all the enzymes to digest the material they eat so it is egested

107
Q

efficiency of biomass transfers equation

A

biomass transferred to the next level/ biomass available at the previous level x100

108
Q

why is it common to find less animals in higher trophic levels

A

because less biomas is transferred each time

109
Q

what is food security

A

having sufficient food to feed the population

110
Q

which factors affect food security

A

increasing birth rate
changing diets in developed countries
new pests and pathogens can destroy crops
climate change affects food production
conflicts in some countries

111
Q

how does changing diets affect food security

A

food resources which are already in low amounts become even more scarce as the demand for them increases

112
Q

how do new pests and pathogens affect food security

A

they can destroy crops

113
Q

how does an increasing birth rate affect food security

A

more food is required

114
Q

how does climate change affect food secutirty

A

it affects food production eg no rain resulting in crops failing

115
Q

how does conflict in countries affect food security

A

it can affect the availability of water and food

116
Q

what is needed to feed everyone on earth

A

sustainable methods

117
Q

how do farmers improve efficiency

A

increase the amount of energy from food converted to biomass in livestock

118
Q

how do farmers increase energy converted to biomass

A

reduce the energy transfer from animals to the environment by
raising them in small cages so there is less movement so less energy wasted
areas where they are kept have high temperatures so less energy is wasted on controlling body temperature

119
Q

why does the efficient farming have ethical objections

A

lots of animals are kept in a small place causing distress
increased risk of infection spreading
standard of living low for animals

120
Q

why is the number of fish decreasing

A

humans are fishing at a faster rate than the populations can regenerate

121
Q

how can we avoid fish species disappearing in some areas

A

the populations need to stay above a certain level so breeding can continue

122
Q

what restrictions have been put in place to keep fish population stable

A

limits of net sizes making them bigger so smaller fish are not caught and can reach breeding age to produce more fish
fishing quotas mean only a certain number of species of fish can be caught in an area over a time period to prevent overfishing

123
Q

what is biotechology used for

A

to help feed the population and potentially provide treatments for a number of diseases

124
Q

which fungus can produce mycoprotein

A

fusarium

125
Q

properties of mycoprotein

A

protein rich food source
suitable for vegetarians
grown on glucose syrup in aerobic conditions
fungus is harvested and purified so it can be consumed
protein without animals

126
Q

what is the benefit of producing protein without animals

A

reduced land use as a lot of land is needed to rear animals and areas to grow crops to feed them
reduced methane contribution from cows

127
Q

how can insulin be produced

A

genetically modified bacteria

128
Q

process of genetically modified bacteria producing insulin

A

insulin taken and purified
used to treat people with diabetes

129
Q

what are the advantages of genetically modifying crops

A

modifying them to be resistant to pests or extreme weather conditions can increase yields
modifying them to increase their nutritional value is beneficial where they lack access to certain vitamins such as golden rice

Biology (22 decks)

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