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Biology Paper 2 > Ecology > Flashcards

Ecology Flashcards

1
Q

Define Habitat.

A
  • This is the environment in which an organism live
  • A tropical rainforest
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2
Q

Define Population.

A
  • The number of organisms of the same species living in the same geographical area
  • All of the Eastern Gorillas living in Rwanda
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3
Q

Define Community.

A
  • The populations of all the different species living in the same habitat
  • All of the populations in a tropical rainforest
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4
Q

Define Ecosystem.

A
  • The living and non-living parts of an environment and how they interact
  • The animals, plants, water and minerals in a rainforest
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5
Q

Define Biotic.

A
  • The living organisms in an ecosystem
  • All the animals, plants, insects and bacteria in a rainforest
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6
Q

Define Antibiotic.

A
  • The non-living parts of an ecosystem
  • All the water and minerals in a rainforest
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7
Q

State things that Animals might compete for.

A
  • Food
  • Mates
  • Territory
  • Water
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8
Q

State things that Plants might compete for.

A
  • Light
  • Space
  • Water
  • Minerals
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9
Q

How do organisms (Animals and Plants) depend on each other?

A

Animals depending on animals: Depend on each other as a source of food

Animals depend on plants: Depend on as a source of food

Plants depending on animals: Plants are pollinated by insects such as bees

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10
Q

If all bees in a habitat die, this could cause the populations of animals to fall. Explain how.

A
  • Many plants couldn’t be pollinated
  • This would cause the number of plants to decrease
  • Animals that eat plants would then decrease in number as their food source becomes scarce
  • This would cause the number of carnivores to fall
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11
Q

Explain what is meant by a stable community.

A
  • The population of all different living organisms (biotic factors) remain fairly constant. Also the levels of abiotic factors such as water don’t change. This means that the biotic and abiotic factors are in balance
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12
Q

Explain why food is an abiotic factor.

A
  • Food is always based on a living organism. Herbivores such as zebra eat plants. Carnivores such as lions eat other animals. This means that food is a biotic factor
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13
Q

A drought can cause the amount of grass to decrease. Explain how this would effect both the population of zebra and the population of lions.

A
  • Grass is the main food source for zebras. If a drought caused the amount of grass in a habitat to decrease, then this would cause the population of zebras to fall due to a lack of food
  • Zebras are a major source of food for lions. If the population of zebras fell, then this could also cause the population of lions to fall
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14
Q

The bilby is a small burrowing animal found in Australia. The numbers of Bilby have fallen since rabbits were brought to Australia over 200 years ago. Rabbits can compete with Bilbies for food and burrows. Describe what could happen to the Bilby if they’re not protected.

A
  • Rabbits compete with Bilby for food and burrows. The number of Bilby have fallen sharply and they are endangered. If this continues they they could become extinct
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15
Q

Give examples of Abiotic factors.

A
  • Light intensity
  • Temperatures
  • Moisture levels
  • PH and mineral content of the soil
  • Intensity and direction of the wind
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16
Q

Give examples of Biotic factors.

A
  • The availability of food
  • Whether new predators arrive
  • Whether new pathogens arrive
  • Competition between individuals of the same or different species
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17
Q

What do animals compete for?

A
  • Food
  • Mates
  • Territory
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18
Q

What is interdependence?

A
  • Organisms in an ecosystem depend on eachother
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19
Q

What Abiotic factors affect Animals?

A
  • Oxygen level
  • Temperature
  • Water
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20
Q

What Abiotic factors affect Plants?

A
  • Light intensity
  • Wind intenisty and direction
  • Carbon dioxide level
  • Oxygen level
  • Temperature
  • Water
  • Soil PH and minerals
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21
Q

As woods grow smaller shrubs are ocershadowed by taller tress. Describe the effect of this on smaller shrubs and on animals which eat these shrubs.

A
  • The shrubs will experience a lower light intensity, they may photosenthesise at a lower rate
  • This would reudce their rate of growth, providing less food for animals which eat the shrubs
  • This could casue the populations of thos animals to fall
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22
Q

How does temperature change affect plants and animals?

A
  • Species of plants may disappear entirely from a habitat. Animals may migrate
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23
Q

State a function of water in animals and plants.

A

Animals: water is required for temperature regulation eg sweating
Plants: water is required for photosynthesis. It also carries minerals from the soil to the leaves via the transpiration stream

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24
Q

Give an example of a mineral needed by plants and explain what it is used for.

A
  • The mineral nitrate which is used to make amino acids
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25
Q

Explain why plants growing in sand dunes are adapted to deal with water loss.

A
  • Plants in sand dunes can lose a great deal of water due to strong winds blowing inland from the sea. These plants have adaptions to deal with water loss
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26
Q

Plants grow slowly if the level of carbon dioxide in the air falls. Explain why.

A
  • Carbon dioxide is needed for photosynthesis
  • If the level of carbon dioxide falls, this can reduce the rate of photsynthesis and caus eplants to grow slowly. Siceentists say that carbon dioxide can be a limiting factor for photosynthesis
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27
Q

Why do oxygen levels have a strong affect on aquatic organisms such as fish?

A

-b This is because the amount of oxygen dissolved in water decreases sharply in warm conditions

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28
Q

Describe what is meant by a structural adaption.

A
  • An adaption of body shape or body structure
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29
Q

Explain why the camel’s fat is in the lump rather than being spread around the body.

A
  • Fat is an insulator and prevents heat from escaping the camel’s body. By locating its fat in the hump, rather than being spread around the camel’s body, this allows heat to escape and makes it easier for the camel to keep cool
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30
Q

State a camel’s adaptions and its purposes.

A
  • Thick coat on upper surface of body: this protects the upper surface of the camel from the intense heat of the sun
  • Leathery interior of mouth: this allows the camel to eat desert plants which may be tough or have thorns. These plants can be a useful source of water for the camel
  • Long eyelashes: These protect the camel’s eyes from dust or sand
  • Wide feet: These help the camel to walk on sand by spreading the camel’s weight
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31
Q

Decsirbe what is meant by a functional adaption.

A
  • An adaption to the body’s functions of an organism
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32
Q

Describe two functional adaptions in camels.

A
  • Produce very concentrated urine and dry faeces. This helps reduce water loss
  • Camels can tolerate very large changes to their body temperature. This helps them to cope with the intense heat of the desert
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33
Q

What is meant by behavioural adaptions?

A
  • An adaption to an organism’s lifestyle or behaviour
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34
Q

The Kangaroo rat is naturally active only at night. It spends they daytime in a burrow. Explain the purpose of these behavioural adaptions.

A
  • This protects them from the heat of the day and the predators
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35
Q

In winter, the Artic Fox has white fur. Explain the benefit of this.

A
  • This provides camouflage, making it easier for the Arctic Fox to hunt its prey and avoid predators
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36
Q

State adaptions of the Arctic Fox and how they reduce the amount of heat energy lost to the cold environment.

A
  • Thick fur on body: This insulates the fox’s body and reduces loss of heat to the air
  • Fur on soles of feet: This reduces heat loss to the ice and snow
  • Very small ears: This reduces the surface area of the fox, reducing heat loss to the air
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37
Q

Describe the main issue faced by plants living in the desert.

A
  • The lack of water
38
Q

What are the adaptions and purposes to a cacti?

A
  • Water stored in stem: This allows the cacti to survive for months without rain
  • Extensive and shallow roots: It doesn’t rain very often in the desert and in the heat, any rain water on the ground evaporates quickly. By having extensive and shallow roots, a cactus can capture as much water as possible before it evaporates or drains into the ground

Very small leaves or spines: Plants lose water vapour through their leaves. Cacti often have very small leaves which reduces the surface area for water loss.

39
Q

What do scientists call organisms which are adapted to live in extreme conditions?

A
  • Extremophiles
40
Q

Describe three extreme conditions that can be faced by these organisms.

A
  • Very high temperature
  • High pressure
  • High concentration of salt
41
Q

Describe Food Chains.

A
  • Every food chain starts with a producer
  • This can be a green plant (grass) or it could be an algae (seaweed).
  • To do this they use the enrgy from the sunlight
  • Scientists call molecules such as glcuose biomass. This is passed along the food chain.
42
Q

Define Producer.

A
  • This carrie out photosynthesis, using enrgy from sunlight to make glucose- Algae and grass
43
Q

Define Primary Consumer.

A
  • This is an animal which eats a producer- Rabbit
44
Q

Define Secondary Consumer.

A
  • This is an animal which eats a primary consumer- Brown crab
45
Q

Define Tertiary Consumer.

A
  • This is an animal which eats a secondary consumer- Octapus
46
Q

Define predator.

A
  • An animal which kills and eats another animal
47
Q

Answer questions on page 55

A
48
Q

What happens in a stable community?

A
  • The biotic and abiotic factors are in balance
49
Q

Describe what is meant by a quadrat and how we use it.

A
  • A square made of wood or plastic
  • We use a quadrat by placing it on the ground and counting numbers of different species within the area of the quadrat
50
Q

Describe one way to throw the quadrat randomly.

A
  • Throw backwards over your shoulder
  • Use a grid and a random generator
51
Q

Explain why it is important that we throw the quadrat randomly.

A
  • For example, plants are never spread out evenly in area but we often find patches or clusters
  • If we select areas to sampls, we might choose areas with many plants or not so many
  • To avoid this, we throw the quadrat randomly
52
Q

Why do we throw a quadrat a large number of times in each location?

A
  • If we throw a quadrat once and counted the number of plants, this not represent the entire area
  • Throw it many times so that the area is thoroughly sampled
53
Q

What is the equation to estimate the total population of an organism in a location?

A

Total population size = Total area/ Area sampled * Number of organisms of that species counted in sample

54
Q

What are the stages in carrying out sampling along a transect?

A
  1. Select the habitat that you are going to sample
  2. Place a tape measure acrros the habitat
  3. Place a quadrat at the start of the tape measure
  4. Identify the species in the quadrat using a guide
  5. Count the numbers of the different species present
  6. Move the quadrat 1m along the tape measure
  7. Count the number of each species again
  8. Repeating until you reach the end of the tape measure
  9. Move the tape measure along the habitat and repeat
55
Q

Why is it important that we perform a transect a number of times?

A
  • One transect might not give us an accurate idea of the distribution of species throughout the habitat
56
Q

What things apply to photsynthesis?

A
  • This is only carried out by plants
  • This produces the carbon-containing molecule glucose
  • Light energy is used to react carbon dioxide and water
  • This is the only way that carbon eneters the carbon cycle
57
Q

What things apply to Aerobic Respiration?

A
  • This returns carbon dioxide back to the atmosphere
  • Glucose is broken down releasing energy and carbon dioxide
  • This is carried out by animals and plants all the time
58
Q

Draw and Label a diagram representing the Carbon Cycle.

A
59
Q

How does Carbon enter the carbon cycle?

A
  • From the atmosphere when plants carry out photsynthesis
60
Q

Describe how carbon atoms pass into animals.

A
  • When they eat plants or when they eat animals
61
Q

State three carbon-containing molecules that we find in both plants and animals

A
  • Proteins
  • Carbohydrates
  • Lipids
62
Q

How do Decomposers play a criticial role in the Carbon cycle?

A
  • All animals release waste products including urine and faeces
  • Eventually, all animals and plants die
  • Waste producst and dead remains are then broken down by decomposing microorganisms such as fungi and bacteria
  • When these decomposres respire they release carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere
  • Decomposers are also important becaus ethey release mineral ions back into the soil.
  • Under certain condiotions such as not enough oxygen, decomposers can’t function
  • Now the carbon in dead remains is slowly converted to fossil fuels
  • When these are combusted the carbon is returned back to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide
63
Q

Draw a diagram of the Water Cycle.

A
64
Q

What are the stages of the Water Cycle?

A

1) Almost all the water on Earth is in the oceons. This is salt water. Enegry from the Sun makes the water evaporate from the surface

2) The water vapour in the air cools down. This now condenses to form clouds. The water now falls to the gorund as precipitation eg rain. Rain water is fresh water not salty

3) Once the water htis the ground, some of the water evaporates back to water vapour in the air and some drains through rocks into aquifers. A lot of water forms streams and rivers

65
Q

How does water pass through plants?

A
  • Water enters the roots and moves up the xylem to the leaves. Water vapour passes out of the stomata. The process is called transpiration.
66
Q

Describe how water passes in and out of animals.

A
  • Water passes into animals by drinking and eating food
  • Water passes out of animals in their urine, in faeces and exhalation. Certain mammals can lsoe water by sweating. Dogs lose water by panting
67
Q

Define biodiversity.

A
  • The variety of all different species of organisms on Earth
68
Q

Describe biodiversity.

A
  • Refers to all the different species of plants, animals, bacteria and fungi that we find on planet Earth
  • We can also look at biodiversity found within a single ecosystem eg the Amazon rainforest or the Artic circle
  • Many different species depend on eachother for shelter eg trees
  • Many speices help to maintain the environment for example decomposers such as bacteria and fungi
  • These break down the remains of dead organisms and are important in the carbon cycle
  • If there are lsot of different species then an ecosystem is more stable
  • If the population of one of the species falls sharply, then this is less likely to affect the whole ecosystem
69
Q

Explain why the loss of Tropical Rainforests is extremely damaging to Earth.

A
  • Tropical rainforests are extremely biodiverse. there are many thousands of species living in these habitats. If the tropical rainforests are destroyed then these species are at risk of becoming extinct
70
Q

One way to reduce deforestation is to reduce meat consumption eg beef. Explain why.

A
  • A main cause of Tropical deforestation is to provide land for grazing cattle such s cows for beef. If more people reduced their meat consumption, then thid would help prevent deforestation
71
Q

How do biofuels lead to an increase in deforestation?

A
  • Biofuels are made using crops such as sugar can
  • Large areaas of Tropical Rainforests are being cleared to grow the crops needed to make biofuels
72
Q

Describe the wate found in untreated human sewage.

A
  • Untreated human sewage contains both urine and faeces
  • These are rich in carbon and nitrogen, which bacteria can use as a source of nutrients
73
Q

How does untreated sewage reduce biodiversity?

A
  • Untreated sewage is accidentally released into rivers and streams
  • Bacteria use the molecules in the sewage as a source of nutrients and reproduce
  • Bacteria use large amounts of oxygen for aerobic respiration
  • Dissolved oxygen levels in the water fall sharply
  • Aquatic organisms die due to lack of oxygen in the water
74
Q

Give two examples of substances that can reduce biodiversity in streams and rivers.

A
  • Waterways can be polluted with fertilisers from farms. Fertilisers cause algae to reproduce. When the algae die, bacteria use the algae as a source of nutrients and increase in number. The oxygen used by the bacteria cause the level of dissolved oxygen to fall to the point where there is not enough for aquatic organisms
  • Waterways can also be polluted with toxic chemicals from factories. These directly kill aquatic organisms
75
Q

How does burning coal in power stations reduce the levels of biodiversity?

A
  • Can release sulfur dioxide whcih leads to acid rain. It can also release smoke. These can kill plants and animals, reducing biodiversity
76
Q

How does dumping waste in landfills reduce the levels of biodiversity?

A
  • Can release toxic chemicals into the soil. Landfills also destroy habitats for plants and animals
77
Q

Humans have an increase for land. The effect of this is to reduce biodiversity. Give and explain some examples.

A
  • Land for buildings: This includes houses, shops, factories, businesses and transport links such as airports and train stations
  • Land for quarries: These are used to extract minerals from the ground eg for building materials and metal ores for industry
  • Land for farming: This is for agriculture eg growing crops
  • Land for landfills: These are used to dump unwanted materials that can’t be recycled eg from homes and factories
78
Q

Explain how all these uses of land reduce biodiversity.

A
  • They involve destroying habitats of plants and animals
79
Q

Peat bogs can form when plant material builds up and decays very slowly. Which conditions would cause a very slow rate of decay?

A
  • Very low levels of oxygen: this would cause a very slow rate of decay as during the decay microorganisms must carry out aerobic respiration, this requires oxygen
80
Q

Peat bogs are being destroyed and the peat taken away. Describe how the peat is being used.

A
  • Peat is sued to make compost for gardens and burned to release energy
81
Q

How does the destruction of peat bogs harm the environment?

A
  • When peat is used for compost it begins to decay, releasing carbon dioxide. This is also released when we burn peat to generate electricity. Both of these contribute to climate change. We should stop using peat for compost on farms. However, the alternatives are expensive and could increase food prices
82
Q

What produces Carbon dioxide?

A
  • Burning coal to generate electricity
  • Burning petrol to power cars
  • Burning gas to heat a home
83
Q

What produces methane?

A
  • Cows passing wind
  • Bacteria in paddy fields where rice is grown
84
Q

Describe what Global warming will lead to.

A
  • Global warming will lead to habitats being destroyed. Some organisms will decrease in number or may become extinct
  • Animals such as insects may extend their range to find cooler conditions. These include mosquitoes which can transmit malaria
  • As the Earth’s temperature increases, animals such as birds may migrate at different times or to different countries
  • Plants may flower earlier. Crops may grow in the UK that do not grow now. Some countries may be too hot to grow crops they need
85
Q

What is meant by a rich biodiversity?

A
  • Any species is less dependent on any other species so the ecosystem is more stable
86
Q

How can zoos help to prevent rare species from going extinct?

A
  • Zoos take part in captive breeding programmes with other zoos
87
Q

Describe the benefit of preserving wetlands.

A
  • Wetlands have extremely high biodiversity, especially for plants and insects. Draining wetlands in the past has reduce biodiversity and placed many of these species at risk. Now, wetlands are preserved and old wetlands are being allowed to flood again. Plants and insects are now spreading back to these habitats
88
Q

How can Farmers help to increase biodiversity?

A
  • Leaving field margins or planting hedgerows helps as many different species can live there
89
Q

Give example of how does reducing deforestation and reducing carbon dioxide emissions help to maintain biodiversity?

A
  • Establishing national parks as forests are protected from destruction
  • Encourage the use of renewable sources of electricity and reducing the amount of electricity generation from burning fossil fuels
90
Q

Individuals can help preserve biodiversity by recycling household waste. Describe how this helps

A
  • Recycling household waste reduces the amount of waste that is dumped in landfills

Biology Paper 2 (1 decks)

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