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Summer Test Biology > Ecology > Flashcards

Ecology Flashcards

(63 cards)

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1
Q

What is ecology?

A

Study of the interactions between organisms and their environment.

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2
Q

What is a biosphere?

A

Part of planet where life exists e.g. terrestrial, edpahic (soil factor), aquatic

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3
Q

What is a biome?

A

Ecosystem on a large geographic area e.g. desert, rainforest

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4
Q

What is an ecosystem?

A

Interactions with organisms and their environment.

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5
Q

What is a habitat?

A

Place where an organism lives

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6
Q

What is an environment?

A

External factors affecting an organism within the ecosystem

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7
Q

What is a specie?

A

Group of similar organisms capable of inter-breeding and producing fertile offspring.

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8
Q

What is a population?

A

Members or numbers of the same species in a habitat.

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9
Q

What is a community?

A

Sum of all the different populations in an ecosystem or a habitat.

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10
Q

What is a niche?

A

Functional role of an organism an ecosystem.
If two organisms occupy the same niche, competition occurs

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11
Q

What is a population dynamic?

A

Factors that cause a change in population numbers
(E.g. Food, space, predators, prey, disease)

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12
Q

What is human population growth?

A

Increase in human numbers is due to increased birth rates and decreased death rates (and vice versa)
(Improved medication, sanitation, vaccines, food production)

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13
Q

What are some factors affecting population growth?

A

War, famine, disease, contraception

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14
Q

What is competition?

A

A struggle between 2 or more species for a limited resource.
(E.g. Food, water, space, mating rights

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15
Q

What is contest competition?

A

Active struggle between 2 or more species for a limited resource where there is only one winner.

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16
Q

What is scramble competition?

A

Active struggle between organisms for a limited resource where all competing organisms get a piece of the resource.

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17
Q

What is an interspecific competition?

A

Active struggle between different species for a limited resource.

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18
Q

What is an intraspecific competition?

A

Active struggle between the same species for a limited resource.

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19
Q

What is an adaption?

A

Alteration to improve an organism’s chance of survival
(E.g. camouflage to hide from predators , eyesight to see prey, claws and teeth for hunting)

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20
Q

What is predation?

A

Catching and killing of one organism by another.

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21
Q

What is a predator?

A

Organism that kills prey

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22
Q

What is prey?

A

Organism that gets killed by the predator

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23
Q

What is a symbiotic relationship?

A

A close relationship between two organisms where at least one benefits.

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24
Q

What is parasitism?

A

A close relationship between two organisms where one benefits but causes harm to the other.

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25
What is mutualism?
Close relationship between two organisms where both organisms benefit from the relationship. (E.g. Large intestine (bacteria digests cellulose and in return we get vitamins B and K)
26
What is commensalism?
Close relationship between two organisms where one benefits but does not harm the host.
27
What are four environmental factors affecting organisms in a habitat?
Abiotic (non living) E.g. altitude, aspect Biotic (living) E.g. competition/ predation Climatic (any weather related factor) E.g. rainfall, light intensity, wind, temperature Edaphic (Any soil related factor) E.g. soil temperature, soil pH
28
What is recycling nutrients?
The way nutrients are exchanged between the living (biotic), and the non living (abiotic) parts of an ecosystem.
29
What is a food chain?
Feeding relationship between plants and animals in an ecosystem showing the flow of energy.
30
Give an example of a grazing food chain
Leaves - Caterpillar - Thrush - Hawk
31
Give an example of a detritus food chain
Dead oak leaves - woodlouse - blackbird
32
What are ecological pyramids?
Graphic illustrations of organisms feeding relationship in an ecosystem.
33
Why are ecological pyramids not long?
Only 10% of energy is passed from 1 trophic level to the next
34
What is energy used for?
Used up in metabolism or produces heat
35
Give an example of a grassland food chain
Dandelion - Butterfly - Thrush - Sparrowhawk
36
Give an example of a woodland food chain
Oak leaves - snail - hedgehog - fox
37
Give an example of a seashore food chain
Seaweed - limpet - edible crab - herring gull
38
What is a food web?
Consists of two or more intersecting food chains
39
What is a trophic level?
A feeding level in a food chain
40
What is a pyramid of numbers?
Used to show the numbers of individuals at each trophic level of a food chain.
41
Describe the role of green plants in the carbon cycle
Green plants take in carbon dioxide from the air and use this to make food in the process of photosynthesis. Plants also return CO2 during respiration when they break down their food to produce energy.
42
What is the role of animals in the carbon cycle?
Animals eat plants as food. They release CO2 during respiration when they break down their food to produce energy
43
What is the role of decomposers in the carbon cycle?
Break down dead plants and animals, releasing CO2 during respiration
44
Why do organisms need nitrogen?
To make proteins, DNA, RNA and ATP
45
What is the main source of nitrogen?
N2 gas in the atmosphere
46
What is the main function of nitrogen?
To enable organisms to get nitrogen in a form they can use
47
How is free nitrogen converted
Root nodules of legumes contain nitrogen fixing bacteria and convert free nitrogen from the soil air into nitrate ions, which are used by the plant to make protein.
48
What is protein converted into during decomposition?
Ammonia
49
What is ammonia converted into?
Nitrifying bacteria in the soil convert ammonia into nitrite, and the nitrite to nitrate.
50
What are denitrifying bacteria?
Bacteria that break down nitrates back into ammonia and nitrogen, making N2 unavailable to living organisms once more.
51
What is the role of humans in the carbon cycle?
Addition of artificial fertiliser Excessive use of manufactured nitrogen leads to a short-term increase in nitrate content in the soil. Leads to eutrophication, which can lead to pollution
52
Give examples of domestic pollution
Household wastes such as food waste, paper, plastic, polystyrene, glass, aluminium cans
53
Give examples of agricultural pollution
Disposal of slurry, the use of sprays to kill insect pests and weeds, excess use of fertilisers
54
Give examples of industrial pollution
Waste from factories such as harmful acids, detergents, gases such as sulfur dioxide and oil which may leak into rivers and lakes
55
What is pollution?
The addition of harmful substances to the environment
56
Why are fertilisers harmful to the environment?
If excess fertilisers, phosphates and nitrates in particular, are washed into rivers and lakes then enrichment of the water with nutrients occurs, a process called eutrophication. As a result there is a rapid increase in the growth of microscopic algae - this is known as algal bloom. When the algae die, they are broken down by bacteria that use up all available oxygen in the water. This results in the death of aquatic organisms such as fish.
57
How are fertilisers controlled?
Legislation and a system of fines
58
What is conservation?
The wise management of our environment
59
What are reasons for conserving organisms?
To prevent extinction, to preserve habitats, to maintain biodiversity, to provide aesthetic and recreational facilities for ourselves, to provide food supplies, as a possible source of drugs or other materials
60
Whats a conservation practice used in agriculture?
Crop rotation and mixed farming Controlled use of fertilisers
61
Whats a conservation practice used in forestry?
Plant deciduous trees
62
Whats a conservation practice used in fisheries
Net - mesh size and shape Fishing quotas
63
What is waste management?
The way we deal with our waste

Summer Test Biology (9 decks)

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