ecology Flashcards
(23 cards)
give three reasons why biomass is lost
- respiration
- excretion
- can’t digest all parts
give three reasons why deforestation takes place
- land for farming
- to provide fuel
- to provide wood for building materials
give three reasons why deforestation results in an increase in co2 levels
- fewer trees to take in carbon dioxide for photosynthesis
- decomposers respire as they decay debris releasing co2
- burning of wood releases co2
advantages of getting more food from mycoprotein
- quicker
- cheaper
three disadvantages of intensive farming
- unethical
- diseases spread more rapidly
- overuse of antibiotics
why does intensive farming mean animals grow faster?
- animals can’t move as freely
- less energy loss from the animals
- more food available
- more energy for growth
how does intensive farming increase efficiency of food production?
- keep inside control temp environment
- less energy lost in controlling body temp as kept constant
- keep in a restricted area
- less energy required for movement
- so less energy transferred to environment
- more energy available for growth
investigation to test hypothesis that as light intensity increases, number of daises increases in dark woodland and field transect
- lay transect from shaded area into well lit area
- place quadrat at regular intervals on a transect
- count number of daises in each quadrat and calc mean
- measure light intensity in each quadrat using a light metre
- repeat with parallel transects
- large number of quadrats used
- compare data and light intensity
investigation to test hypothesis that as light intensity increases, number of daises increases in dark woodland and field quadrat
- lay tape measures at right angles on the field
- use random number generator to get coordinates and place quadrat
- count number of daises in each quadrat and calc mean
- two areas used with diff light intensity
- measure light intensity in each quadrat with a light metre
- repeat and use many quadrats, more than ten
- compare data
explain why increasing temp increases decay
- reactions happening faster
- as more kinetic energy so more collisions between particles
- enzyme activity higher at higher temps
describe how microorganisms obtain sugars from plants to use inside body
- microorganisms produce amylase
- to break down starch into glucose
- glucose diffuses back into microorganism
why will fertilisers increase growth?
- it contains minerals
- plants absorb these through their roots via atp
- nitrate ions for making amino acids
- magnesium for making chlorophyll
explain why pesticides reduce biodiversity in rivers
- runs off into rivers
- kills insects in rivers which affects food chains
explain why some plants of same species are resistant but others aren’t
- variation in population
- different alleles due to mutations
explain advantages of cloning plant tissue over selective breeding once resistant plants identified
- no genetic variation as know they all have same resistant gene
- large numbers of resistant plants can be produced quickly on a large scale
evaluate continued use of selective breeding in agriculture linked to future humans
- FORS: speeds up process of natural selection
- produces organisms with desired characteristics e.g high yield, resistance
- resistance helps more crops survive climate changes or new pests / pathogens
- can help produce more food for growing population
- CONS: reduce genetic variation in population
- can lead to inbreeding
- makes organisms more susceptible to diseases
- increased chance of inherited disorders
- resistance can spread to wild plant species
- crops at risk of being wiped out by new pathogens which will reduce amount of food
explain how increased cattle farming leads to global warming
- more cows release more methane
- which is a greenhouse gas
explain how continued increased in mass of meat eaten will decrease food security
- less food available
- as more land used for farming meat and growing livestock
- so less food crops grown
explain why air and nutrients are pumped into mycoprotein fermenter
- air: supplied oxygen so aerobic conditions
- glucose: used in respiration
why is a stirring paddle used in fermenter?
- so fungus can get sufficient oxygen
- and get sufficient glucose
explain importance of sterile air in fermenter
- to prevent contamination
- they compete with fusarium for food so reduce yield of fusarium
explain advantages of replacing meat with mycoprotein
- quicker
- could be produced on large scale to feed an increasing population
- less land used
- more efficient
fishing quotas
- limits on the number and size of fish that can be caught in certain areas
- prevents certain species from being overfished
- protects breeding fish so populations can recover
