Ecology Flashcards
(27 cards)
Levels in an ecosystem
Habitat - population - community - ecosystem
Abiotic factors
7
- pH of soil and water
- Oxygen content
- Salinity of soil and water
- Temperature
- Water and food content
- Light intensity
Biotic environment
All the living organisms that an organism interacts with
Food chains example
grass - cow - lion
Food web example
shrub - aphid - ladybug - spider
shrub - ant - ladybug - spider
Trophic levels
Producer (autotrophs) - primary consumer - secondary consumer - tertiary consumer
Carbon cycle step 1
During photosynthesis, CO2 is taken in by plants and converted to organic carbon
Carbon cycle step 2
During respiration, organisms give out carbon dioxide
Carbon cycle step 3
During consumption/ingestion, organic carbon is passed from one organism to another
Carbon cycle step 4
When organisms die, decomposition occurs to release carbon dioxide
Carbon cycle step 5
During fossilisation, decaying matter is compressed over millions of years to form fossil fuels
Carbon cycle step 6
Fossil fuels are mined by factories
Carbon cycle step 7
Combustion of fossil fuels release carbon dioxide into the air
Carbon cycle step 8
Carbon dioxide may enter the sea via ocean uptake
Causes of deforestation
3
- Human activities
- Human demand
- Logging
Effects of deforestation
6
- Loss of habitat
- Loss of species
- Soil erosion
- Flooding
- Climate change
- Desertification
Solutions to deforestation
3
- Reforestation
- Laws
- Public education
Causes of overfishing
3
- Economic needs
- Illegal fishing
- Advancements in fishing technology
Effects of overfishing
4
- Loss of habitat
- Loss of species
- Pollution
- Economic (prices increase)
Solutions to overfishing
5
(FECAL)
- Environmentally friendly fishing gear
- Eat less seafood
- Regulate catch size
- Areas that are protected
- Laws
Causes of eutrophication
- Waste (faeces) or fertilisers
2. Enter a still body of water (lake)
Effects of eutrophication
- Amount of algae increases (algae bloom)
- Covers surface of lake and underwater plants cannot receive sunlight
- Underwater plants cannot photosynthesise and die
- Amount of oxygen underwater decreases
- Plants decompose
- Amount of oxygen further decreases
- Marine organisms die
- Algae die
Biomagnification
Harmful chemicals get magnified from trophic level to trophic level
Bioaccumulation
Accumulation of substances in an organism
Absorbed faster than lost