Ecology (biology) Flashcards
(17 cards)
Ecology
Ecology is the study of plants, animals and their environment, and the relationship between them
Environment
The environment is everything that surrounds an animal or plant (for example air, water, rocks and soil)
The habitat
The habitat is the place where a plant or animal lives
Interdependence
Interdependence is how organisms depend on each other for their survival
Produce
plants that make their own food e.g. grass, dandelion, nettles
Consumer
Animals that get their food by eating plants or other animals e.g.
Herbivore
An animal that eats plants only e.g. rabbit, sheep, slug, snail
Carnivore
an animal that eats other animals only e.g. fox, hawk, ladybird
Omnivore
an animal that eats both plants and animals e.g. badger, thrush, blackbird, humans
Decomposer
Organisms that feed on dead plants and animals e.g. earthworms, bacteria, fungi. (Decomposers are very important as they break down dead things and release lots of minerals into the soil)
Adaptations
are features that give an organism a better chance of surviving in their habitat
Pooter
Used to pick up small insect, Suck on the end with the gauze and the insect is sucked into the container
Sweep net
Swept through long grass or hedges to collect insects e.g. butterflies
Beating tray
Used to collect small animals e.g. caterpillars from trees and shrubs
Pitfall trap
Collects small, crawling animals
• A jam jar/ cup, dug into the ground, with a cover over it to stop rain getting in
• Alcohol/ anti- freeze is in the bottom to kill them (so they don’t eat each other)
Quadrat
For estimating the number of plants in an area
• A pencil is thrown over your shoulder, and the quadrat is placed on the ground over it randomly, 10 times
• The plants in the frame are recorded each time
• This can be used to find the % frequency and a bar chart can be drawn
Line transect
A line transect is a long piece of rope with knots in it
• The name of the plant under each knot is noted
