Ecosystems & Biodiversity Flashcards
(22 cards)
Define “habitat”
the place where organisms live
what things do animals compete for in an ecosystem
resources - things organisms need to survive.
animals = food, territory and mates
plants light, water, space and minerals
what is meant by a “stable community”
all the species and environmental factors are in balance
What are biotic factors
BIOTIC = LIVING
competition = one species outcompetes another (grey v red squirrel)
new predators
availability of food
new pathogens
what are functional adaptations
processes that go on inside an organism’s body eg metabolism. Desert animals produce little sweat and concentrated wee (to conserve water)
what is an ecosystem
the interaction of a community of organisms with the non living parts of their environment
Population
all the organisms of one species in a habitat
what do food chains always start with
Producer - make their food using energy from the sun
explain what happens to the population size of a predator if the amount of its prey increases
It will increase (more food)
when water vapour cools and condenses in the atmosphere, what does it change into
water (rain)
how do microorganisms return carbon to the atmosphere
RESPIRATION - break down animal waste and dead organisms
Animals, plants and organisms
why is it important to have high biodiversity in an ecosystem
Biodiversity is the variety of difference species. High biodiversity makes ecosystem more stable (don’t rely on one species/food etc)
name 2 gases linked to global warming
carbon dioxide & methane
give one way global warming could reduce biodiversity
higher temperatures lead to flooding - change in habitat etc
explain why deforestation increases the amount of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere
trees “lock up” carbon - fewer trees means less carbon is locked up
trees burnt releases carbon through COMBUSTION
microorganisms feeding on dead wood release carbon through RESPIRATION
explain why the destruction of peat bogs adds more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere
peat bogs are acidic and plants don’t fully decay. Peat stores carbon which is released when burnt COMBUSTION
Microorganisms break down peat when bogs are drained - they release carbon through RESPIRATION
what are abiotic factors
ABIOTIC = NON-LIVING
change in environment eg moisture, temperature, light levels, oxygen etc
give 4 examples of abiotic factors that could affect a plant species
moisture levels
light intensity
temperature
carbon dioxide level
wind intensity
oxygen level
soil ph and mineral contents
what adaptions allow organisms to survive
structural - shape and colour
behavioural - migration, hibernation
functional - processes inside organism’s body
what is an extremophile
something that is adapted to live in extreme conditions eg deep sea, high salt lakes, volcanos (bacteria)
name a secondary consumer
fox (eats rabbit which eats grass)
name 2 ways processes which release carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere?
RESPIRATION
COMBUSTION
