Factors in the environment affecting survival

Question 1

The environment of an organism is made up of the __________ (living) and the ________ (non-living/physical) surroundings.

Answer 1

biotic

abiotic

Question 2

The environment provides requirements for…….(3 things)

Answer 2

Survival
Growth
Reproduction
A limited supply of any requirement therefore affects survival

Question 3

The requirement/resource that is least readily available is called the ________ _________.

Answer 3

Limiting factor

Question 4

What is a niche?

Answer 4

• Each species has one
• where a species persists and its functional roles in its environment (e.g. resources it uses effects on other species).

Question 5

The abundance and distribution of a population can change over time because they are affected by biotic and abiotic factors such as:

Answer 5

1. Characteristics of the environment
2. Characteristics of the organism
3. Interactions between organisms

Question 6

Characteristics of the environment (abiotic factors (non-living))

Answer 6

• climate- day length/hours of light and darkness; timing and length of wet season; seasonal temperature differences; diurnal (day- night) temperature
• Light availability
• Temperature
• Water availability
• o2 availability
• mineral nutrient availability (soil type, salinity and fertility)

Question 7

Abiotic factors in aquatic ecosystems

Answer 7

• Water (volume of water)
• pH
• Light
• Oxygen and carbon dioxide
• Nutrients
• Temperature
• Salt

Question 8

O2 is needed by every living thing for respiration. CO2 is needed by _____________ organisms.

Answer 8

Photosynthesising

Question 9

Diffusion of O2 is slower in _____ compared to ________.

Answer 9

water

air

Question 10

Movement of the water helps to ________ the dissolved __________ ___ content.

Answer 10

increase

gas content

Question 11

Gases are ______ in water. they _____ where the water is in contact with the air (i.e. at the surface)

Answer 11

soluable

dissolve

Question 12

Aquatic plants and algae produce ____ during ______________ (but use it during ___________).

Answer 12

O2
photosynthesis
respiration

Question 13

______ __________ water has more dissolved compared to still water

Answer 13

Fast moving

Question 14

The amount of dissolved gas also ________ as temperature _____.

Answer 14

Decreases

Rises

Question 15

Organisms do not function well when outside their tolerance limits for temperature

Answer 15

yeah thats about it :)

Question 16

What is the benefit of waves, waterfalls and rapids?

Answer 16

They help oxygen dissolve into water

Question 17

Organisms can have adaptations to currents and waves including….

Answer 17

cling to surfaces in fast moving water or to rocks on the shoreline or to withstand heavy wave action

Question 18

Buoancy

Answer 18

Organisms in water are subject to an upwards buoyancy

Question 19

The force of buoyancy supports organisms without __________.

Answer 19

Skeletons (e.g. jellyfish)

Question 20

Abiotic factors in terrestrial (land) ecosystems

Answer 20

• soil water
• rainfall
• humidity
• soil pH
• solar radiation (light)
• soil nutrients
• temperature
• soil salinity

Question 21

What is water availability?

Answer 21

how much water is able to be accessed by living organisms in an environment

Question 22

Availability varies depending on ___________.

Answer 22

rainfall

e.g. arid areas receive

Question 23

What is humidity?

Answer 23

Humidity is the amount of water vapour in the air

Question 24

Due to _________ __________ of water between an organism and the outside air ________ lose a lot of ________ in dry air by evaporation )e.g. in desert), and lose less very humid air (e.g. in tropics).

Answer 24

concentration gradients
organisms
water

Question 25

_________ and _______ is measured with a ___ _________.

Answer 25

Acidity Alkalinity pH scale

Question 26

Some plants prefer acid soils, others prefer alkaline soils. Therefore, influences types of organisms able to survive

Answer 26

that's all :)

Question 27

What does pH influence?

Answer 27

influences how well nutrients can be absorbed by plant roots.

Question 28

When is diurnal temp difference on land extremely variable?

Answer 28

the further you move north and south away from the equator and as you move inland away from the coastline

Question 29

example of diurnal temp

Answer 29

desert daytime max 45 degrees, night 2 degrees

Question 30

How does living near large bodies of water help reduce diurnal fluctuation in temp?

Answer 30

This is because the water retains warmth from the sun during daytime exposure.

Question 31

Soil nutrients (minerals and nitrogen compounds) are _______ by plants to be used for _____ __________, ________ and _____________.

Answer 31

Absorbed cell functioning growth and reproduction

Question 32

What is salinity caused by?

Answer 32

Caused by a rise in the water table where land had been cleared of deep rooted tree species.

Question 33

some plant species can tolerate low levels of soil salinity, most species cant and therefore dont survive in salinity affected soils

Answer 33

yuh huh that's it

Question 34

All species have tolerance limits- what are tolerance limits?

Answer 34

the upper and lower limit of a factor in the environment within which the species i able to survive (e.g. temperature, oxygen concentration).

Question 35

Characteristics of the organism

Answer 35

- organism's structure and behavious - defence mechanisms for survival - mode of obtaining food - mode of reproduction - temperature and O2 level requirements

Question 36

Interactions between organisms (these are biotic factors (living))

Answer 36

- availability of food - competitors (other organisms competing for resources and space) - predators - disease and parasites