Module 4

Question 1

Environment

Answer 1

Both the living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) surroundings of an organism.

Question 2

Biome

Answer 2

Large regional system characterised by a major vegetation type (e.g. desert). Region with similar ecosystems grouped together.

Question 3

Population

Answer 3

Group of organisms of the same species living in the same area at a particular time.

Question 4

Niche

Answer 4

The place of a species within a community involving relationships with other species.

Question 5

Ecosystem

Answer 5

A community together with its environment; any environment containing organisms interacting with each other and the non-living parts of the environment (e.g. rainforest and freshwater pond).

Question 6

Species

Answer 6

Groups of similar individuals that can reproduce fertile offspring (e.g. humans).

Question 7

Community

Answer 7

Groups of different populations in an area or habitat.

Question 8

Habitat

Answer 8

The place where an organism lives.

Question 9

Ecology

Answer 9

Study of the relationships living organisms have with each other and their environment.

Question 10

Abiotic selection pressures

Answer 10

• Light
• Temperature
• Water
• Shelter
• Topography

Question 11

Predator prey

Answer 11

One organism kills and eats the other as prey.

e.g. rabbit and fox

Question 12

Competition (Interspecific)

Answer 12

Two organisms from different species need the same resources

e.g. kangaroos and cows - grass

Question 13

Competition (Intraspecific)

Answer 13

Two organisms from the same species need the same resources

e.g. 2 prides of lions challenging for meat

Question 14

Allelopathy

Answer 14

Plants/trees release chemicals that inhibit the growth of other trees
e.g. Eucalyptus leaves release chemicals that leach into the soil so other trees can’t grow.

Question 15

Parasitism

Answer 15

One benefits, the other is hindered.

e.g. Fleas and ticks that live on dogs and cats (live on host)

Question 16

Commensalism

Answer 16

One benefits while the other neither benefits or is to its detriment.
e.g. whales and barnacles

Question 17

Mutualism

Answer 17

Both organisms benefit.

e.g. shark and remora

Question 18

Competition in plants

Answer 18

Plants compete for ground space, for sunlight and water.

Many plant species have fast growing seedlings as the tallest quickly spreads its leaves to receive the most sunlight.

Some plants even secrete allopathic chemicals into the soil to inhibit the growth of plants next to them.

Question 19

What doe abiotic factors show?

Answer 19

provide evidence to show changes in such things as climate, volcanic activity,
atmospheric oxygen, sea levels.

Question 20

What do biotic factors show?

Answer 20

such as fossils show evolution and type of organisms over geological time

Question 21

What do igneous rocks show?

Answer 21

tell of past volcanic episodes and can also be used to age-date certain periods in the past.

Question 22

What do sedimentary rocks show?

Answer 22

often record past depositional environments (e.g deep ocean, shallow shelf, fluvial) and usually contain the most fossils from past ages.

Question 23

What do metamorphic rocks show?

Answer 23

tell us about plate tectonic movements and how the continents were shoved together and pulled apart.

Question 24

What is ice core drilling?

Answer 24

Gas bubbles trapped in ice cores can be analysed to give data about the past composition of the Earth’s atmosphere over time.