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TOPIC 3 LIFE PROCESSES Flashcards

(60 cards)

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1
Q

Examples of biotic factors

A
  • Food supply
  • Pollination
  • Seed dispersal
  • Disease
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2
Q

Examples of abiotic factors

A
  • Light
  • pH
  • Water
  • Mineral nutrients
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3
Q

Wat is a random mutation?

A

A random change in the DNA sequence of an organism

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4
Q

Why is a species with a large gene pool more likely to survive?

A

Larger range of traits and potential adaptations to occur

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5
Q

What is likely to happen when a species receive a random advantageous mutation?

A

Increase their chance of survival and ability to reproduce

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6
Q

What is likely to happen when a species receive a random negative mutation?

A

Most likely to be outcompeted and killed

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7
Q

What is Ecological succession?

A

The process by which the mix of species and habitat in an area changes over time

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8
Q

What is a Sere?

A

The sequence of changes in Ecological Succession during which an uncolonised habitat develops into the climax community

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9
Q

What are Seres often named after?

A

The conditions at the beginning of succession

eg. Water: Hydrosere;
Bare Rock: Lithosere;
Sand: Psammosere.

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10
Q

What is the Climatic Climax Community?

A

The sequence of new species colonising, thriving, then dying out, continues until a final community of species develops which remain dominant as long as the climate does not change.

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11
Q

What are the first organisms to colonise called?

A

Pioneer species

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12
Q

What is a plagioclimax community?

A

A Plagioclimax community is an area or habitat in which the influences of the humans have prevented the ecosystem from developing further

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13
Q

Example of plagioclimax community?

A

Sand dune to do erosion from walking

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14
Q

List the FIVE approaches used to manage the plagioclimax in the UK include

A
  • Grazing
  • Burning
  • Mowing
  • Ploughing
  • Felling at intervals of 8 to 20 years
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15
Q

Why do we manage plagioclimax

A

To maintain an area

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16
Q

What does Grazing do?

A

Prevents habitats such as water meadows from becoming overgrown. It arrests (stops) succession and the dominance of large species

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17
Q

What does mowing do?

A

Preserves lawns and fields

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18
Q

How can burning be used?

A

To maintain habitats rich in plants such as Heather

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19
Q

How can regular felling help sustain plagioclimax?

A
  • Encourages diversity
  • Allows branches to re-grow
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20
Q

What 4 things affects population size?

A

birth rates
death rates
immigration
emigration (moving away)

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21
Q

What is the maximum sustainable yield?

A

an estimate of the greatest exploitation that is possible, without causing unsustainable long-term population decline

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22
Q

What are R-selected species?

A

Species that respond RAPIDLY to low survival rates

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23
Q

What can r-selected species do and an example?

A

reach sexual maturity quickly
eg.spiders

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24
Q

What are K-selected species?

A

Species that recover SLOWLY from a decline in population

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25
What can K-selected species not do and an example?
Reproduce quickly eg.elephants
26
What are density interdependent factors?
Factors where population density has no effect on the chances of survival on an individual
27
What are dependent factors?
Factors where the chances of an individual surviving depend on population density
28
Definition of carrying capacity?
Maximum population size that can be supported indefinitely without damaging environment
29
What happens if population rises above carrying capacity?
Density factors become stronger which increases deaths
30
What happens if population drops below the carrying capacity?
Density dependent factors become weaker and population increases
31
How can humans control population?
Culling Captive breeding Introducing species
32
What is taxonomy?
Science of grouping organisms according to similarities in their features
33
What is a species?
Group of closely related organisms that can produce fertile offspring
34
What is evolution?
Process that changes the gene pool of a species - in some cases separating gene pools which will eventually become two or more species
35
What is a habitat?
Area or location in which a species or community live
36
What is an ecological niche?
Role a species plays within its habitat and how it interacts with its habitat
37
What is a population?
All the individuals of a single species that live in a particular area
38
What is a community?
All the members of all the species that live in an area
39
What is an ecosystem?
combination of biotic and abiotic factors of an area
40
What is a biome?
A large geographical region with specific climate conditions within which a characteristics community of species lives
41
What is the biosphere?
All areas of planet earth that are inhabited of living organisms eg.soil,land surface,water and atmosphere
42
What eventually happens to prey population when predator population increases?
Decreases
43
What is primary succession?
Takes place on new surfaces where there has been no previous vegetation or soil formation
44
What is secondary succession?
Takes place where there has been soil or vegetation, but the climax vegetation was not established
45
What is transpiration?
the process by which plants lose water vapor through tiny openings in their leaves, mainly to cool down and help absorb nutrients
46
Outline the steps of succession?
1) A pioneer species which must be adapted to abiotic conditions colonises an ecosystem. 2) When these organisms die, they release organic matter and/or nutrients to the ecosystem 3) This makes the conditions more favourable for other species to colonise the ecosystem. 4) Biodiversity increases. 5) Process continues until a climax community (no new species found) is achieved
47
Define richness and evenness in terms of ecology
Richness: How many different species there are Evenness: A comparison of the number of individuals there are in each species.
48
Define abundance and frequency in terms of sampling
Abundance: Number of given individuals in a given area. Frequency: An estimate of number based on occurrence.
49
What does a high Simpson's Diversity Index mean?
High biodiversity, more stable.
50
What is the Simpson's Diversity Index formula and what does each letter mean?
D = N(N-1)/sum of n(n-1) D = Diversity Index N = Total number of organisms (all species) n = Population of species
51
4 steps of transpiration?
Water absorption Movement through plant Evaporation Cooling and nutrient transport
52
Name 5 factors in population dynamics?
1/ Birth and Death rates. 2/ R-selected and K-selected species. 3/ Factors which affect the mortality rate (Density independent and dependent factors). 4/ Carrying Capacity. 5/ Predator-Prey population relationships. 6/ Artificial Population Control
53
Example of density interdependent factors?
drought flood volcanic eruption
54
Example of density dependent factors?
Disease Food supply
55
What is translocation?
the movement of materials in plants from the leaves to other parts of the plant
56
What abiotic conditions change from high to low during succession?
Temperature extremes Light levels (if shaded by taller plant)
57
What biotic conditions change from low to high during succession?
Importance of inter-species relationships Biomass Biodiversity
58
Give a human activity that can disturb a climax community and create secondary succession?
Tree felling
59
What is artificial population control?
human actions taken to manage or limit the size of animal or plant populations to protect ecosystems
60
Example of artificial population control
E.g. as wolves have been exterminated in Scotland, Red Deer must be culled to prevent over-grazing.

THEOS ENVIRO (8 decks)

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