Topic 5 Flashcards
(90 cards)
What is an ecosystem?
Ecosystem = all the organisms living in a particular area and all the abiotic factors
What is a habitat?
Habitat = the place where an organism lives
What is a population?
Pop. = all the organisms of one species in a habitat
What is a population size?
Pop. size = the no. of individuals of one species in a particular area
What is a community?
Community = all the organisms of dif. species that live in the same habitat
What is the bioshpere?
Biosphere = the part of the Earth, and its atmosphere, that’s inhabited by living organisms
What is abundance?
Abundance = the no. of individuals of one species in a particular area
Same as pop. size
What is distribution?
Distribution = where a species is w/n a particular area
Why does abundance vary?
- Abundance varies b/c of abiotic factors
When conditions are ideal an organism can grow fast and reproduce successfully
E.g a surrounding ideal temp for metabolic reaction = no energy needed to maintain body temp
More energy for growth and reproduction = abundance ↑s
What happens when conditions for organisms aren’t ideal?
When conditions aren’t ideal an organism can’t grow fast or reproduce successfully
E.g when surrounding temp is lower/ higher than what is ideal for metabolic reactions = energy is needed to maintain body temp
Less energy for growth and reproduction = abundance ↓
Abundance also varies b/c of biotic factors
Abundance also varies b/c of biotic factors
Interspecific competition = competition b/w dif. species
- Will compete for the same resources
- Resources available for both are reduced
- Meaning abundance is limited to resources available
- b/c energy is used searching for resources rather than growth and reproduction
What is intraspecific competition?
Intraspecific competition = competition w/n a species
Abundance ↑s when resources are plentiful (1)
Higher abundance = more competition for the same amount of resources
Resources become limiting = pop. decline (2)
Lower abundance = less competition
Resources aren’t limiting = pop. ↑ again (3)
Carrying Capacity = the max stable pop. size of a species that an ecosystem can support
What is predation?
Predation = where an organism kills and eats another organism
- Prey pop. ↑ = more food for predators = predator pop. grows
- Predator pop. ↑ = more prey is eaten = prey pop. falls
- Prey pop. ↓ = less food for predators = predator pop. falls
- Predator pop. ↓ = less prey is eaten = prey pop. grows
How does distribution vary?
Distribution varies b/c of abiotic factors
- Some plants can only grow on south-facing slopes b/c of a greater light intensity
- Some plants don’t grow near shoreline b/c the soil is too saline
- Large trees can’t grow in polar regions b/c of low temps
Distribution also varies b/c of biotic factors
- The better-adapted species will win the interspecific competition
- The other one will be out-competed
What is a niche?
Niche = the role an organism has w/n its habitat
- Inc. it’s biotic and abiotic interactions
- Each species has its own unique niche
- A niche can only be occupied by one species
- There’ll always be a slight diff.
Can abundance vary b/c of niches?
YES!
- Species occupying similar niches will compete (interspecific competition)
- Less of each species will be able to survive
Can distribution vary b/c of niches?
YES!
- Organisms can only exist where the conditions that make up their role exist
- A lack of certain conditions means a lack of species/ organisms
What are abiotic factors?
Abiotic factors = the non-living features of an ecosystem (oh, look a dead body)
E.g temperature and water availability
What are biotic factors?
Biotic factors = the living features of an ecosystem
Predators and food
How to investigate abundance?
Number of individuals in a sample
Percentage cover
How to conduct sampling?
- Estimates about a whole habitat are based on the samples
Choose an area to sample - Count the no. of individuals of each species - method can change
- Repeat - take as many samples as possible
- Use results to estimate total no.
- When sampling dif. habitats and comparing them, use the same sampling technique
What are the 3 types of sampling?
Random
- Divide a field into grids using a measuring tape
- Use a random number generator to select coordinates
- Avoids bias
Non-Random
- Used in habitats where there’s a lot of variety in abiotic factors/ distribution
- Can make sure all the dif. areas are sampled
Systematic
- Non-random sampling
- Samples are taken at a fixed interval along a line
- Can be done where abiotic factors change gradually = environmental gradient
How to use frame quadrats?
- The quadrats are placed on the ground where you are sampling
- The no. of individuals in each species in each quadrat can be recorded
- Percentage cover of a plant species can also be measured
- Count the square if more than half is covered
- A quick way to investigate pop. rather than counting each individual one
- Used to quickly investigate species that fit w/n a small quadrat
- Can also investigate larger species using tape rather than a frame
What is succession?
Succession = the process of ecosystem change over time