Topic 5 Flashcards
(116 cards)
What is the biosphere?
The part of earth inhabited by living organisms
What is organic matter?
- proteins, triglycerides, polysaccharides and nuclei acids
- will be broken down via hydrolysis into soluble monomer units
Describe abiotic
An ecological factor that is part of the non-living or physical environment of an organism
Describe biotic
An ecological factor that is part of the living environment of an organism
Describe autotroph
An organism that builds up the organism molecules it requires from small inorganic molecules
- AKA producers
Describe heterotrophs
An organism that gains its nutrients by feeding on other organisms
- break down complex organic molecules and then will build up the organic molecules it needs
- AKA consumers
Describe producer
An organism that can make its own organic compounds from inorganic compounds
- start of all food chains
Describe primary consumer
An organism that consumes plant material for its food
- herbivore
Describe secondary consumer
An organism that feeds on primary consumers
- carnivore
Describe predator
An organism that kills another organism before eating it
Describe trophic level
The position an organism occupies ina food chain
Describe decomposer
A microorganism that lives by breaking down organic compounds in dead material and other waste products into carbon dioxide, water and mineral ions
- release digestive enzymes
- bacteria and fungi
- specialist heterotrophs
Describe detritivore
A primary comsumer that feeds on dead organic matter called **detritus
- complex organisms
- digestive enzymes inside
Describe food chain
A sequence that represents the way in which energy is transferred from one organism in a community to another
Define ecosystem
A community of living organisms and their physical environment in an area, which is self-sustaining
Define habitat
The environment with a distinct set of conditions where a species or a group of species live
Define community
Populations of living things interacting with each other in a habitat or ecosystem
Define population
A group of interbreeding organisms of the same species living together in the same area at the same time
Give examples of abiotic factors
- temperature of air,soil and water
- humidity
- edaphic (soil) factors
-composition
-compaction
-pH, moisture - water availability
- air quality
- light intensity
- wave action
- pollution
- natural disasters
- mineral ion conc.
- rainfall
- space
- topography (landscape)
- climate
- water O2 content
- wind speed and direction
- altitude
- gradient
- aspect (direction)
- salinity
Give examples of biotic factors
- competition -Interspecific/intraspecific
- mutualism
- Parasitism
- trampling
- population size
- species pop. Size
- human interference
What is intraspecific competition
Competition within species
What is interspecific competition
Between species
What are anthropogenicfactors
Factors caused by humans
Define niche
The role on organism plays ina habitat