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Biology > Topic 7 - ecology (in GCSE) > Flashcards

Topic 7 - ecology (in GCSE) Flashcards

1
Q

4 levels of organisation in an ecosystem

A

Individual, population, community and ecosystem

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2
Q

What is an ecosystem

A

The interaction between the living component and non-living components

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3
Q

State the 4 factors that plants may compete for

A

Light, space, water and mineral ions from the soil

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4
Q

State the 3 factors that animals may compete for

A

Food, mates and territoy

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5
Q

What is intraspecific competition

A

Competition within a species

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6
Q

What is interdependance

A

Different species in an ecosystem depend on each other for varioud resources, if one species is are removed, the whole community may be afected

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7
Q

Wat is a stable community

A

A community in which all the biotic factors and all the abiotic factors are balanced so that population sizes remain relitively constant

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8
Q

What are abiotic factors

A

Non-living factors

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9
Q

State 5 abiotic factors that may affect an ecosystem

A

Light intensity, temp, moisture, wind intensity and direction, soil pH, carbon dioxide/oxygen levels

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10
Q

What may light intensity affect an ecosystem

A

Different species of plants have different optimum ligh intensities

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11
Q

Why does temperature affect an ecosystem

A

Different species of plants and animals have diffeent optimum tempertures for growth and survival

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12
Q

Why does soil pH affect an ecosystem

A

Certain plants may grow better in either alkaline or acidic soil, soil pH may affect the appearance of the plant

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13
Q

Why does wind intensity affect an ecosystem

A

Plant seeds are more likely to germinate in locations with lower wind inensity

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14
Q

Example of plants that have adapted to low soil mineral content

A

Carniverous plats that catch insect to compensate for the low levels of minerals in the soil

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15
Q

4 biotic factors that mau affect an ecosystem

A

Food availability, new predators, new pathogens, competition

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16
Q

Define population

A

A species that occupy the same habitat

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17
Q

Define habitat

A

The place in which an orgnism lives

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18
Q

Define community

A

Populations of different species interacting

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19
Q

What do food chains show

A

the feeding relationship of different organisims and the flow of energy between the organisms

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20
Q

Define biomass

A

The total dry mass of living material

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21
Q

What are biotic features

A

living factors

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22
Q

What do arrows show in a food chain

A

The direction of biomass transfer

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23
Q

Describe a general food chain

A

Producer-> primary consumer -> secondary consumer -> tertiary consumer

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24
Q

What is a producer

A

An organism that makes it’s own food

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25
Q

What types of organisms are producers

A

Photoynthetic organisms, that trap the energy from the sun

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26
Q

What is a primary consumer

A

An organism that feeds on producers

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27
Q

What is a secondary consumer

A

An organism that feeds on primary consumers

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28
Q

What is interspecific competition

A

Competition between different species

29
Q

What is a tertiary consumer

A

An organism that feeds on secondary consumers

30
Q

What is a predator

A

A consumer that kills and eats other animals

31
Q

What is prey

A

An animal that is killed and eaten by another animal

32
Q

Describe the pattern of predators and prey in a stable community

A

The number of predators and prey rise and fall in cycles

33
Q

What apparatus is used to measure the abundance and distribution of organisms in an area

A

Quadrat

34
Q

What apparatus is used to study the distribution of organisms across a gradiet

A

Belt transect

35
Q

When considering the abundance of organisms, what is meant by the term ‘mean’

A

The average number of organisms

36
Q

How is arithmetic mean calculated

A

Sum of each number of each organism divided by the totl number of ach type of organisms

37
Q

Why have humans’ consumption of resources and waste production increased

A

Rapid rise in population, increased in standard of living

38
Q

3 places polution occurs

A

air, land, water

39
Q

3 examples of water pollutants

A

sewage, fertiliser and chemicas

40
Q

How does eutrophication occur

A

Fertilisers from farms pollute water and cause excessive growth of algae which depletes the oxygen content in water so animals die, dead plants and animals are decomposed by bacteria which decreases oxygen levels further

41
Q

2 examples of air pollution

A

Smoke, acidic gases

42
Q

2 examples of land polution

A

chemicals, landfill waste

43
Q

How materials cycle through the living and non-living componants of an ecosystem (4)

A
  • Organsims take in elements from their surroundings, e.g. soil,air
  • Elements converted to complex molecules which become biomass
  • Elements transferred along food chains
  • Elements returned to the environment during excretion and decomposition of dead organisms
44
Q

3 molecules cycled through ecosystems

A

Oxygen, Carbon dioxide, water

45
Q

Describe the carbon cycle (4)

A
  • Plants fix carbon dioxide into organic molecules during photosynthesis
  • THE organic carbon-containing molecules arepasses onto organisms that eat the plants
  • Carbon dioxide is released back inot the atmosphere by respiration from animals and plants
  • Burning fossil fuels also release carbon dioxide inot the atmosphere
46
Q

Why is the carbion cycle important

A

Carbon-containing molecules like glucose are important for living organisms to grow and provide energy for vital funmctions within cells

47
Q

Describe the water cycle (4)

A
  • water from lakes and oceans evaporates
  • Evaporated water condenses inot clouds and returns to earth as precipitation
  • Water from precipitation is useful for life on land
  • Water then returns to rivers and oceans through surface run-off
48
Q

Why is water cycle important

A

L:iving organisms require water and the cycle provides organisms on land with a continuous supply of water

49
Q

Why microorganisms important for material recycling

A

Return carbon to environment by releasing carbon dioxide when respiring when decomposing dead matter. Decomposition of material returns mineral ions to soil to be used for other organsims

50
Q

What is decomposition

A

The breakdown or dead material inot simpler organic matter

51
Q

How decomposers decompose dead matter

A

Release enzymes which catalyse breakdown of dead material inot smaller molecules

52
Q

2 types of decomposition

A

Aerobic decomposition and anaerobic

53
Q

3 factors that affect rate of decomposition

A

Oxygen availability
temperature
water content

54
Q

Why oxygen needed in decomposition

A

Most decomposers require oxygen for aerobic respiration

55
Q

How decomposition still occurs without oxygen

A

Some decomposers can respire anaerobically, but it is slower as less energy is produced

56
Q

How water content affects decomposing rate

A

Need water to survive
Water needed for secretion of enzymes and absorbtion of dissolved molecules
but waterlogged soil reduces oxygen so rate decreases

57
Q

How temp affects decomposition rate

A

50 degrees is optimum, then denatures

58
Q

What is compost

A

Nutrient rich product of the rapid decay of waste biological material in optimum conditions set by gardeners and farmers

59
Q

How compost used

A

Natural fertiliser to promote crop and garden plant growth

60
Q

Describe how biogas generators work

A

Provide methane gas for fuel through anaerobic decomposition that occur in animal waste

61
Q

4 Human activities that reduce land available for animals and plants

A
  • Building
  • Farming
  • Quarrying
  • Landfill
62
Q

Why have peat bogs been destroyed

A

To produce compost to increase food production

63
Q

Why does destruction of peat bogs greatly contribute to greenhouse effect

A

They stored carbon and buring them has released a large volume of carbon dioxide

64
Q

How to calculate efficiency of biomass transfer

A

(Energy transfered/ total energy) x 100

65
Q

% of incident energy from light for photosyntheis producers transfer

A

1%

66
Q

% of biomass from one trophic level to another

A

10%

67
Q

4 reasons biomass transfer not 100%

A
  • Egestion
  • Excretion removes waste products
  • respiration where large amounts of glucose is used
  • Parts of organism is inedible
68
Q

4 biological factors affecting food security

A
  • Rising birth rate
  • Changing diets
  • New pests and pathogens
  • Increased agriculture cost

Biology (9 decks)

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