Unit 5: Ecosystem Flashcards

Question

Describe one adaptation for living in the Savanna Biome

Answer 1

Ability to adapt to water shortages

Answer 2

Ability to live in dry climates

Answer 3

* Camouflage

Answer 4

Fast regrowth

Answer 5

* Coniferous trees produce cones, needles and have thick bark * Deciduous trees have leaves and do not benefit from thickly covered bark

Answer 6

* A graph that shows the trophic levels in a food chain * Inclusions * _Relative number of organisms in each level_. The total number of organisms decreases as go up the pyramid * _Relative amount of energy in each level_. The total amount of energy decreases as go up the pyramid

Answer 7

* Study of the interactions of organisms, interactions include * Their species * Other species * Their environment

Answer 8

* A group of communities living in their physical environment * Examples * Yellowstone Park: this would be all the communities (forest, meadow, lake, etc) & their physical environment (such as soil, rocks, climate, etc) * Large ecosystem: ecosystem of Pennsylvania * Small ecosystem: ecosystem of a rotting log in the forest

Answer 9

* A species that is close to extinction * Examples: hawksbill sea turtle, California condor, black lace cactus, snow leopard

Answer 10

* **Density dependent factors** * act to reduce populations size only when the size reaches a certain point * create _logistic growth_ * examples: food & water, predation, shelter, aggression & fighting, disease, competition * **Density independent factors** * act to reduce population size regardless of the actual size of the population * not involved with logistic growth * examples: natural disasters (fires, floods, earthquakes), weather

Answer 11

* Elephants * Giraffes * Zebra

Answer 12

* **Agricultural value** * _New strains of food crops_. All crops used for food (such as wheat & corn) are modified versions of wild plants. They have been modified (by inbreeding) so that they are high producers (for example, the corn plant produces a lot of corn kernels). Inbreeding reduces genetic diversity and this makes them susceptible to bacteria & viral diseases. If crop is destroyed by infection, we need to turn to wild species to replace it. If species become extinct, we may lose possible sources of new wild plants to modify for food crops * _Natural pest controls_. Organisms like bats prey on insects. They control the population of insects which keeps insects from undergoing logistic growth * _Pollinators_. Organisms such as bees, wasps, birds, butterflies & bats are important pollinators of plants. Pollinations allow for the plant to reproduce. Without pollinators, the producers will suffer (we know from the previous chapter that producers play an essential role in an ecosystem) * **Source of medicines** * most medications (everything from cold medicine to aspirin to diabetes medications) were derived from animal or plant sources. If species become extinct, we may lose possible sources of medications to treat new or existing diseases & lose new sources of antibiotics * **Consumptive use value** * Biodiversity provides goods & products that can be sold for money. Examples of such are fruits & vegetables, plant fibers, and wood

Answer 13

* **Biogeochemical cycles**: Allows for chemicals to cycle effectively. For example, more producers mean more CO2 can be removed from the air * **Fresh water** * **Prevents flood & soil erosion**: Forests areas and open land areas (like fields) provide land to absorb water * **Regulate climate**: Trees provide shade and remove CO26) Ecotourism * **Waste removal**: Decomposers allow for more waste to be broken down

Answer 14

* Population size will constantly increase over time * Most members (females) reach their biotic potential in a given period of time (a year) * Does not occur in natural populations

Answer 15

* Births (+) * Deaths (-) * Emigration (-) * Immigration (+)

Answer 16

A diagram of energy & nutrient transfer in an ecosystem

Answer 17

* Deciduous trees have leaves that fall each season * Coniferous trees have cones & needles

Answer 18

* Heat * Notes: * Some organisms die without being consumed. Bugs that are stepped on. Bones & fur are not consumed. Only 10% of the energy is passed on to the next level of the food chain. * This means 90% is lost in each level (and most is lost as heat)

Answer 19

* **Stable** * _Population sizes_: all populations are in logistic growth * _Concentrations of inorganic chemicals_: the amount of chemical released to the _abiotic_ component is _equal_ to the amount that can be taken up by the _biotic_ components * **Interdependent** * Biotic & abiotic depend upon each other & are influenced by each other

Answer 20

* Carbon * Nitrogen * Phosphorus

Answer 21

* Measures the distance of a location (north or south) of the Equator

Answer 22

* Population (smallest) * Community * Ecosystem * Biome * Biosphere (largest)

Answer 23

1. Chaparral 2. Coniferous forest 3. Desert 4. Polar & high mountain ice 5. Savanna 6. Temperate deciduous forest 7. Temperate grassland 8. Tropical forest 9. Tundra (arctic & alpine)

Answer 24

1. Rain forest 2. Temperate deciduous forest 3. Coniferous forest 4. Tundra

Answer 25

1. Tropical rain forest 2. Temperate deciduous forest 3. Montane coniferous forest 4. Alpine tundra

Answer 26

* Period of exponential growth, but then stops. It levels off & does not increase beyond that point * Occurs because the biotic potential is not reached

Answer 27

* When species resembles another species or object in the environment * _Batesian mimicry (most common)_ * occurs when a harmless species has evolved to imitate the physical appearance and/or behavior traits of a harmful species * example: harmless insects that have evolved the black and yellow coloration pattern of a stinging insect like a bee * _Mullerian mimicry_ * when species with the same defense mechanism have evolved the same coloration pattern * example: the black and yellow pattern of a bee and wasp because both species have the same stinging defense

Answer 28

* Role that a species plays in a community * Not the same as habitat. _Habitat_ is where the species lives

Answer 29

* _Producers_ take in nitrate from the soil. They absorb it through the roots & use nitrogen to form organic compounds * _Primary Consumers_ acquire nitrogen when they eat the plant * _Consumers_ produce waste products containing nitrogen & the consumers leave a dead body containing nitrogen when they die * _Decomposers_ use waste products & dead body as a source of energy. Release nitrate back to the soil as ammonium. Ammonium is eventually converted back to N2 gas (this is done by denitrifying bacteria)

Answer 30

* Conversion of N2 into nitrate * Nitrogen fixation occurs by: * _Nitrogen-fixing bacteria (most common)_ * live in the soil & roots of certain plants called legumes * _Lightening during thunderstorms_ * _Artificially_ * the manufacture of commercial inorganic fertilizers such as Miracle Grow plant food

Answer 31

* When the ground is permanently frozen * Occurs in the Tundra

Answer 32

* _Phosphorus_ leaches from rocks into the soil. Leaching occurs by rainwater washing over rocks. It can be accelerated by acid rain & excavation activities by humans which break rocks into pieces (for example, when clearing a field in order to build houses). * _Producers_ take in phosphorus from the soil. They absorb it through the roots and forms organic compounds * _Primary Consumers_ acquire phosphorus when they eat plants. Phosphorus is passed through the food chain * _Consumers_ produce waste products containing phosphorus & the consumers leave a dead body containing phosphorus when they die * _Decomposers_ use waste products & dead body a source of energy. Release phosphorus back to the soil

Answer 33

* **Found in the tundra** * Short grasses * Sedges * Lichens * Mosses * Dwarf woody shrubs * **NOT found in the tundra** * Trees: roots cannot anchor in the shallow/boggy soil during the brief summer month, and the growing season in the summer is too short

Answer 34

All members of the same species living in a specific area

Answer 35

* When one organism, the predator, feeds on another, the prey * A _density-dependent factor_ regulating population growth

Answer 36

* Winds lack moisture * Annual rainfall is less than 25 cm

Answer 37

* Interaction between species * 3 types * _Parasitism_ * one species benefits but the other species is harmed. * the parasite population size increases but the host population size decreases * _Commensalism_ * one species benefits but the other species is neither benefitted nor harmed * Population size of one increases but the population size of the other is not affected (has a neutral effect on the population) * _Mutualism_ * both species benefit, but may not benefit equally * population size of both increases

Answer 38

* A species that is soon to become endangered * Examples: Northern spotted owl and Coho salmon

Answer 39

* **Disease**. Wild plants/animals are subject to new disease threats just like humans. Many new diseases are caused by humans entering habitats because humans bring these diseases with them. Specific examples include the bird flu (was spread to wild bird populations by chickens), white nose disease in bats (was spread to bats due to humans entering caves during a bat’s winter hibernation) and canine distemper in lions (was spread to lions from dogs). * **Exotic species**: second most important threat. Exotic species are non-native species. They disrupt the stability of the ecosystem especially the food web. * Examples of harmful exotic species: spotted lanternfly on Pennsylvania, pythons in Everglades and zebra mussel in the Great Lakes * **Habitat loss**: is the most important threat. Accounts for 85% of all extinctions * Why are habitats being lost? * Forests are cleared for housing and farmland. This is especially true for the rainforest which is cleared for farmland * Wetlands are drained for housing * Coral reefs are destroyed by human activities which includes boating activities & also pollution * **Overexploitation**. This happens when too many members of a population are taken from the wild. It is caused by overfishing and human demand for exotic plants and animals * **Pollution**: third most important threat. There are many different pollution threats * _Acid rain_: This is when rain is more acidic than normal. It is caused by the disruption of the carbon cycle due to fossil fuel burning. Specifically, the carbon cycle is unbalanced because the amount of carbon released to the abiotic (through fossil fuel burning) is more than the biotic can take up. The result is CO2 builds up in the atmosphere and the presence of CO2 makes rain acidic. Acidic rain kills plants and animals, prevents eggs from hatching, and prevents the hardening of shells in birds * _Ozone depletion_: This is when the ozone layer surrounding the Earth is destroyed It is caused by chemicals such as CFCs and halons. Depletion of the ozone layer means more UV light reaches Earth. Increased UV light impairs plant growth, harms algae, harms fish and frog eggs, and in humans, it causes skin cancer and impairs the immune system. * _Organic chemicals_. This refers to the release of organic pollutants into the environment. These chemicals are found in a wide range of products such as pesticides to dishwashing detergents to plastics. Many of these chemicals mimic the action of hormones especially estrogen and causes cancer and reproductive disorders in both males and females of many species including humans * _Eutrophication_. This refers to the over reproduction (exponential growth) of algae caused by unbalanced nitrogen and phosphorus cycles. The large algae population depletes oxygen in the water so less is available for other organisms. The algae secrete toxins in water which can cause sickness in humans who eat fish and shellfish from the water * _Global Warming_. This refers to an increase in the Earth's temperature. It is caused by an unbalanced carbon cycle from fossil fuel burning. The effects of global warming include melting of ice caps which decreases habitat for arctic species and the rise in sea level decreases the habitat area for land species elsewhere and changes to climate which can cause the extinction of species that cannot tolerate a warmer temperature.

Answer 40

* An organism's place in the food web * Levels 1. _Primary consumer_: the herbivore 2. _Secondary consumer_: eats the herbivore 3. _Tertiary consumer_: eats the secondary consumer 4. _Quarternary consumer_: eats tertiary consumer. Most food chains do not have a quarternary consumer is very rare

Answer 41

* **Producers** * autotrophs (make their own food) * important to an ecosystem because they perform photosynthesis which: * Makes food for other living things * Converts light energy into chemical energy * Converts inorganic chemicals into organic chemicals. For land ecosystems, producers are plants. For water ecosystems, producers are microscopic algae (members of Protist kingdom) * **Consumers** * heterotrophs (eat other living things) * 4 types 1. _Herbivores_: eat only plants 2. _Carnivores_: eat only animals 3. _Omnivores_: eat both plants and animals 4. _Decomposers_: eat dead matter including animal waste products Examples: bacteria, fungi, insects, & earthworms

Answer 42

* Long growing seasons * Note * Range from 140 to 300 days each year, which allows for tree canopies, understory trees, abundant ground life, shrubs and plants, and environments for birds and insects

Answer 43

* **Ecosystem diversity** * having many different ecosystems present in a biome * why is ecosystem diversity important? * Allows for more organisms to live there and allows for processes to occur that directly or indirectly benefit us such as air/water purification, erosion control, and climate regulation * **Genetic diversity** * having many different alleles present in a population * why is genetic diversity important? * alleles allow a population to adapt to changing environments. Outbreaks of Potato blight (Ireland) & citrus canker (Florida) are examples of how low genetic diversity can negatively affect a population. Genetic diversity increases the chance there would be individuals resistant to the pathogens that destroyed these crops

Answer 44

* Due to low soil fertility, the practice of “slash and burn” is sometimes used * Trees are cut and burned, and the resulting ashes are used for providing nutrients for different harvests

Answer 45

* Taiga * Montane coniferous forest * Pacific coast of North America

Answer 46

* Latitudes of about 30 degrees in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres

Answer 47

* Africa * Northern Australia * South America

Answer 48

* Western coast of Canada and the US

Answer 49

* south of the Taiga in eastern North America * eastern Asia * throughout much of Europe

Answer 50

* North American prairies * Russian steppes * South American pampas

Answer 51

* Africa * Areas of South America * Indo-Malayan region near the equator

Answer 52

* South of the polar seas in the Northern Hemisphere * Surrounds the arctic region

Answer 53

* Along coasts that have dry summers and receive most of their rainfall during the winter months

Answer 54

Temperate deciduous forest

Answer 55

* **Most:** Tropical rain forest * **Second-highest:** Temperate rain forest * **Least:** Desert

Answer 56

Grasslands and shrubs

Answer 57

* The soil has low fertility due to the fast recycling of nutrients from litter decomposition

Answer 58

* The annual rainfall is insufficient to support tree growth

Answer 59

* To make organic compounds * carbohydrates * lipids * nucleic acids * proteins

Answer 60

* To make proteins & nucleic acids

Answer 61

* To make phosphorus-containing organic compounds such as nucleic acids & phospholipids and also to make energy * Abiotic reservoir: Phosphorus in rocks * Phosphorus is the most limiting inorganic nutrient for producers in an ecosystem * Phosphorus is the nutrient in the least abundance * Scarce because the phosphorus cycle is very slow (unlike carbon and nitrogen cycles) * Phosphorus acts as a density-dependent factor limiting population growth of plants & algae (recall, algae are producers in an aquatic ecosystem)

Answer 62

* Abundant rainfall and cooler average temperatures compared to tropical rainforests, which has produced some of the tallest conifer trees known * Small sections of this forest are considered old-growth forest because trees average over 150 years of age * Some of these trees are believed to be around 800 years old. Moss, ferns and other plants often grow on tree trunks, contributing to an evergreen environment

Answer 63

* It is a tundra, but due to permafrost, its underlying layer of snowmelt from the summer months is always frozen

Answer 64

It is the richest biome in terms of species diversity.

Unit 5: Ecosystem Flashcards

(88 cards)