Unit 9 (Ecovology ) Flashcards
(40 cards)
Predators definition
Animals that hunt or prey on other animals are called predators
Ecosystem definition
The living organisms in a particular area, together with the non-living components of the environment.
An ecosystem is the interaction between a community of living organisms and their environment.
Community definition
A community is two or more populations of organisms.
Food chain definition
A sequence (usually shown as a diagram) of feeding relationships between organisms, showing which organisms eat what and the movement of energy through trophic levels.
Food webs definition
A network of food chains, showing how they all link together.
Producers definition
Producers “produce” their own food by harnessing energy ( and using inorganic molecules) from their surroundings . They begin food chains .
Primary consumer definition
The name given to an organism that eats a producer. Always a herbivore.
Secondary consumer
An organism that obtains its energy by eating the primary consumer.
Prey
Organisms that predators kill for food.
Decomposes ( 4)
Decomposers are organisms ( bacteria and fungi), which break down dead organisms in a process called decomposition or rotting. They do this by releasing enzymes onto the dead matter and afterwards, consume the broken down substances. They form a vital role in the recycling of matter. When organisms die and decompose plants absorb the broken down nutrients through their roots.
Abiotic factor
Non-living elements of an ecosystem, such as climate, temperature, water, and soil type.
Biotic factors
Living elements of an ecosystem, such as plants and animals.
Symbiotic relationships
Any ecological relationship that requires species to live in close proximity to each other
Hwo is energy lost between teh sun and plants
From the Sun to the plant (producer), energy is lost when light is reflected off the leaf or passes through the leaf missing the chloroplasts. However, with no shortage of sunlight, this is not an issue.
Why is energy lost between each Trophic level ? ( 3 points )p
Energy is lost due to:
The whole organism not being eaten (skeleton and fur left behind).
Not all the food being digested – some passes out of the animal in excretion or egestion.
Energy being lost as heat in respiration and therefore not being passed onto the next level. Respiration provides the animal with energy for movement, reproduction and growth
Adaptations of the tapeworm as a parasite
- body covered by mucus to protect against host’s digestive juices
- no digestive system needed as food has already been digested
-long, thin body
gives large surface areas for absorbing food - head has
hooks and suckers to hold onto the gut wall
Functions of prey and predator
Provide a source of food and energy in the ecosystem
Parasitism (2)
Symbiosis is a close ecological relationship between the individuals of two (or more) different species, sometimes one species benefits at the other’s expense.
Parasitism occurs when an organism (the parasite) lives on or in another organism (the host) at the expense of the host.
Mutualism
Mutualism is a type of symbiotic relationship where all species involved benefit from their interactions.
Example of mutualism
The oxpecker bird is a type of African starling that eats ticks, fleas and other insects attached to large mammals such as buffalo and rhinoceros. The oxpecker is a type of cleaner species.
The oxpecker benefits from a source of food while the mammal is cleaned of parasites that feed on its blood.
Amnesalism
Amensalism describes a relationship in which one species is unaffected but harm other species. Ex. Secreting a toxin
Competition
Two organisms fight for the same resource, such as food or mates
Secondary host
A host in which a parasite lives while it completes a developmental stage of its life cycle
Predator prey cycle ( option 1 - not food related )(4)
Predator-prey cycles:
There are always more prey than predators.
The number of predators increases because there are more prey, so there is more food for them to eat.
The number of prey reduces because there are more predators, so more get eaten.
The number of predators reduces because there is less prey so less food.
