Ecology

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What is an ecosystem?
An ecosystem is the interaction of a community of living organisms (biotic) with the non-living organisms (abiotic) partsof their environment
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How do they survive/reproduce?
Organisms require a supply of materials from their surroundings and from other living organisms there
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What are the staple things every plant/animal may need?
light,space,water,mineral ions and food
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What is interdependence?
When each species depends on other species for food,shelter, pollination and seed dispersal. However if one species is removed it can affect the whole community
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What is a stable community?
Where all the species and environmental factors are in balance so that the population sizes remain fairly constant
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What is an abiotic factor?
non living factors that affect a community
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Examples of abiotic factors
light intensity,temperature,moisture levels,soil pH mineral content,wind intensity and direction,carbon dioxide levels for plants and oxygen levels for aquatic animals
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What is a biotic factor?
living factors that affect a community
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Examples of biotic factors
availability of food,new predators arriving,new pathogens and one species outcompeting another so the numbers are no longer sufficient to breed
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What is an adaptation?
A feature of an organism that enable them to survive in the conditions in which they normally live.
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What are extremophiles?
Organisms that live in environments that are very extreme such as high temp,pressure or salt concentration. Bacteria living in deep sea vents are extremophiles
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What is a food chain?
A chain that represents the feeding relationships within a community. They all begin with a producer which synthesises molecules
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What two methods can you use to determine the distribution and abundance of a species in an ecosystem
quadrats and transects
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What is the classification order of the animal kingdom?
Kingdom,Phylum,class,order,family,genus and species
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What is the classification order of the human kingdom?
animal,chordata,mammals,primates,hominids,homo and sapiens
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Why are/should all materials be recylcled
To provide the building blocks for future generations
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What does the carbon cycle do?
The carbon cycle returns carbon from organisms to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide to be used by plants for photosynthesis
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What does the water cycle do?
The water cycle provides fresh water for plants and animals on land before draining into the seas. Water is continously evaporated and precipitated
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What is the role of microorganismsin terms of material in an ecosystem?
returns carbon to the atmosphere as CO2 and mineral ions to the soil
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What is biodiversity?
The variety of all the different species of organisms on earth or within an ecosystem
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What is meant when you have a 'great biodiversity'
ensures the stability of ecosystems by reducing the dependence of one species on another for food,shelter and the maintenance of the physical environment
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What are the adaptations of a cactus?
thick waxy layer to reduce water loss,stores water in flesh stem,plant surface area is small compared to volume to reduce water loss,some have shallow spreading roots for surface water
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What are the adaptations of a camels head?
Nostrils can close when needed to protect the camel in sandstorms,ears are lined with fur to prevent sand and dust from getting in and long eyelashes protect the eyes from sand and dust
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What are the adaptations of a polar bear?
Eyes have brown irises to reduce th glare from sunlight,greasy fur repels water and keeps the bear dry,skin is actually black to absorb and heat transmitted through the hairs,body surface are is smalll compared to the volume to reduce heat loss
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What are the adaptations of the camels body?
brown coat for camouflage in the desert,fat stored in the hump,loses little water through sweating and urinating,body surface area is large compared to volume,wide feet spreading body weight over sand
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What are the 2 main reasons for more pollution?
human population growth and increase of standard of living meaning more resources are used and more waste is produced
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How can pollution occur?
in water,from sewage,fertiliser,toxic chemicals,in air,from smoke,acidic gases,on land,landfill and from toxic chemicals
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What can pollution do to plants and animals?
pollution kills plants and animals which can reduce biodiversity
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How do humans reduce the amount of land available?
building,quarrying,farming and umping waste
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What does the decay or burning of the peat release?
it releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere
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what has large scale deforestation in tropical areas led to?
provide land for cattle and rice fields and grow crops for biofuels
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

How do they survive/reproduce?

Back

Organisms require a supply of materials from their surroundings and from other living organisms there

Card 3

Front

What are the staple things every plant/animal may need?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What is interdependence?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

What is a stable community?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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Comments

15igallagher

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hey sara!

KhadijahSheikh

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hi gal

Sara Ameen

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hi iona I HOPE YOU'RE EVISING

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