Ecosystems

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  • Created by: Esme.B
  • Created on: 22-02-18 13:29
Define the key term, 'Habitat'?
The place where an organism lives.
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Define the key term, ' Population'?
All of the organisms of one species in a habitat
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Define the key term, 'Ecosystem'?
The interrelationships between living organisms and non-living things
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Define the key term, 'Community'?
All the populations of different species who live in the same place at the same time + can interact with each other
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Define the key term, 'Producer'?
An organism that produces organic molecules using sunlight energy, i.e. plants
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Define the key term, 'Consumer'?
An organism that eats other organisms, i.e -animals + birds
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Define the key term, 'Decomposer'?
An organism that breaks down dead or undigested organic material i.e- bacteria + Fungi
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Define the key term, 'Trophic level'?
A stage in a food chain occupied by a particular group of organisms, i.e - producers are the first trophic level in a food chain
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Why are ecosystems considered dynamic?
Changing all the time - all living things interact with each other and with their physical environment.-constantly changing due to predator/prey numbers, nutrient levels, birth rates, mortality rates, immigration, emigration etc
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Define the key term, 'Biotic factor'?
The living components of an ecosystem, i.e - the presence of predators + food
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Define the key term, 'Abiotic factor'?
The non-living components of an ecosystem, i.e - temperature, PH, salinity, rainfall + Topology (shape of land)
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Define the key term, 'Niche'?
The role a species plays in an ecosystem
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What's a 'niche' often described as?
An organism’s role within its ecosystem. It encompasses its food source, habitat, physiology and behaviour.
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What does 'Natural selection' ensure in terms of niche?
ensures that organisms are adapted to a specific niche.
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What is 'interspecific competition' a result of?
when there's an overlap between the niches of two species in the same ecosystem
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What is the level at which an organism feeds is called?
its trophic level
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Cyclic changes?
Changes that repeat themselves in a rhythm i.e- movement of tides + changed in day length
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Directional changes?
Changes that are nit cyclic. Go in one direction + last long. i.e- deposition of silt in an estuary or erosion of coastline
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Unpredictable/erratic changes?
No rhythm + no constant direction i.e- the effects of lightening + hurricanes.
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Examples of 'Biotic factors'?
Producers, consumers, decomposers
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Examples of 'Abiotic factors'?
PH, relative humidity, temperature + concentration of pollutants
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What's the main route energy enters an ecosystem?
Photosynthesis ( some energy enters sea ecosystems when bacteria use chemicals from deep sea vents as an energy source)
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What are plants referred to as?
Producers (during photosynthesis plants convert sunlight energy into a form that can be used wide spread)
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What do plants store energy as?
Biomass.
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Definition of 'Biomass'
The mass of living material, i.e: the mass of plant material
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What is another word for 'energy transfers'?
Biomass transfers
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How is energy transferred through a living organisms?
Energy is transfered when organisms eat other organisms.
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How does this chain of 'Consumers' work?
Producers are eaten by organisms called, 'Primary consumers'. / 'Primary consumers' are eaten by 'secondary consumers' / 'secondary consumers' are eaten by 'tertiary consumers'
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What do 'Food chains' + 'Food webs' show?
How energy is transferred through an ecosystem.
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What do 'Food chains' show?
Simple lines of energy transfer.
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What do 'Food webs' show?
Lots of 'Food chains' in an ecosystem and how they overlap.
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What happens to the things that can't be consumed (eaten), i.e -bones + faeces?
Gets recycled back into the ecosystem by decomposers.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Define the key term, ' Population'?

Back

All of the organisms of one species in a habitat

Card 3

Front

Define the key term, 'Ecosystem'?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

Define the key term, 'Community'?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Define the key term, 'Producer'?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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