Ecosystems and Sustainability Definitions OCR

Unit 2 Module 3 

Ecosystems and Sustainiblity Definitions

From OCR text book and my own notes made from definitions in past mark schemes.

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  • Created by: Estelle
  • Created on: 30-07-13 15:46
Ecosystem
All the living organisms and non living components in a specific habitat and how they interact.
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Community
All the populations of different species living in the same place at the same time, that interact with eachother.
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Climax Community
A final stable community.
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Pioneer Community
The living organisms that first colonise bare ground.
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Population
All of the organisms of 1 species in the same place at same time that can breed together.
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Carrying Capacity
The maximum population size that can be maintained over a period of time in a particular habitat.
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Niche
The role that a species plays in an ecosystem, including interaction with living and non-living things.
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Habitat
Where an organism or population of organisms live.
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Trophic Level
The level that an organism feeds in a food chain.
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Decomposers
Organisms that feed on dead organic matter, releasing molecules, minerals and energy that are availible to living organisms in the ecosystem.
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Chemoautotrophic
Organisms that obtain energy from chemical processes
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Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria
Bacteria that are in the soil or root nodules that convert nitrogen gas into ammonium ions
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Denitrifying Bacteria
Bacteria that convert nitrates into nitrogen gas, under anaerobic conditions, they use the nitrates as a source of oxygen for respiration.
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Net Primary Productivity
(Gross Primary Productivity) minus (energy lost through respiration by plant, representing the energy available to the primary consumer.
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Gross Primary Productivity
Rate at which plants convert light energy into chemical energy by photosynthesis.
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Succession
A directional change in a community over time, starting with pioneer plants and ending with a climax community, goes through recognisable stages.
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Sere
Recognised stage in succession.
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Primary Succession
Development of a community from bare ground
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Secondary Succession
Takes place on a previously colonised but disturbed or damaged habitat
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Deflected Succession
Human activities/other natural activity can halt the natural flow of succession and hold the ecosystem at an earlier stage
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Limiting Factor
A variable that limits the rate of a particular process. If increased the process occurs at a faster rate.
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Pioneer Species
First to colonise a new habitat
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Biotic Factor
Effect of a living component
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Abiotic Factor
Effect of a non living component
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Interspecific Competition
Competition for resources between different species.
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Intraspecific Competition
Competition between organisms of the same species for a resource.
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Biodiversity
The number and variety of organisms found in the world, ecosystem or habitat.
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Conservation
The maintenance of biodiversity, including diversity between species, genetic diversity within species and maintenance of habitats and ecosystems.
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Pollarding
Cutting trees back to the trunk, branches will regrow, wood can be used.
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Coppicing
Cutting trees down to ground level, wood can be used, tree will regrow.
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Dry Mass
Used to construct a 'Pyramid of Biomass'. Calculated by drying an organism in an oven at 80degC to evaporate all the water - hence 'dry'
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

All the populations of different species living in the same place at the same time, that interact with eachother.

Back

Community

Card 3

Front

A final stable community.

Back

Preview of the back of card 3

Card 4

Front

The living organisms that first colonise bare ground.

Back

Preview of the back of card 4

Card 5

Front

All of the organisms of 1 species in the same place at same time that can breed together.

Back

Preview of the back of card 5
View more cards

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