b7 - ecology

• define habitat

  place where an organism lives
• define population

  all of the organisms of a particular species that live in that habitat
• define community

  all the populations of different species that live together in a habitat
• define biotic factors

  living factors of an environment
• define abiotic factors

  non-living factors on an evironment
• define ecosystem

  the interaction of a community of living organisms with the non-living parts of their environment
• state what plants compete for

  • water and mineral ions
  • space
  • light
• state what animals compete for

  • foods and water
  • space (territory)
  • mates
• define interdependence

  when all species depend on other species. if one species is removed then the whole community could be affected
• state the eight abiotic factors

  • light intensity
  • temperature
  • moisture levels
  • soil pH
  • soil mineral content
  • wind intensity and direction
  • carbon dioxide levels for plants
  • oxygen levels for aquatic animals
• state four biotic factors

  • predation
  • availability of food
  • amount of disease
  • competition (resources + habitat)
• state the three adaptations that enable organisms to survive in their conditions they usually live in

  • structural
  • behavioural
  • functional
• what are structural adaptation?

  the physical features of an organism
• what are behavioural adaptations?

  the behaviour of an organism
• what are the functional adaptations?

  the processes that take place within an organism
• state three examples of structural adaptions

  • the colour of the organism
  • the shape of the organism
  • protective body
• what is an extremophile

  microorganism that lives in very extreme environments like high temperatures, pressure and salt conc
• what type of organisms are often extremophiles?

  archea and bacteria
• what happens to most of the energy as it passes along a food chain?

  most of the energy is lost to the surroundings
• what is biodiversity?

  the variety of different species on earth or within an ecosystem
• give three reasons why maintaining high biodiversity is important

  • it increases the stability of ecosystems so that changes to it won't cause huge effects
  • many medicinal drugs come from organisms
  • many species provide specific services such as producing oxygen, pollinating crops