ecology

• habitat - the place where organisms live
• population - all the organisms of one species in a habitat
• community - the populations of different species living in a habitat
• ecosystem - the interaction of a community of all living things interacting with the non living parts of their environment
• in order to survive and reproduce plants need:

  • water
  • space
  • nutrients
  • light
• in order to survive and reproduce animals need:

  • space (territory)
  • water
  • mates
  • food
• interdependence is when species within a community depend on eachother for food, shelter, and mating
• stable community: a community in which the population sizes of all species remain fairly constant over time
• a decrease in light intensity or CO2 levels or temperature could affect the rate of photosynthesis in a plant species and affect its growth
• a decrease in mineral content in soil causes mineral deficiencies which could affect plant growth
• red and grey squirrels live in the same habitat and eat the same food but the grey squirrels outcomplete the red causing their population to decrease
• structural adaptions are the body structure shape or colour:

  • artic fox have white fur the camoflage with snow
  • whales have a thick layer of fat to help retain heat
  • camels have long eyelshes 2 sets to help keep sand out of their eyes
• 
  

  behavioural adaptations are they way organisms act and behave:

  • birds migrating to warmer climates during winter
  • wolves hunting in groups to increase chances of survival
  • plants grow quickly towards light
• physiological adaptations are the ecological niches and functions organisms have to survive:

  • snakes producing venom
  • fish are cold blooded to cope with cold waters
  • plants release nectar to attract bees
• producers make their own food using energy from the sun
• producers are green plants and algea
• when producers photosynthesise

  1. they make glucose
  2. this glucose is used to make biological molecules
  3. these biological molecules make up the plants biomass
  4. this biomass is energy stored in the plant so when animals eat the plant energy will transfer from the plant to the animal
• 1. producer
  2. primary consumer
  3. secondary consumer
  4. tertiary consumer
• using quadrats is to study the distribution of organisms
• using a transect to help find out how many organisms are distributed across an area

  • an organism can be less common as you get closer to a hedge ore more common as you get more out into the field
• transect = line drawn through habitat
• quadrat = square frame placed on ground or water
• the water cycle:

  1. energy from the sun makes water on land and sea to evaporate into water vapour
  2. this water vapour rises as warm air rises but as it get colder up in the air the water cools and condenses to form clouds
  3. water falls from clouds as precipitation and this water is fresh for plants and organisms to use through transpiration
  4. this water then drains into the sea
• decay- is when microorganisms break down or digest materials like dead matter and put it back into the soil
• decay happens faster in moist warmer and oxygen rich areas as microorganisms are more active
• 1.Green plants and algae absorb CO2 during photosynthesis, reducing the amount of carbon in the atmosphere
• 2.The absorbed carbon is used to make glucose, which can be turned into carbohydrates, proteins, and fats
• 3.Plants and algae release some of their carbon into the atmosphere when they respire
• 4.Plants and algae can be eaten by animals, transferring the carbon in their bodies through a food chain to the animal
• 5.When animals respire, they release carbon into the atmosphere
• 6.When plants and animals die, microorganisms feed off their remains
• 7.Carbon is returned to the atmosphere when microorganisms respire
• 8.Burning of fossil fuels adds CO2 into the atmosphere
• plants use carbon to make glucose which will turn into carbon compounds like carbohydrates fats proteins
• decomposition can produce compost
• compost is decomposed organic matter or just food waste and is great for natural fertiliser
• microorganisms can be fungi and bacteria or detrius feeders
• the rate of decay is affected by temperature as warmer temperatures increase enzyme work but if its too hor decomposition will slow down as enzymes are beinng destroyed
• the rate of decay is affected by oxygen availability as organisms need oxygen to respire
• the rate of decay is affected by water availability as organisms need water to carry out biological process(decay)