Environmental impact HT: Ecology: Biology: GCSE (9:1)

• Environmental change


  A change in the abiotic factors of an environment, can affect the distribution of species in an ecosystem

  
• Distribution of species


  The spread or range of species in a habitat or area

  
• Ecosystem


  The interaction of a community of living organisms with the non-living parts of the environment

  
• Habitat


  The specific area or environment where an organism lives

  
• Biotic and abiotic factors

  Biotic factors are a result of living things in an environment such as food availability, abiotic factors are a result of non-living things in an environment such as temperature

  
• Adaptation


  Organisms have specific features that enable them to survive in the conditions in which they normally live, for example desert foxes have ears with a large surface area to prevent overheating

  
• Temperature

  Some species can only survive within a certain temperature range, if temperatures become too extreme their metabolic rate and enzyme activity is severely affected

  
• Availability of water


  Plants and animals must have a sufficient level of water in order to survive, water is needed for many chemical reactions and to regulate osmotic conditions in the body

  
• Composition of atmospheric gases

  Plants and animals require specific levels of certain gases in order to function effectively, oxygen is essential for aerobic respiration and carbon dioxide is essential for photosynthesis

  
• Sensitivity to gases

  Some organisms are very sensitive to gases, for example many aquatic organisms need specific levels of dissolved oxygen and lichen is very sensitive to sulfur dioxide levels by pollution

  
• Seasonal

  Changes in environmental conditions throughout the year can cause species to migrate, thrive successfully, die out or become dormant

  
• Geographic


  Different regions of the Earth have very different environments with different abiotic factors that can affect the distribution of species found there

  
• Human interaction

  Humans can affect the distribution of species directly through poaching and habitat destruction or via pollution, climate change and the creation of physical barriers

  
• Migration


  The movement of individuals or a population of a species from one area to another, usually to benefit from specific abiotic factors such as ideal climates and plentiful food sources