organisation of an ecosystem

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izzy

Cards (76)

Whats an organism
An individual living thing
whats a population 
the number of a particular species living in a habitat
whats a community
lots of different populations living in the area
whats an ecosystem
the interaction of a community off living organisms with the non-living parts of their environment
what do plants compete for
Light, space and water + mineral ions from the soil
what do animals compete for?
food, mates and territory
what does interdependence mean
a species depending on another species
examples of interdependence
pollination, seed dispersal, shelter and food
what is a stable community?
a stable community is one where all the species and environmental factors are balanced so population size remains constant
why is competition important in a community?
it helps maintain the balance
what is an abiotic factor?
a non-living factor
what is a biotic factor? 
a living factor
examples of an abiotic factor 
light intensity, temperature, moisture
examples of biotic factors
new predators, new pathogen, food availability, outcompeting
what is an adaption 
organisms having features which enable them to survive the conditions in which they normally live
types of adaptions
behavioural, structural, functional
examples of behavioural adaptions 
migration, hibernation
examples of structural adaptions 
webbed feet, needles on cacti
examples of functional adaptions 
desert lizard producing concentrated urine
what are extremophiles 
organisms that live in extreme environments with high temperature, salt or pressure
what is an example of an extreme environment 
Yellowstone national park
whats an example of an extremophile 
bacteria in hydrothermal ocean vents
what happens to enzymes in extremophiles 
the enzymes adapt so they dont denature
what are food chains 
feeding relationships within a community
what do food chains begin with 
a producer
what are molecules 
Atoms joined by chemical bonds
examples of producers 
algae, green plant
how do producers create glucose 
through photosynthesis
what is biomass 
the mass of living material in an organism
what eat producers 
primary consumers
what eats primary consumers 
secondary consumers
what eats secondary consumers 
tertiary consumers
what are predators 
those who kill and eat
what is prey
those who are eaten
what happens to predators and prey in a stable communtiy 
the numbers of predators and prey rise and fall in cycles
What dies abundance mean
How many
what can happen to an ecosystem if their is a decline in a certain species 
the whole ecosystem is affected
what are sampling techniques used for 
estimate the size of a population
what is often used for sampling techniques 
quadrants
why is it essential that materials are recycled in the living world
to provide the building blocks for future organisms