adaptations, interdependence and competition

• state the levels of organisation in an ecosystem

  • individual
  • population
  • community
  • ecosystem
• what is an ecosystem

  the interaction between the living components and non-living components
• state the factors that plants may compete for

  • light
  • space
  • water
  • mineral ions from soil
• state the factors that animals might compete for

  • food
  • mates
  • territory
• what is intraspecific competition

  competition within a species
• what is interspecific competition

  competition between different species
• what is interdependence

  different species in an ecosystem depend on each other for various resources, if one species is removed, the whole community may be affected
• what is a stable community

  a community in which all the biotic factors (the different species) and all abiotic factors are balanced so that population sizes remain relatively constant
• what are abiotic factors

  non-living factors
• state the abiotic factors that may affect an ecosystem

  • light intensity
  • temperature
  • moisture
  • soil ph and mineral content
  • wind intensity and direction
  • carbon dioxide level
  • oxygen level
• why might light intensity affect an ecosystem

  different species of plants might have different optimum light intensities for growth
• why does temperature affect an ecosystem

  different species of plants and animals may have different optimum temperatures for growth and survival
• how does soil ph affect an ecosystem

  certain plants may grow better in either acidic or alkaline soil

  soil ph may affect the appearance of the plant e.g colour
• how does moisture level affect an ecosystem

  many plants cant survive in water logged soil as their roots cannot respire

  certain plants are adapted to high moisture levels
• how does wind intensity affect an ecosystem

  plant seeds are more likely to germinate in locations with lower wind intensity, which may also attract animals that depend on the plant to live near by
• how does soil mineral content affect an ecosystem

  most plants require a high level of soil minerals to grow wel
• give an example of a plant that has adapted to low mineral soil content

  carnivorous plants catch insects to compensate for low level of soil mineral content
• how does carbon dioxide concentration affect an ecosystem

  higher carbon dioxide concentration lead to higher plant growth
• how does oxygen concentration affect an ecosystem

  aquatic animals cannot survive in areas with low concentration
• state the biotic factors that may affect an ecosystem

  • food
  • new predators
  • new pathogens
  • competition
• what are adaptations

  features that enable organisms to survive in their living environment
• what are organisms living in extreme conditions called

  extremophiles
• give three examples of extreme living environments

  • high temperature
  • high pressure
  • high salt concentration
• state an example of where extremophile bacteria can be found

  in deep sea vents