Unit 3 - Life On Earth

Created by

Holly Miskelly

Cards (63)

What is Biodiversity? 
The variety of living things in a defined area.
What is a Population? 
All the organisms of the same species living in the same area.
What is an Ecosystem? 
All the organisms living in an environment and the non-living components with which the organisms interact.
What is a Habitat? 
The place where an organism lives.
What is a Niche? 
The role an organism plays within its community.
What is a Community? 
All the organisms in an ecosystem.
What is a Producer? 
A plant at the beginning of a food chain.
What is a Consumer? 
An animal in a food chain that eats something else.
What is a Herbivore? 
An organism that only eats plants.
What is a Carnivore? 
An organism that only eats animals.
What is an Omnivore? 
An organism that eats both plants and animals.
What is Prey? 
An organism that is hunted by a predator.
What is a Predator? 
An organism that hunts prey.
What is Interspecific Competition? 
When individuals of different species compete for one or a few resources they require.
What is Intraspecific Competition? 
When individuals of the same species compete for all the resources they need.
What are living components in an ecosystem? 
Animals, Plants, Bacteria
What are non-living components in an ecosystem? 
Light, Water, Soil
When does competition occur? 
Lack of resources.
What do plants compete for? 
Light, Water, Space
What do animals compete for? 
Food, Water, Shelter
What are Abiotic [non-living] factors? 
Light Intensity, pH, Temperature
What are Biotic [living] factors? 
Disease, Food Availability, Predation
What are factors that may increase biodiversity? 
Increased Moisture Levels, Warm Temperatures, Good Food Availability
What are factors that may decrease biodiversity? 
Extreme Temperatures, Over Grazing, Too Many Predators
How can we measure Light Intensity? 
Light Meter, User casting a shadow over the meter, User stands to one side to prevent casting a shadow on the sensor.
How can we measure Soil Moisture? 
Moisture Meter, Moisture left on probe from previous reading, Make sure probe is wiped dry between readings.
How can we measure Soil pH?
pH Meter, Soil left on probe from previous reading, Make sure probe is wiped dry between readings.
How can we sample Plants? 
Quadrats, Human Judgement - Deciding if a plant is inside or outside the quadrat, Use basic rules to keep counting consistent.
How can we sample Animals? 
Pitfall Traps, Animals may escape or be eaten, Cover the trap and keep hidden from predators.
What is an Indicator Species? 
By their presence, absence, or abundance indicate levels of pollution in the environment.
What is Photosynthesis? 
The process by which green plants use energy from sunlight to make their own food. It takes place inside the chloroplasts of plant cells.
What is the summary equation for photosynthesis? 
Light Energy
Carbon Dioxide + Water → Sugar + Oxygen
What is stage 1 of photosynthesis called? 
Light Reactions
What is stage 2 of photosynthesis called? 
Carbon Fixation
What happens in stage 1 of photosynthesis? 
The light energy from the sun is trapped by chlorophyll in the chloroplasts. Some light energy is converted into chemical energy which is used to generate ATP. The remaining light energy is used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. Oxygen diffuses from the cell.
What happens in stage 2 of photosynthesis? 
The ATP and hydrogen generated from the light reactions and carbon dioxide from the air are combined. They are converted into sugar during a series of enzyme controlled reactions.
What are the limiting factors of photosynthesis? 
Temperature, Light Intensity, Carbon Dioxide Concentratiom
How can energy be lost along a food chain? 
Heat, Movement, Undigested Materials
What is a pyramid of numbers? 
They represent the number of each organism at each level in a food chain, they can be irregularly shaped.
What is a pyramid of energy? 
They represent the amount of energy at each level in a food chain, they are always pyramid shaped.