interdependence of organism

• a food chain is a diagram which shows the flow of energy from one organism to another as they eat one another
• a pyramid of numbers shows the total number of individual organisms at each level in the food chain of an ecosystem
• a pyramid of biomass shows the mass of each organism at each trophic level
• a predator is an animal that naturally preys on others
• a prey is an animal that is caught and killed by another for food
• a consumer is an organism that gets its energy by eating plants or animals
• a producer is an organism that creates its own food or energy
• a herbivore is an organism that eats plants
• an omnivore is an animal or person that eats animals and plants
• a carnivore is an animal that eats other animals
• a top carnivore is a predator that feeds on other animals but are not fed upon
• a primary consumer is an organism that eats other organisms and is not a producer
• a secondary consumer is an organism that eats the remains of another organism, which was eaten by a primary consumer
• bioaccumulation is the process by which a substance builds up in the body of an organism
• an ecosystem is the name given to plants and animals that are found in a particular location, and the area in which they live
• a niche is the role an organism plays in a community
• a community is the number of different species living in an area
• a population is the number of one species living in an area
• a habitat is where an organism lives
• animals compete for:

  • food
  • mates
  • territory
• plants compete for:

  • light
  • water
  • mineral ions
  • space
• competition is the process by which living organisms compete with each other for limited resources
• interspecific competition is between members of different species
• intraspecific competition is between members of the same species
• extremophiles are organisms that are able to survive and reproduce in extreme conditions
• adaptation for insect pollination

  • nectar - food for insects
  • colourful petals - attracts insects
  • sticky pollen - attaches to insect
• adaptations for wind pollination

  • dull petals
  • anthers hang loose - wind blows pollen
  • feathery stigma - traps pollen
  • lots of tiny pollen