Cards (26)

  • Define an ecosystem
    • the interaction of a community of living organisms (biotic) with the non-living (abiotic) parts of their environment.
  • What do organisms require in order to survive and reproduce?
    Supply of materials :
    • from surroundings
    • other living organisms
  • What did animals in a community or habitat compete for?
    • food
    • mates
    • territory
  • Define the term interdependence
    • Within a community each species depends on other species.
    • If one species is removed it can affect the whole community
  • Examples of what organisms depend on each other for
    • Food
    • Shelter
    • Pollination
    • Seed dispersal
  • Define a stable community and effect on the population 

    • where all the species and environmental factors are in balance.
    • population sizes remain fairly constant.
  • What do plants in a community or habitat often compete with each other for?
    • Light
    • Space
    • Water
    • Mineral ions
  • What are 'abiotic factors'?
    • non-living factors
  • What are 'biotic factors'?
    • Living factors
  • 7 examples of abiotic factors
    • Light intensity
    • Temperature
    • Moisture levels
    • Soil pH & Mineral Content
    • Wind intensity & Direction
    • Carbon dioxide levels for plants
    • Oxygen levels for aquatic plants
  • 4 examples of biotic factors that affect communities :
    • Food availability
    • New predators arriving
    • New pathogens
    • one species outcompeting another so the numbers are no longer sufficient to breed.
  • 3 types of adaptations in communities :
    • Structural
    • Behavioural
    • Functional
  • Define what is meant by an adaptation
    • Features that enable organisms to survive in conditions in which they normally live in.
  • What are extremophiles? 

    • Organisms that live in environments that are very extreme.
  • Example of extreme conditions : 

    • High temperature, pressure, salt concentration
  • Examples of extremophiles
    • Bacteria that live in deep sea vents
  • Abiotic : Light intensity
    • light is required for photosynthesis
    • rate of photosynthesis affects growth of plant
    • plants can be food sources or shelters for other organisms
  • Abiotic : Temperature
    • temperature affects rate of photosynthesis as there are enzymes controlling photosynthesis
  • Moisture levels
    • animals and plants need water to survive
  • Soil pH and mineral content
    • soil pH affects rate of decay and how rate of mineral ions return to soil, then absorbed by plants.
    • different species of plants thrive in different nutrient concentration levels
  • Wind intensity and direction
    • wind affects the rate of transpiration
    • transpiration affects temperature of plant, rate of photosynthesis since it transports water and mineral ions to the leaves
  • carbon dioxide levels
    • carbon dioxide affects the rate of photosynthesis
    • affects the distribution of organisms as some thrive in higher carbon dioxide concentrations
  • oxygen levels in aquatic animals
    • levels of oxygen water vary
    • most fish need high concentration of oxygen to survive
  • Increase in food availability
    • organisms can breed more successfully and therefore populations increase
  • New pathogens
    • When a new pathogen arises in a population that has no resistance, so is wiped out rapidly
  • Competition
    • If one species is better adapted to the environment than another, then it will outcompete it until the numbers of lesser adapted species insufficient to breed