Ecosystems

• ecosystems

  where all the animals and plants that live in that area
• interdependence

  when one organism relies on another
• factors of interdependence

  • animals eat other animals
  • plants producing food from photosynthesis
  • animals eat plants
  • animals pollinate plants
  • plants needing nutrients from decay
• biotic factors

  is the living part of an ecosystem
• abiotic factors

  the non-living factors of the environment that affect the organisms in the environment
• biotic factors

  • availability of food
  • new predators arriving
  • new pathogens
  • competition
• abiotic factors

  • light intensity
  • temperature
  • moisture levels
  • CO2 levels
  • wind intensity
  • O2 levels
  • soil pH & mineral content
• adaptations

  the ability of an organism to change in response to its environment
• adaptations allow organisms to survive
• 3 types of adaptations

  • structural
  • behavioural
  • functional
• structural adaptation

  features of an organisms body structure

  • arctic fox - white fur to camouflage
  • camel - thin layer of fat to lose heat
• behavioural adaptation

  the ways organisms behave

  • swallows - migrate to warmer climates to avoid problems in cold conditions
• functional adaptations

  things that go inside an organisms body

  • brown bear - hibernate over winter lowering metabolism so that they dont have to hunt when there is not much food out
• extremophiles

  microorganisms that live in extreme conditions
• conditions that may be extreme

  • high temperatures
  • high salt concentration
  • high pressure
• trophic levels

  the different stages of food chains
• food chains can be divided into trophic levels
• trophic levels

  A) producer

  B) primary consumer

  C) secondary consumer

  D) tertiary consumer

  E) apex predator

  
• food chains/web

  A) food chain

  B) food web

  
• biomass

  mass of living material in an organism
• a pyramid of biomass shows the relative mass of each trophic level
• biomass diagram

  A) pyramid of biomass

  
• biomass transfer

  the loss between each trophic level
• efficiency = biomass transferred to next level/biomass available at previous level x 100