ecosystems + sampling w quadrats

• organisms compete for:

  food

  water

  Space

  light

  mate

  CO2/O2
• interdependence


  organisms depending on eachother for survival, when this happens a community is formed
• abiotic factors


  non-living factors found in ecosystems

  e.g

  *soil pH/mineral content

  *moisture levels

  *CO2/O2 concentration

  *temperature

  *light
• biotic factors


  *impact of other organisms on an ecosystem

  e.g

  pathogens

  predator & prey competition

  food
• food chains

  *show direction of biomass/energy transfer between organisms
• food chains 2

  producer (plants/algae)

  primary consumer (herbivore/omnivore)

  secondary consumer (carnivore/omnivore)

  tertiary consumer (carnivore)
• food chains 3

  apex predators:

  *always at the top of the food chain as they have no natural predators

  organisms exist in TROPHIC LEVELS & their population will fluctuate