Biotic and Abiotic Factors, Adaptations, Extremophiles, Levels of Organisation, Trophic Levels and Biomass

What do plants need to survive

- space
- light
- water
- carbon dioxide
- oxygen
- mineral ions
- warmth

What do animals need to survive

- food
- water
- oxygen
- shelter

Ecosystem

All the organisms and the environment they live in

Population

A group of the same species that live in a particular area

Community

All the different organisms that live in a particular area

Habitat

The area in which an organism or population lives

Interdependent

When two organisms are dependent upon each other

Factors that change and affects community can be split into what

Biotic and Abiotic factors

What are biotic factors

living factors

What are abiotic factors

non living factors

Biotic factors which can affect a community ...

- availability of food
- new predators arriving
- new pathogens
- one species out competing another so the number aren't sufficient to breed

Abiotic factors which can affect a community ...

- light intensity
- temperature
- moisture levels
- soil pH and mineral content
- wind intensity and direction
- carbon dioxide levels for plants
- oxygen levels for aquatic animals

Stable community

a community that changes little over time

What changes a stable community

A regular change like the changing of the seasons

What is meant by the term competition

Something which rivals compete for a winning result like for a resource that may be limited

What are three things animals compete for

- food
- shelter
- territory
- mates

Competition for food

- Herbivores compete for the same types of plants
- Carnivores competed for prey
- Prey also compete with each other not to be eaten

Competition for mates

- compete in different way to win the privilege of mating with a female
- some males fight to show off their strength
- some display themselves to get the females attention

Competing for territory

- setting up and defending a territory is vital
- many animals use urine of faeces to mark their territory

What makes a successful competitor

- adapted to be better at finding food or mates
- avoid competition with other species eg. don't feed on food other animals do

Name two adaptations an animal which eats grass could have

- could be camouflage
- smaller so closer to the ground

Name two adaptations an animal which is hunted by many could have

- speed
- good senses

What do plants compete for

- light
- water
- nutrients
- space

Why do plants compete for light

for photosynthesis

Why do plants compete for water

for photosynthesis and keeping tissues rigid and supported

Why do plants compete for nutrients

to stay healthy and to make chemicals like chlorophyll and build proteins

Why do plants compete for space

allows roots to take in as much water and nutrients as possible and for their leaves to capture light

Systematic sampling

sampling at regular intervals

Human teeth

- meat is cooked so we need smaller canines
- plants are easy to chew so we don't need sharp teeth to eat them

Herbivore teeth

- flat occlusal surfaces
- good for grinding plant and grain material
- don't have canines

Carnivore teeth

- more pointed on their occlusal surface; slightly curved toward back of mouth
- good for holding prey, tearing, cutting, shredding

Omnivore teeth

- eats uncooked food so needs large canines to rip apart the meat
- has some smaller teeth as they eat plants

Extremophiles

organisms that survive and reproduce in extreme environments

Structural adaptation

organisms that survive and reproduce in extreme environments

Food chain

shows which organisms eats other organisms

Arrows in a food chain

shows flow of energy

Primary consumer

animals that feed on producers

Secondary consumer

eat primary consumers

Tropic Level

each step in a food chain or food web

Biomass

- the total mass of organisms in a given area or volume.
- all biomass is built up using energy from the sun
- biomass is often measured in grams
- is made by plants and passed on through food chains or food webs

Producer

An organism which produces its own food e.g. a plant

Consumer

An animal which eat something else for food e.g. humans

Predator

An animal which hunts other animals for food e.g. a fox

Prey

An animal which is hunted by another animal e.g. a rabbit

Herbivore

An animal which only eats plants e.g. a cow

Carnivore

An animal which only eats other animals e.g. a lion

What percentage of energy is transferred at each level

10%

What is an example of the energy transfer in a food chain

Oak Tree -> (10%) apid -> (1%) ladybird -> (0.1%) ladybird parasites = 90% energy lost each tropic level

What ways is energy lost in a food chain

MRS GREN

Which of the two main ways energy is lost in a food chain

Respiration and excretion

what is a pyramid of number

A diagram to show the number of organisms in that level

How are pyramids of number drawn

Drawn by the width of the bar showing the number of organisms but the height is the same drawn as a bar chart stacked on top of each other

Transfer of biomass decrease

decrease = original number - new number

Transfer of biomass percentage decrease

percentage decrease = (Decrease/original number) x 100

Transfer of biomass increase

Increase = new number - original number

Transfer of biomass percentage increase

percentage increase = (Increase/original number) x 100

Biomass lost in faeces

Material that can't be digested is egested as faeces eg. bones, hooves, claws

Biomass lost in faeces in Herbivores

herbivores cannot digest Celulose as they do not have the enzymes

Biomass lost in faeces in Carbivores

Carnivores mainly eat protein which can be digested

Biomass lost in the waste

1) Excess protein broken down and lost
2) Excess water passed out as urine
3) Glucose used in respiration, has waste products
4) During respiration energy is transferred to the environment
5) Movement requires respiration, energy lost to surroundings by warming muscles

Controlling constant body temperature

Mammals and birds warm their surroundings as they respire all the time to keep body temperature constant

Biomass of decomposers

1) Detritivores and decomposers not usually on pyramids of biomass/number
2) Probably have highest biomass as breakdown undigested and dead

What do decomposers do

breakdown the biomass that has passed in waste and digest dead bodies of plants and animals

Efficiency of biomass

measures the proportion of biomass transferred from I lower trophic level to a higher one

Efficiency of biomass equation

efficiency of biomass transfer(%) = find mass available after transfer(g or kg) / biomass available before transfer(g or kg) x 100

What is meant by the term recycling

Converting waste into reusable material

What is a decomposer

Organism which feed on waste and dead organisms

What is the importance of water to living organisms

It is required for survival and carries nutrients and waste around the body

Why is material in the living world recycled

Recycle to provide building blocks for future organisms

What do decomposers breakdown

decomposers Breakdown waste and dead animals and plants

What do decomposers do with the substances they've broken down

They recycle the organic matter needed for building blocks

What are decomposers

A group of Micro organisms that include bacteria and fungi

What do decomposers feed on

Dead organisms

What are some types of detritus feeders or detrivores

- Earthworm
- fungi
- beetle
- maggots
- worms

What do decomposers use some of the nutrients for

reproduction, releasing carbon dioxide, water and mineral ions as waste

Where do decomposers return mineral ions

To the soil

What do plants take in through their roots

The minerals decomposers have returned to the soil, plants use them to make proteins and other chemicals

What does decay return to the atmosphere

Carbon as carbon dioxide that are used by producers for photosynthesis

How do decomposers clean up the environment

By removing bodies of all dead organisms

What is the decay cycle

How nutrients cycle through the environment

The decay cycle

Natural system process; decomposers , bacteria, and fungi, break down waste and dead organisms returning nitrogen they contain back into the soil.

Steps of the decay cycle

- Producers are eaten by consumers
- consumers die/consumers excrete
- decomposes break down dead bodies and waste materials
- decomposers return nitrates into soil/ consumers returns carbon dioxide into the air
- mineral ions nitrates into plants through roots/ carbon dioxide enters plants through photosynthesis

Condensation

As moist air rises it cools, water vapour condenses back into liquid water droplets producing clouds

Precipitation

As water droplets in clouds get heavy are they fall as rain, snow or hail

Evaporation

The Sun heats the Earth surface and water is tan from liquid into water vapour forming moist

Transpiration and respiration

Loss of water vapour from plants and animals directly to the atmosphere

What is water important for

Survival as water is vital to life

The water cycle

evaporation, cloud formation, condensation, precipitation

Percolation

Water trickles through gaps in soil and rocks

Process of respiration

- water passes through bodies of animals and plants
- animal releases water in urine, faeces and sweat
- plants release water via transpiration

Name a decomposer

A group of micro organisms including maggots, worms, fungis and beetles

Name four parts of the water cycle

Condensation, evaporation, precipitation and respiration

Carbon facts

Carbon is everywhere and diamond is made of carbon atoms

The carbon cycle steps

photosynthesis, respiration, decay, burning fossil fuels

1. Photosynthesis

Plants take in carbon and fix it as a sugar

Photosynthesis equation

water + carbon dioxide --> glucose + oxygen

2. Aerobic respiration

Both animals and plants respire releasing carbon

Respiration equation

glucose + oxygen --> carbon dioxide + water

3. Combustion

Release carbon when fossil fuels are burnt

Combustion equation

Fuel + oxygen -> carbon dioxide + water