Biology: Ecosystems Yr 9

Biology -> Ecosystems -> Jacaranda 9

Give an example of a predator-prey relationship.

Sharks and marine animals, or snakes and mice.

Give an example of mutualism.

Lichen, which consists of a fungus and an alga living together.

How can changes in predator populations affect ecosystems?

Changes can lead to unexpected effects on other populations within the ecosystem.

How can measuring abiotic factors in a habitat help scientists?

It provides information on the abiotic requirements for a particular organism in that habitat.

How did Indigenous Australians use fire in their environment?

Fire was used for hunting and clearing land, which helped attract grazing animals and manage vegetation.

How do bilbies detect food in the dark?

They use their sharp hearing and long, sensitive nose and whiskers.

How do competition and predation influence ecosystem dynamics?

They shape species interactions and community structure by determining resource availability and population control.

How do decomposers obtain their energy and nutrients?

They obtain energy and nutrients from dead organic matter.

How do fungi and bacteria contribute to the ecosystem?

They break down organic matter, converting it into mineral nutrients that can be reused by producers.

How do guard cells regulate water loss in plants?

Guard cells control the opening and closing of stomata based on the plant's water needs.

How do humans interfere with natural ecosystems for agriculture?

By clearing land, controlling populations of other organisms, and creating monocultures.

How do northern pacific sea stars threaten marine ecosystems?

They are voracious predators with no natural competitors, threatening biodiversity and shellfish aquaculture.

How do perennial xerophytes survive periods without water?

They rely on the storage of water in specialized leaves, stems, or roots.

How do pesticides affect non-target species?

They can harm other species within the ecosystem, disrupting food webs.

How do plants protect themselves from herbivores?

By using physical structures like thorns or chemical defenses that are distasteful or poisonous.

How do scientists ensure that quadrat sampling is representative of the total area?

By counting organisms in multiple quadrats across the area.

How do some Australian animals cope with limited water supplies?

They may put reproduction on hold, produce concentrated urine, or possess water collection structures.

How do symbiotic relationships affect evolutionary processes?

They can drive co-evolution, where species adapt in response to each other's changes.

How do xylem vessels support plants?

Xylem vessels have strong, thick walls that help hold up and support the plant.

How does a decrease in producers affect herbivores?

If the number of producers decreases, herbivores will also decrease in number.

How does energy flow through ecosystems?

Energy flows through food chains from producers to consumers.

How does mutualism contribute to biodiversity?

It fosters interdependence among species, enhancing ecosystem stability and resilience.

How have species in Australian ecosystems adapted to survive natural disasters like bushfires?

Some species have developed strategies such as fire-resistant traits or the ability to regenerate quickly after fires.

How is the estimated average density of organisms calculated?

Estimated average density = (total number of individuals counted) / (number of quadrats × area of each quadrat).

How many ATP molecules are produced during aerobic respiration?

36-38 ATP.

How many buildings were destroyed during the 2019-2020 bushfires in Australia?

Over 5900 buildings.

How much ATP is produced during anaerobic respiration?

2 ATP.

Name two common examples of decomposers.

Fungi and bacteria.

Provide an example of commensalism.

Remora fish swimming beneath sharks, benefiting from scraps without harming the sharks.

What adaptation do pythons have to locate their warm-blooded prey?

They possess heat-sensitive pits in their lower jaw that contain thermoreceptors.

What adaptations do flowers have for bird pollination?

Bird-pollinated flowers are often red, pink, or orange and have tubular shapes with nectar inside.

What adaptations do flowers have for insect pollination?

Insect-pollinated flowers are often brightly colored, have scents, and provide nectar.

What adaptations do flowers have for wind pollination?

Flowers that use wind pollination are usually not brightly colored and have feathery stigmas to catch pollen.

What adaptations help some Australian plants survive bushfires?

Features that allow rapid regeneration or require fire for seed germination, such as those seen in banksia species.

What adaptations might herbivores develop to cope with plant defenses?

Herbivores may evolve specialized feeding strategies or digestive systems to overcome plant defenses.

What are consumers in an ecosystem?

Consumers are organisms that obtain their nutrition by consuming other organisms, as they cannot produce their own food.

What are detritivores and provide an example?

Detritivores feed on dead or decaying organisms; for example, dung beetles.

What are ectoparasites?

Parasites that live on the external surface of their host, such as fleas and ticks.

What are endoparasites?

Parasites that live inside their host, such as flatworms and roundworms.

What are first-order consumers also known as?

Primary consumers.

What are omnivores?

Omnivores are consumers that eat both plants and animals; for example, humans.

What are parasitoids?

Organisms that are halfway between predators and parasites, killing their hosts shortly after laying eggs inside them.

What are primary consumers and give an example?

Primary consumers are herbivores that eat plants; for example, koalas.

What are some adaptations of drought-tolerant plants?

Small narrow leaves, leaves that hang vertically, grey or silver foliage, furry texture, water-retaining succulent leaves or stems, modified or absent leaves, and pendant branches.

What are some examples of chemical pest control methods?

Insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, and fumigants.

What are some examples of natural disasters?

Droughts, fire, flood, lightning, landslides, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, and tsunamis.

What are some strategies that species have developed to survive bushfires?

Adaptations such as thick bark, deep roots, and the ability to sprout after fire.

What are stomata and their role in plants?

Stomata are tiny pores that allow gas exchange (oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water vapor) between the atmosphere and plant cells.

What are the consequences of large wildfires in Australia?

They can lead to loss of life, property damage, and destruction of habitats, affecting ecosystems significantly.

What are the end products of anaerobic respiration in humans?

Lactic acid (or lactate).

What are the main nutrients added to soil after harvesting monoculture crops?

Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

What are the male and female reproductive organs of a flower?

The male organ is the stamen (anther and filament), and the female organ is the pistil (stigma, style, and ovary).

What are the primary functions of roots in plants?

Roots anchor plants and help them obtain oxygen, water, and mineral salts from the soil.

What are the steps involved in investigating an ecosystem?

1. Identify organisms using keys and field guides. 2. Determine the number or density of different species. 3. Determine the distribution of species.

What are the threats to Australian native plants due to global warming?

Global warming and scarcity of water threaten their survival.

What are the three main components of a species' niche?

Habitat (where it lives), nutrition (how it gets food), and relationships (interactions with other species).

What are the three main types of members in an ecosystem?

Producers (autotrophs), consumers (heterotrophs), and decomposers.

What are the three types of symbiotic relationships?

Parasitism, mutualism, and commensalism.

What are the two main categories of consumers based on their food source?

Herbivores and carnivores.

What are the two main components of an ecosystem?

Biotic parts (living organisms) and abiotic parts (non-living environment).

What are the two main types of tubes in vascular plants?

Phloem and xylem vessels.

What are xerophytes?

Plants adapted to survive in deserts and other dry habitats.

What can happen when a new species is introduced to an ecosystem?

It may compete for resources with existing species, potentially leading to a reduction in those populations.

What can the distribution of species in an ecosystem indicate?

It can indicate the health and balance of the ecosystem.

What defines a population in biological terms?

A population consists of individuals of the same species living in the same area at a particular time.

What defines a predator-prey relationship?

A relationship where one species kills and eats another species.

What distinguishes secondary and tertiary consumers?

They are carnivores that eat other animals, with secondary consumers eating primary consumers and tertiary consumers eating secondary consumers.

What do ecological pyramids illustrate?

They model the flow of energy, recycling of matter, and relationships between organisms in an ecosystem.

What do plants and yeasts produce during anaerobic respiration?

Ethanol and carbon dioxide.

What do plants release as a waste product of photosynthesis?

Oxygen gas.

What does a pyramid of biomass show?

The dry mass of organisms at each trophic level.

What does a sigmoid growth graph represent?

Population growth that levels off when resources become limited.

What ecological impact do cane toads have?

They occupy water habitats, kill native tadpoles, and are poisonous to animals that eat them.

What environmental impact did the 2019-2020 bushfires have in Australia?

They caused hazardous air pollution and led to multiple states of emergency in New South Wales, Victoria, and the Australian Capital Territory.

What environmental issue can arise from fertilizers entering waterways?

Eutrophication, which can lead to algal blooms and the death of aquatic organisms.

What factors influence population distribution and density within a habitat?

The match between environmental conditions and the needs of organisms.

What factors influence population growth?

Birth rate, death rate, immigration, emigration, available resources, predators, and disease.

What happens during anaerobic respiration in muscle cells?

Glucose is converted into lactic acid.

What happens to a plant when it does not have enough water?

The plant may wilt as water moves out of cell vacuoles, causing cells to become flaccid.

What happens to soil when plant roots are removed by rabbits?

Soil becomes loose and can be carried away by wind and rain, leading to further ecological problems.

What happens to the wastes produced by decomposers?

Their wastes are returned to the environment to be recycled by producer organisms.

What happens when a population reaches its plateau phase?

The birth and death rates balance, resulting in zero population growth.

What is a common behavioral adaptation of many Australian animals to cope with high daytime temperatures?

Many are nocturnal, being active only at night.

What is a community in ecological terms?

A community is formed when a population interacts with many different populations of other species in the same area.

What is a key advantage of anaerobic respiration?

It produces energy at a faster rate, which is helpful for quick bursts of energy.

What is a pyramid of numbers?

It indicates the population or number of organisms at each trophic level.

What is a quadrat and how is it used in ecosystem studies?

A quadrat is a sampling area (often 1 square meter) used to estimate the distribution and abundance of stationary organisms.

What is a symbiotic relationship?

A close ongoing relationship between two organisms of different species, where at least one benefits.

What is a transect and when is it used?

A transect is a method used to sample organisms along a line, useful when environmental conditions vary.

What is a trophic level?

Each feeding level in a food chain.

What is an ecological niche?

The specific role of a species in an ecosystem, including its habitat, nutrition, and relationships.

What is an ecosystem?

An ecosystem is when communities of organisms interact with each other and their non-living environment, comprising both biotic and abiotic parts.

What is an ephemeral xerophyte?

A plant with a very short life cycle that completes its life in the brief period when water is available after rainfall.

What is an introduced species?

A species that has been released into an ecosystem where it does not naturally occur.

What is ATP?

A form of energy that cells can use, produced during cellular respiration.

What is back-burning and how does it help prevent wildfires?

Back-burning is the controlled setting of fires to reduce flammable vegetation, minimizing the risk of uncontrolled wildfires.

What is bioaccumulation?

The process where non-biodegradable pesticides magnify in concentration along the food chain.

What is biological control in pest management?

Using natural predators or competitors to reduce pest populations without harming other species.

What is carrying capacity?

The maximum population size of a species that an ecosystem can support.

What is cellular respiration?

A series of chemical reactions in cells that transforms the chemical energy in food into adenosine triphosphate (ATP).