Studied by 5 peopleArchaea
Those taht have an ability to survive extreme envoirments. They have evolved the enxymes needed to allow them to survive extraordinary conditions.
Archaea are a group of micro-organisms that are similar to, but evolutionarily distinct from bacteria. Many archaea have been found living in extreme environments, for example at high pressures, salt concentrations or temperatures. These types of organisms are called extremophiles.
Generalist
Can adapt to many differend environments and exploit a wide range of resources (broad niche)
Species can feed on a wide variety of things and thrive in various environments.
Examples: Humans, rats, fox
Generalist Species:
Those species adapted to a wide variety of habitats, food resources, and environmental conditions. They are more likely to survive when conditions change.
Example: Black rats, can survie in a broader range of envoirments.
Specialist
species that eat a limited diet and occupy a much narrower niche.
Have a narrow ecological niche. Will have difficulties adapting to new environments.
Those species adapted to narrow habitats, limited food resources, or other specific environmental conditions. They are often the most vulnerable when conditions change.
Example: The koala. Only lives in Australia. They have a limited region which they live with very narrow set of conditions as they only feed on leaves of the eucalyptus tree.
Species
group of organisms that can reproduce with another in nature and produce fertile offspring.
consisting of similar and capable of exchanging genes or interbreading
Population
group of organisms living in the same geographical area at the same time.
Community
group of people with a common interest or characteristics living together within a larger society.
Multiple species and their interaction make a community.
Ecosystem
geographical area where plants, animals and other organisms, as well as weather and landscape work together to form a bubble of life.
contains both abiotic and biotic factors.
Every factor depends on each other, they all have an affect.
Habitat
A place where organisms make uo its home.
A habitat meets all the envoirmental conditions an organism needs to survive.
Ecologial niche
The ‘home’ of an organism and the jobs they do within that location.
Aerobic respiration
A biological process in which food glucose is converted into energy in the presence of oxygen. The chemical equation of aerobic respiration is as given below-
Glucose (C6H12O6) + Oxygen 6(O2) → Carbon-dioxide 6(CO2) + Water 6 (H2O) + Energy (ATP)
example Humans
Anaerobic respiration
Is respiration using electron acceptors other than molecular oxygen (O2).
Anaerobic respiration is the process in which incomplete oxidation of glucose occurs in the absence of oxygen. It is commonly known as fermentation
This process occurs in three major stages, and one intermediate stage: glycolysis, oxidation of pyruvate, the Krebs cycle, and electron transport.
Photosynthetic nutrition
the source of nutrition are made through photosynthesis
Holozoic nutrition
organisms that take in solid or liquid food internally
when an organism consumes a variety of organic material, which then undergoes a series of metabolic processes such as digestion, absorption, and assimilation.
Mixotrophic nutrition
Neither fully autotrophic or heterotrophic
Example: pitcher plant.
Able to use a combination of methods of generating their nutrition. It is an importnat nutritional strategy that is found in both terrestical and aquatic ecosystems.
Mixotrophy is thought to favour marine environments making up almost all marine plankton.
Mixotrophic microbes are able to photosynthesise like a plant and therefore take in carbon dioxide, but can also take in nutrition like an animal. As they respire they then release carbon dioxide.
Saprotrophic nutrition
Example: mushrooms (fungi), bacteria, yeast
Saprotrophic nutrition is a method by which the organism secretes (to produce and release a liquid) digestive enzymes that are able to break down the dead organic material, including though components of dead plants such as cellulose, heimicellulose and pectin.
hemicelluloses may be branched polymers, while cellulose is unbranched. Hemicelluloses are embedded in the cell walls of plants, sometimes in chains that form a 'ground' – they bind with pectin to cellulose to form a network of cross-linked fibres.
The primary plant cell wall is essential for strength, growth and development of the plant
The enzymes break up the material into simpler molecules which are then absorbed by the organism.
These organisms are vital to break down dead leaves and logs. Without them forest floors would be piled high with organic "litter" so they are really important to recycle carbon and nitrogen from dead organic matter.
Summary: Is used in some fungi and bacteria. This involves the secretion of digestive enzymes followed by the absorption and assimilation of the organic compounds. This method of nutrition is common in decomposers.
Autothropic Nutrition
Uses energy from the sun to generate their nutrition. The word is from greek; auto (self) and trophe (nourishment). Most autothrops use the chemical process of photosynthesis as their source of nutrition. Greek: photos (light), synthesis refers to putting something together. This method uses light energy and converts it into chemical energy;
carbon dioxide + water → oxygen and glucose
6CO2 + 6H2O → C6 H12 O6 + 6O2
Examples: plants, algae asn some prokaryotes.
Chloroplast contains photosyntehtic pigments. They capture the light energy and converts it into organic molecules which can be stored within the plant, algae and prokaryotes. Can be metabolised when needed.
Heterothropic
Need to take their nutrition from external source. Greek; hetero (hetero)
Heterotrophs are known as consumers because they consume producers or other consumers. Dogs, birds, fish, and humans are all examples of heterotrophs. Heterotrophs occupy the second and third levels in a food chain, a sequence of organisms that provide energy and nutrients for other organisms.
Example: most animals, humans.
Holozoic Nutrition
Refers to organisms that take in solid or liquid food internally. Most animals are holozoic. After the food is vought indide the organism, it will be broken down (digested) into organic builing blocks. These are then used to build up new materials for the growth and development of the organis,
Halophiles
Can tolerate extreme salt levels and are called
Others can cope with very low or very high pH. Still others can tolerate high temperatures or high sulfur. Such organisms can be found in hot springs and in deep sea hydrothermal vents.
The method in which they derive their energy is very diverse and they can use a wide variety of sources.
Chemoautotrophs
Are able to use oxidation of inorganic chemicals such as sulfur, iron or ammonia for their metabolism
Photoautotrophs
Photoautotrophs; use light as their source of energy.
Cellular Respiration
Biological process used by organisms to convert the stored energy made during photosynthesis into energy that is available for the cell (ATP). A process used to release the energy stored in order ro conduct cellular activities.
Photosynthetic prokaryotes lack membrane-bound chloroplasts and instead have infoldings of their plasma on which photosynthesis takes place.
Faculative Anarobe
Organisms that can survive in environments that contain or lack oxygen. So it can survive with or without oxygen.
Some microorganism is able to make ATP using oxygen if it is present, but if it is absent, it can switch to fermentation.
They have evolved to survive extreme environments and can use alternative electron acceptors in the electron transport chain. Although they can use both methods of respiration, they grow better in aerobic (with oxygen) conditions as they give much higher yields of ATP than with fermentation
Obligate Aerobe
Must have oxygen for survival
Requires oxygen as a final electron acceptor in order to carry out respiration and release energy. Examples are Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Organisms that can only survive in environments that contain oxygen.
Obligate Anaerobe
Survives in the absence of oxygen
Rather than oxygen as the electron acceptor for respiration they use other compounds such as sulfate, nitrates, iron, manganese, mercury or carbon monoxide.
The oxygen molecule is very reactive and these obligate anaerobes lack certain enzymes that enable them to deal with the oxygen, and hence it becomes toxic.
Clostridium difficile is one such anaerobe and infects the bowel and can cause diarrhoea.
Adaptation
Adaptions can be defined as a genetic change that increases an organisms survival.
Adaptions are importnat in order ti cope with physical or ambiotic conditions of their habitat
Temperature, moisture, light, saltinity, ++
Organisms that are betetr adapted to their envoirment are more likely to survive and pass on adventagues to their offsprings
Biome
A biome refers to a region of the world characterised by its residen life, environment and clima.
Groups of ecosystems with similar communities due to similar abiotic conditions and convergent evolution.
Tropical Forest Biome
Temperature
High (20–30 °C)
Precipitation
High (1500–2500 mm)
Light intensity
High
Seasonal variation
Low (relatively constant climate throughout the year)
Grassland Biome
Temperature
Moderate to high (10–25 °C)
Precipitation
Low to moderate (250–1000 mm)
Light intensity
High
Seasonal variation
High (with hot summers and cold winters)
Taiga Biome
Temperature
Low to Moderate (−20–10 °C)
Precipitation
Moderate (400–900 mm)
Light intensity
Low to moderate
Seasonal variation
High (with long, cold winters and short, cool summers)
Temperate Biome
Temperature
Moderate (5–20 °C)
Precipitation
Moderate to high (500–1500 mm)
Light intensity
Moderate
Seasonal variation
Moderate (with less pronounced seasons)
Tundra Biome
Temperature
Low (−30–10 °C)
Precipitation
Low (100–500 mm)
Light intensity
Moderate to high
Seasonal variation
High (with long, cold winters and short, cool summers)
Desert Biome
Temperature
High (20–40 °C)
Precipitation
Low (50–250 mm)
Light intensity
High
Seasonal variation
Low (with only slight variations in temperature and rainfall throughout the year)
Terrestial Habitat
Dry, mountains, fields, desert, grasssland.
Aquatic Habitat
Pond, ocean
Abiotic Factors
A non-living part of an ecosystem that shapes its environment.
Rocks, Temperature, Snow, Water, Soil
Organisms adapt to the abiotic environment of their habitat through various mechanisms including genetic or hereditary, physiological and behavioural adaptations.
Non-living parts of the ecosystem. Like temperature, precipitation, wind, amount of sunlight, pH of the water, and the soil that the organism lives in.
All of these factors that play in work together in a fine balance, and together create a specific ecosystem in which only certain organisms can survive in.
Biotic factors
A living organism that shapes its environment.
Biotic factors have been divided into three main categories, which define their distinctive role in the ecosystem:
Producers (Autotrophs)
Consumers (heterotrophs)
Decomposers (detritivores)
Living parts of an ecosystem. Refres to all the interactions with the living parts of the envoirment like cometitions with other species for resources, disease, parasites and predators.
Producers
Autothrophs
They make their own food, which creates energy for them to grow, reproduce and survive.
They produce their own food using light, water, carbon dioxide, or other chemicals.
example: plants
An autotroph is an organism that can produce its own food using light, water, carbon dioxide, or other chemicals. Because autotrophs produce their own food, they are sometimes called producers.
Consumers
Heterotrophs
An organism that eats other plants or animals for energy and nutrients.
There are four types of consumers: omnivores, carnivores, herbivores and decomposers.
Decomposers
Decomposers are ecological cleansers that disintegrate the dead, plants as well as animals. By decomposing the dead, decomposers also help to create a biosphere for new life. Thus, decomposers play a crucial role in creating a balance in the ecosystem.
Omnivores
An omnivore is an organism that eats plants and animals. The term stems from the Latin words omnis, meaning “all or everything,”
Carnivores
an organism that mostly eats meat, or the flesh of animals. Sometimes carnivores are called predators. Organisms that carnivores hunt are called prey. Carnivores are a major part of the food web, a description of which organisms eat which other organisms in the wild.
Herbivores
Herbivores refers to animals that eat only plant material.
Examples of herbivores are invertebrates, cows, goats, buffalo, sheep, hippopotamuses among others.
Some insects have evolved to have a strong pair of mandibles on each side of their head and they use them to cut, tear, crush and chew their food.
Other insects feed off fluids internal to the plant and use a unique straw-like device, called a stylet to access these.
In herbivorous mammals, their front incisors are long and flat and work like scissors to cut the plant material. The back molars are large, flat surfaces where the plant material can get macerated in a sideways grinding movement to increase the surface area for digestive enzymes to break it down.
Detritivores
an organism (such as an earthworm or a fungus) that feeds on dead and decomposing organic matter.
Detritivores (also known as detrivores, detritophages, detritus feeders or detritus eaters) are heterotrophs that obtain nutrients by consuming detritus (decomposing plant and animal parts as well as feces). There are many kinds of invertebrates, vertebrates, and plants that carry out coprophagy.
Predatores
Predators and prey use chemical, physical and behavioural adaptations in the fight for survival.
(Ecological) Niche
The home of the organism. It also refers to the jobs that they do within that location. Some of the organisms are so important that the envoirment would suffer without them
Refers to several things. Its both where it lives and what it does. Both role and impact on the ecosystem.
Dependent on biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) interactions within an ecosystem; these may influence the growth, survival and reproduction of a species as well as how it obtains food.
The distibution of species is determined by interactions from the envoirment of both biotic and abiotic factors.
The impact on the envoirment goes both ways. The envoirment has a impact on the distribution of species, and certain organisms can elic a huge impact on their envoirment.
Example: Beavers are able to stem the flow of rivers by building dams hwich results in flooding the local area and provides wetland regions ahich can drasticallu improve biodiversity.
Fundamental Niche
The niche of an ecosystem in which an organism can live and reproduce. This takes into account the environmental and social limitations for that organism.
However, there may be other constraints including the presence of other species, that mean that the organisms actual niche is very much smaller. This is called the realised niche and is where the organism is best adapted and is able to live and reproduce.
Realized Niche
Refers to the actual space occupied by a species under real-world conditions, such as the presence of competition, nutrient availability, and environmental stressors. A combination of both intraspecific and interspecific competition is present in a realized niche.
Realised niche is formed when the species within a fundamental niche has to deal with the pressure of co-existing with the other species in the environment.
The species is forced to live in a smaller niche.
Example
coexistence of wolves and coyotes living across North America. Because both species inhabit the same area, coyotes would then compete for food and territory. The realised niche for coyotes was small due to the more aggressive nature of wolves.
Summary Niche
Each organism has its own niche or role in an environment.
Their fundamental niche is the potential role of a species based on their adaptations and tolerance limits while their realised niche is the actual niche the organism plays when in competition with other species. If two species occupy the same niche, competitive exclusion will occur potentially eliminating one of the competing species or restrict both species to a part of their fundamental niche.
Competition
There will be competition whenever there are more than one species that are competing for the same resource.
Gauses law
The competitive exclusion principle: It is not possible for two species to occupy the same niche for a long period of time, and one will outcompete the other. Is sometimes called Gause’s law.
Note
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