Studied by 1 person
What lives in a habitat?
A community, species, population, or organism
What does a habitat describe?
The geographical location, type of ecosystem, and the physical and chemical conditions
What is the name of a factor which living organisms effect the environment?
Biotic
What is the name of a factor which non-living organisms effect the environment?
Abiotic
Where do biotic factors have more influence?
Biomes with large population density
Where to abiotic factors have more influence?
Biomes with low population density
Name 4 abiotic factors which occur in a desert by the sea
Low water
High salinity
Low nutrient levels
Sand accumalation
What is the name of the species which is adapted to survive a desert environment by the sea?
Xerophytes
What are two examples of xerophytes?
Maram grass and lyme grass
What is the effect of dry air on a plant’s water?
Steep concentration gradient is created so water evaporates quickly
What is the effect of low soil availability on a plant’s water?
Water cannot be easily replaced
Label this diagram of maram grass
Thick waxy cuticles
leaf which can roll up
Hairs
Sunken stomata
Why is the waxy cuticle thick in maram grass?
To prevent water loss
Why can the leaf roll up in maram grass?
To prevent wilting and survive wind
Why are the stomata sunken in maram grass?
To trap water vapour in pits
What accumulates in lyme grass root cells to increase osmotic pressure?
the carbohydrate fructans
What is the name of the underground stems in maram grass?
Rhizomes
Why does lyme grass have rhizomes?
To extend dep into the dune to retain water
Where do mangrove swamps develop?
In sheltered areas with mud accumulation
What are swamps flooded with?
Seawater
What type of respiration occurs in the soil of mangrove swamps?
Anaerobic
What is the effect of anaerobic soil in tree roots?
Difficult for them to collect oxygen
What is the effect of high salt concentrations on mangrove trees?
Water is drawn out
In relation to sea water, how salty is the mud in mangrove swamps?
Twice as salty
What do mangrove trees have to adapt to the salinity of the mud?
Salt glands on leaves to excrete excess salt
How are a mangrove’s seeds adapt for water?
They are buoyant and are dispersed by ocean currents
Name the three types of roots which have adapted in mangrove swamps?
Stilt roots
Cable roots
pneumataphores
Describe stilt roots
Grow out in a downward arch from the central trunk
Describe cable roots
Grow close to the soil surface
Why do cable roots grow close to the soil surface?
For the most oxygen
What kind of root are pneumataphores?
Vertical root branches
Describe pneumataphores
branches that grow in the air to absorb oxygen
What covers a root epidermis covered in mangrove swamps?
Suberin (cork)
What is the use of suberin (cork) in mangrove swamps?
reduce permeability to salts
What do mangrove trees use to increase osmotic potential in root and leaf cells?
Mannitol
What dictates the limits of a species, abiotic or biotic factors?
Abiotic factors
What are the 6 abiotic factors which affect plant distribution?
Temperature
Water availiability
Light intensity
Soil pH
Soil salinity
Mineral and nutrient availability
What are the two factors which affect animal distribution?
Water availibility and temperature
What do the adaptations of a species determine?
The range of tolerance
If a species cannot grow in an area due to a variable being outside the range of tolerance, what does the variable become?
A limiting factor
What is the name of the area used in which data is collected?
A transect
What are the two ways of measuring variables?
With electronic sensors or portable data loggers
What are the variables electronic sensors and portable data loggers measure when testing abiotic factors?
Temperature, light intensity, and soil pH
What are the three ways of measuring species distribution?
Line intercept sampling
belt transect
observational transect
Which way of measuring species distribution relies on recording the number of individuals touch a line transect?
Line intercept sampling
Which way of measuring species distribution relies on measuring using a quadrat?
Belt transect
Which way of measuring species distribution relies on tallying the sightings of species by an observer?
Observational transect
What depth conditions should coral be in to survive?
Less than 50m deep
Why does coral need to be less than 50m below the surface of the sea?
So light can penetrate
What pH conditions should coral be in to survive?
>7.8
Why does the pH of water need to be above 7.8 for coral to survive?
So CaCO₃ can be deposited in the skeleton
What salinity conditions should coral be in to survive?
between 32 and 42 parts per thousand dissolved ions
Why does water salinity need to be between 32 and 42 parts per thousand dissolved ions for coral to survive?
To avoid osmotic problems
What clarity conditions should coral be in to survive?
water must be clear
Why must water be clear for coral reefs to survive?
So light can penetrate
What temperature conditions should coral be in to survive?
between 23° and 29°C
Why does coral need to be between 23° and 29°C?
So the zooxanthellae can stay healthy
What is the name given to a group of ecosystems with similar communities?
A biome
What are the two characteristics which determine the biome in which ecosystems are placed?
Similar abiotic conditions and convergent evolution
What is the relative temperature for a temperate forest in summer?
Warm
What is the relative temperature for a temperate forest in winter?
Cold
What is the relative temperature for grassland in summer?
medium to high
What is the relative temperature for grassland in winter?
cold
What is the relative rainfall for temperate forest?
medium to high
What is the relative light intensity for temperate forest?
Moderate
What is the rainfall like in grassland?
Moderate with a dry season
What is the relative light intensity in grassland?
Medium to high
What is the temperature / summer like in tundra?
Low temp and very short summers
What is the relative precipitation for tundra?
Low to medium
What is the only form of precipitation in tundra?
Snow
What is the relative light intensity in tundra?
Low
What are the relative daytime temperatures in a hot desert?
Very high
What are the relative nightime temperatures in a hot desert?
Cold
Describe the precipitation in a hot desert
Little rainfall and long drought
What is the soil like in hot desert?
Limited soil development and soil organic matter
What is the relative temperature in tropical rainforest?
High
What is the relative precipitation in tropical rainforest?
High
What is the relative light intensity in tropical rainforest?
High
What is the soil like in tropical rainforest?
Poor and thin
Name two animals adapted to hot desert
Saguaro cactus and flennec fox
What are the three adaptations of the saguaro cactus?
Wide spreading roots
Tap roots
had CAM metabolism
What is the use of wide spreading roots in saguaro cactus?
To collect water from a wide area
What is the use of tap roots in saguaro cactus?
collect water from deep in the subsoil
What is the use of CAM matabolism in saguaro cactus?
Allows stomata to only open at night
What are the three adaptations of the fennec fox?
Nocturnal
Long, thick hair
Hairy feet padding
What is the use of being nocturnal for the fennec fox?
Avoid daytime temperatures
What is the use of having long, thick hair for the fennec fox?
heat insulation during cold nights
What is the use of having hairy feet padding for the fennec fox?
Provide insulation when walking on hot sand
Name two animals are adapted to tropical rainforests
Yellow moranti and spider monkey
What are the three adaptations for the yellow moranti?
Grows over 100m tall
Smooth trunk and oval leaves with pointy tips
Leaf enzymes work at 35°C
What is the use of growing over 100m tall for the yellow moranti?
Avoid competition for light
What is the use of the smooth trunk and oval/pointy leaves for the yellow moranti?
Sheds rainwater easily
What is the use of enzymes working at 35°C for the yellow moranti?
To withstand atmospheric temp
What are the three adaptations of the spider monkey?
Long arms and legs
feet and tails can grab branches
breed in any season
What is the use of having long arms and legs for the spider monkey?
to climb and reach for food
What is the use of having feet and tails which grasp branches for the spider monkey?
so they can use other limbs for feeding
What is the use of breeding in any season for the spider monkey?
food is always available
Note 
Flashcard (80)