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| Question | Answer |
| Cell | smallest living unit |
| Organism | a single living thing |
| Population | a group of the SAME species living in the ONE location at the SAME time |
| Community | the sum of all the DIFFERENT species living in the SAME location at the SAME time |
| Ecosystem | the sum of all the ABIOTIC and BIOTIC factors AND their interactions |
| Biosphere | all ecosystems combined |
| Abiotic Factors | non-living; physical environment eg, temperature, rainfall, salinity, humidity |
| Biotic Factors | living factors eg. competitors, predators, diseases (parasites and pathogens) |
| Diversity | -the variety of life found on Earth and all of the natural processes; -can be measured by DENSITY or ABUNDANCE |
| Ecological Groups | -producers/autotrophs -consumers/heterotrophs |
| Producers/ Autotrophs | -automatically convert food into energy. -manufacture ORGANIC compounds from simple INORGANIC compounds through abiotic energy sources such as sunlight (photosynthesis) -use the organic compounds themselves for energy and for all other ecosystem members. |
| Photosynthesis EQUATION | *in the presence of sunlight & chlorophyll* carbon dioxide + water = glucose + oxygen |
| Cellular Respiration (Aerobic) EQUATION | *in the presence of oxygen* glucose + oxygen = carbon dioxide + water + ATP |
| Consumers/ Heterotrophs | Obtain energy form eating other organisms or parts of them (plants) |
| Trophic Level | Each feeding level of a food wed |
| Primary Consumers | HERBIVORES -Eat plants or other producers |
| Secondary Consumers | PREDATORS -Eat plant-eaters |
| Tertiary Consumers | Eat predators/ secondary consumers |
| Consumers can be divided into: | -herbivores -carnivores -detritivores -scavengers -decomposers -parasites |
| Herbivores | eat organic matter of producers or their products only eg. honeyeaters |
| Carnivores | eat other consumers {and are predators IF they catch LIVE prey} eg. damselfly |
| Top Order Carnivore | Last link in food chain |
| Detritivores | eat all detritus (decomposing plant an danimal matter as well as waste products) eg. earthworms |
| Scavengers | eat dead animals {specialised detritivores that only eat carrion and animal wastes} eg. vulture |
| Decomposers | break down dead material by secreting enzymes over the organic matter and absorbing the breakdown as food eg. bacteria |
| Parasites | live and feed on other organisms, causing them harm eg. tapeworm |
| Food chains | -shows chemical energy flow or transfer within an ecosystem, beginning with producers. *arrow points to the organism eating/ taking up energy* grass -> grasshopper -> snake -> hawk -> fungi |
| Food Web | shows chemical energy flow or transfer in an ecosystem; compromises of interrelated food chains. |
| Ecological Pyramids | Show the different trophic levels of any ecosystem in a pyramid shape |
| Number Pyramid | Displays the number of individual organisms at each trophic level |
| Biomass Pyramid | Measure the "weight" of biological material at each trophic level {dry weight is used since water content varies greatly} |
| Energy Pyramid | Show energy content of organisms at each trophic level {compared to biomass pyramid as dry biomass tends to have about the same energy content} |
| Energy Transfer EQUATION | [trophic level energy ÷ total energy ] x 100 |
| Amount of energy passed on through each trophic level | Approximately 10 % |
| Intraspecies | Members of the same species |
| Interspecies | Members of the different species |
| 3 Types of Interactions | -Competition -Predation -Symbiosis |
| Competition | Organisms competing for resources; occurs due to a limited number of resources |
| Resource | any necessity of life, such as water, nutrients, light, food, female attraction |
| Competitive Exclusion Principle | no two species can occupy the same niche in the same habitat at the same time |
| Niche | part of environment where a species can survive, reproduce and persist |
| Predation | when an organism captures and feeds on another organism |
| Symbiosis | any relationship where two species live closely together |
| 3 types of symbiosis | -mutualism -commensalism -parasitism |
| Mutualism | both species benefit from a relationship eg. cleaner birds + crocodile |
| Commensalism | one member BENEFITS and the other is NEITHER HELPED or HARMED eg. clown fish + anemones |
| Parasitism | one organism BENEFITS and one is HARMED eg. ticks |
| Bioaccumulation | the progressive accumulation of non-biodegradable/ persistent chemicals in living organisms, becoming more concentrated in HIGHER trophic levels |
| Species Richness | -related to PHYSICAL SIZE of area and LATTITUDE HIGHER in size = HIGHER in richness |
| Abundance & Density | the number of individuals of a given species per unit area |
| Abundance can be expressed qualitatively by: | {ACFOR} -A: abundant -C: common -F: frequent -O: occasional -R: rare |
| Population Distribution | -Uniform -Random -Clumped |
| Quadrat Sampling Assumptions | -The number of individuals in each quadrat is counted. -The size of the quadrats is known. -The quadrat samples are representative of the study area as a whole. |
| Quadrat Sampling | -Used to calculate density, distribution and total size -Used for organisms that are fixed in one place ie. immoblie or sessile |
| Mark & Recapture Method | -Used to study populations where individuals move around a lot ie. mobile -involves catching, marking and releasing the animal, recapturing it and counting no. of marked and unmarked. |
| Mark & Recapture methods are: | tagging; painting; branding; dyeing; attaching ribbons |
| Mark & Recapture Method Assumptions | -the population is closed ie. a population that doesn't change GEOGRAPHICALLY or DEMOGRAPHICALLY (eg. no births, deaths, immigration or emigration) -marked individuals must not become easier or harder to catch -marked and unmarked individuals have sufficient time to mix randomly between time of making and re sampling -animals do not lose their marks |
| Population Dynamics | deals with changes in population size over time |
| Exponetial Growth | -unlimited growth of population eg. r-selected species such as bacteria which replicate through binary fission, introduced species such as rabbits who lack predators since they are introduced -pattern of growth can occur for several generations at least as long as RESOURCES ARE ABUNDANT |
| Logistic Growth | -also known as DENSITY-DEPENDENT GROWTH; population growth in the presence of limiting factors -growth is rapid when population size is below carrying capacity (K) but fluctuates (slows and stops) as size approaches carrying capacity |
| Carrying Capacity (K) | the level at which an environment can support an organism |
| Natural Selection | process in which only the individuals or groups best adapted to their environment survive; survival of the fittest |
| Gene Pool | sum of all the genetic information found within a particular species |
| Genetic Variability | difference in genetic information between the same organisms (meiosis) |
| Sustainability of human population: current exponential growth can't continue because: | -resources are finite -resources are being consumed faster than they are formed -toxic waste is produced faster than it can be broken down |
| Adaptation | anything that helps an organism survive in its environment; helps the organism fulfil the needs of getting food & water, protection and reproduction |
| Structural Adaptation | involves exterior, PHYSICAL feature of an animal's body |
| Structural Adaptation: Example 1 | PROTECTIVE COLOURATION/ CAMOUFLAGE -allow an animal to blend into its environment eg. polar bear |
| Structural Adaptation: Example 2 | MIMICRY -allows one animal to look, sound or act like another animal to fool predators into thinking it is poisonous or dangerous eg. lyre bird |
| Behavioural Adaptation | includes ACTIVITIES that help an animal survive can be instinctive (nature) or learned (nurture) -social behaviour -behaviour for protection |
| Behavioural Adaptation: Example 1 | MIGRATION involves an animal or group of animals moving from one region to another and then back again due to reasons such as: -better food -better climate -safe place to live -safe place to raise young -go back to the place they were born |
| Behavioural Adaptation: Example 2 | HIBERNATION deep sleep where animal's body temperature drops and body activities are slowed to conserve energy eg. bear |
| Physiological Adaptation | related to the INTERNAL functioning of an organism adapting to an extreme environment |
| Behavioural Adaptation: Examples | -specialised organs -chemical senses (organs that pick up hormones) -reproductive physiologies -breeding times eg. fat storage in tail of kangaroos |
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