5.

1 Communities and ecosystems

Wednesday, 25 January 2012 10:15 AM

5.1.1 Define species, habitat, population, community, ecosystem and ecology. Species = a group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring. Habitat = the environment in which a species normally lives or the location of a living organism. Population = a group of organisms of the same species who live in the same area at the same time. Community = a group of populations living and interacting with each other in an area. Ecosystem = a community and its abiotic environment.

Ecology = the study of relationships between living organisms and between organisms and their environment.
5.1.2 Distinguish between autotroph and heterotroph. Autotroph: organism able to synthesise organic compounds from inorganic raw materials Heterotroph: an organism which is unable to make tis own food and depends on organic compounds from other organisms 5.1.3 Distinguish between consumers, detritivores and saprotrophs. Consumer: an organism that uses other organisms as a source of food Detritivore: an organism that uses dead organic matter as a source of food

Saprotroph: an organism that lives on, or in dead organic matter and uses it as a source of food by secreting digestive enzymes to break down the matter
5.1.4 Describe what is meant by a food chain, giving three examples, each with at least three linkages (four organisms). Food chain: a food relationship in an ecosystem in which energy and other nutrients are passed from a producer to consumers Arrow means 'is eaten by' Represents energy and nutrients passing from one organism and entering another 1. Grass --> beetles --> shrew --> owl 2. Phytoplankton --> zooplankton --> water flea --> minnow --> perch 3. Green algae --> water snail --> long-necked tortoise --> cod --> heron 5.1.5 Describe what is meant by a food web. Food web: more complex than a food chain and it includes a larger variety of organisms. Each of which feed on a variety of other organisms and they are in turn fed on by more organisms. Therefore, if one species becomes extinct the ecosystem will still be able to exist. 5.1.6 Define trophic level. Trophic levels The level at which an organism feeds in a food chain is its trophic level.

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5.1.7 Deduce the trophic level of organisms in a food chain and a food web.

5.1.8 Construct a food web containing up to 10 organisms, using appropriate information.

5.1.9 State that light is the initial energy source for almost all communities. The Sun is the initial source of energy for most communities Light energy used in photosynthesis to produce organic material from inorganic raw materials Food webs around deep-sea hydrothermal vents begin with extreme thermophiles 5.1.10 Explain the energy flow in a food chain. Food chain: a feeding relationship involving a carnivore eating a herbivore that has eaten plant matter. Light - initial energy source. Arrows indicate direction of energy flow. Interconnect to make food web.

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5.1.11 State that energy transformations are never 100% efficient. Some energy is incorporated into the organism at each trophic level, this energy will not be available for the next trophic level. There are rarely more than six links in a food chain; usually 3-4 This is because much of the energy is lost at each trophic level due to heat loss. An omnivore may be on several levels since it feeds on plants/other consumers.

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5.1.12 Explain reasons for the shape of pyramids of energy. Biomass pyramids

Biomass: the total amount of matter within a community. Matter is lost from a community at each trophic level. This forms a biomass pyramid due to the largest amount of primary consumers. (Lost energy=energy used on cell respiration + food that can't be digested + organisms that escape predation)

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Pyramid of energy

Only energy taken that's transferred into energy in the molecules making up cells is available to the next level - 10% Most energy spent on cell respiration Not all eaten food is digested Not all organisms of one level is predated 5.1.13 Explain that energy enters and leaves ecosystems, but nutrients must be recycled. Ecosystems Ecosystems require the input of energy and nutrients. Energy is not recycled and is constantly received by from the sun. Nutrients are constantly recycled through food chains. Energy enters ecosystems as light energy --> chemical -->heat lost

5.1.14 State that saprotrophic bacteria and fungi (decomposers) recycle nutrients.

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Nutrients of the ecosystem are recycled and reused. Animals: nutrients --> chemical elements making up biochemical molecules of cells Plants: essential nutrients (CO 2 & water) --> sugar --> complex organic molecules Biogeochemical cycle Organisms die --> decomposed by bacteria and fungi --> nutrients released --> mix/react with soil/rock -->reabsorbed by plants 1. Break up of animal/plant body by detritivores 2. Succession of microorganisms (fungi/bacteria) 3. Release of simple inorganic molecules available for reabsorption Vocabulary Abiotic factor Autotroph Biomass Biotic factor A non-biological factor that is part of the environment of an organism Organisms that synthesise organic molecules from simple, inorganic substances The total amount of matter within a community The influence of living things on the environment of other living things Temperature Algae

Carnivore
Community Consumer Decomposer Detritivore

Flesh-eating animal
A group of populations of organisms living and interacting with each other in a habitat An organism that ingests other organic matter that is living or recently killed Organisms that feed on dead plant and animal material, causing matter to be recycled by other living things An organism that feeds on detritus (dead organic matter)

Vulture
A forest of trees Lion

Earthworm

Ecology

The study of relationships between living organisms and between organisms and their environment - a community and its abiotic environment
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environment - a community and its abiotic environment Ecosystem Food chain Food web A natural unit of living (biotic) components and non-living (abiotic) components A linear and simple feeding relation, where one organism has one type of food and is eaten by one type of organism Is more complex than a food chain and it includes a larger variety of organisms. Each of which feed on a variety of other organisms and they are in turn fed on by more organisms. Therefore, if one species becomes extinct the ecosystem will still be able to exist The locality or surroundings in which an organism normally lives or the location of a living organism An animal that feeds (holozoically) exclusively on plants An organism that obtains organic molecules from other organisms. The environment immediately surrounding an organism, particularly applied to tiny organisms An animal that eats both plant and animal food A group of organisms of the same species which live in the same area (habitat) at the same time Organism that feeds on dead organic matter (saprotrophic nutrition) A group of organisms which can interbreed and produce fertile offspring. Each level of a food chain Number of horses in barn Fungi Coqui frog Primary producers Monkey Forest Rainforest

Habitat Herbivore Heterotroph Microhabitat Omnivore Population Saprotroph Species Trophic level

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