Term
2.1 ECOSYSTEMS
Define: Species
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Definition
A group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring. |
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Term
2.1 ECOSYSTEMS
Define: Habitat |
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Definition
The environment in which a species normally lives or the location of a living organism. |
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Term
2.1 ECOSYSTEMS
Define: Population
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Definition
A group of organisms of the same species who live in the same area at the same time. |
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Term
2.1 ECOSYSTEMS
Define: Community
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Definition
A group of populations living and interacting with each other in an area. |
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Term
2.1 ECOSYSTEMS
Define: Ecosystem
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Definition
A community and its abiotic environment. |
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Term
2.1 ECOSYSTEMS
Define: Ecology
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Definition
The study of relationships between living organisms and between organisms and their environment. |
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Term
2.1 ECOSYSTEMS
Distinguish and discuss Abiotic and Biotic Factors.
Description:
A community comprises all of the organisms within an ecosystem. Both Abiotic (phyisical) and biotic factors affect the organsisms in a community, influencing their distribution and their survival, growth and reproduction.
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Definition
Community: Biotic Factors
Producers, Consumers, Detrivores, Decomposer
Physical environment: Abiotic Factors
ATOMOSPERE: wind, speed and direction, humidity, light intensity and quality, precipitation, air temperature.
SOIL: Nutrient availability, soil moisture, soil pH, composition, temperature.
WATER: Dissolved nutrients, pH and salinity, dissolved oxygen, temperature.
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Term
2.1 ECOSYSTEMS
Define: Autotroph
An organism that synthesizes its organic molecules from simple inorganic substances eg plants (photosynthesis).
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Definition
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Term
2.1 ECOSYSTEMS
Define: Heterotroph
An organism that obtain its organic molecules from other organisms, i.e animals |
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Definition
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Term
2.1 ECOSYSTEMS
Define: Consumer |
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Definition
An organism that ingests other organic matter that is living or recently killed. |
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Term
2.1 ECOSYSTEMS
Define: Detritivore
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Definition
An organism that ingests the non-living organic matter. i.e woodlice eat damp rotten wood. |
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Term
2.1 ECOSYSTEMS
Define: Saprotroph
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Definition
An organism that living on or in non-living organic matter, secreting digestive enzymes into it and absorbing the products of digestion. i.e fungi
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Term
2.1 ECOSYSTEMS
Explain how the components of an ecosystem influence one another. |
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Definition
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