Name:

Summary sheet: Investigating an ecosystem

Give definitions and examples for the following terms:

Habitat ______

Community ______

Ecosystem ______

Population ______

Sampling (fill in the following table)

Technique used to sample organism / Example of organism that can be sampled. / Drawing of technique in use / Possible source of error / Way to reduce error
Quadrat / -
- / -
-
Pitfall trap / -
-
- / -
-
-

Abiotic factors

Abiotic factors are non living things which can affect living things in an ecosystem

List examples of abiotic factors

-

-

-

-

Measuring abiotic factors (fill in the table)

Meter used / Sources of error / How to reduce errors
Light meter / -
- / -
-
Moisture meter / -
- / -
-

Abiotic factors can influence the distribution of organisms.

What effect does light intensity have of daisy numbers and why?

Effect______

Why ______

______

How It Works

Give definitions and examples for the following terms:

Producer______

Consumer ______

Food chain ______

Draw an example of a food chain

What do the arrows in a food chain/web show? ______

Explain what would happen if the greater spotted woodpecker was removed. ______

______

______

______

Energy is lost from every level of a food chain make a list of the ways energy can be lost:

-

-

-

-

A pyramid of numbers shows the number of organisms at each level of a food chain. Draw a pyramid of the following:

Algae -> Tadpole -> fish

(100) (30) (1)

What does a pyramid of biomass show? ______

The growth rate of a population is dependant of what two factors?

-

-

Describe and explain what is happening in terms of birth and death rates at the different various points on the graph.

Three factors which can limit a population are:

-

-

-

Competition

Competition occurs both in the plant and animal kingdom when organisms need the same resource.

Make a list of resources plants compete for and a list of resources animals compete for

Plants Animals

Describe the effects of competition in plants and animals

Plants: ______

______

Animals: ______

______

Nutrient Cycles

Why are they important? ______

Draw out the nitrogen cycle

Control and Management

Pollution affects air, fresh water, sea and land

Write about the negative effects of using fossil fuel and nuclear power.

Fossil fuel ______

Nuclear power ______

______

Fill in the table about the three main sources of pollution

Source of pollution / Example of pollutant

Give an example of how pollution can be controlled. ______

River pollution

Describe what happens at each stage in a river when organic waste e.g. sewage is released.

What is an indicator species and give an example of one

Definition______

Example: ______

Fill in the table with two examples of poor management of natural resources and possible improvements

Example of poor management / Effects of poor management / Possible improvements

How do farmers control the components of the ecosystem in their fields?

______

Extra Notes on biosphere/ points to remember.

1