Elements of an Ecosystem (Leaving Cert Biology): Flashcards
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Practise the cards
15 cards from this deck
Carrying capacity
Carrying capacity
Max. number of organisms an ecosystem can support with available resources
Limiting factors
Limiting factors
Factors that restrict how many organisms can survive in an area
Examples of abiotic factors
Examples of abiotic factors
Water, oxygen, temperature, soil quality, space
Examples of biotic factors
Examples of biotic factors
Food supply, disease, competition, predator-prey relationships
Competition in ecosystems
Competition in ecosystems
When organisms struggle for limited resources
Predation
Predation
One species (predator) kills and eats another (prey)
Direction of energy flow in ecosystems
Direction of energy flow in ecosystems
One direction only - cannot be recycled
% of energy passed to next trophic level
% of energy passed to next trophic level
About 10%
Difference: energy vs matter in ecosystems
Difference: energy vs matter in ecosystems
Energy flows one way; matter is recycled
Producers
Producers
Organisms that make their own food via photosynthesis
Flora
Flora
All plant life in an ecosystem
Primary consumers
Primary consumers
Herbivores that feed directly on producers (plants)
Secondary consumers
Secondary consumers
Carnivores that eat primary consumers
Tertiary consumers
Tertiary consumers
Top predators that feed on secondary consumers
Decomposers
Decomposers
Organisms that feed on dead organic matter (bacteria, fungi)