ECOLOGY BIOLOGY(PAPER-2)

KEY TERMS:

1. Habitat: Where an organism lives

2. Population: All the organisms of a particular species that lives in that habitat

3. Community: All the populations of different species that live together in a habitat

4. Ecosystem: Communities of living organisms with the non - living parts of their environment

5. Biotic factors: All living factors in an environment (animals, plants, fungi, bacteria, and protists)

6. Abiotic Factors: All non - living factors in environment (water, light, radiation, temperature, humidity,
atmosphere, acidity, and soil)

7. Biodiversity: is the variety of different species on earth or within an ecosystem

Competition: Different resources organisms have to compete (Both same (within themselves) and different
(Others) spices compete)

PLANTS:

 Space

 Soil

 Water (Mineral Ions)

 Sunlight

ANIMALS:

 Space (Territory)

 Mates

 Food and water

Interdependence: All species depend on other species in some ways

ADAPTATIONS
 How an organism is adapted to its environment

Behavioral: How an organism behaves or acts

Functional: Processes inside an organism (Metabolism, reproductive system)

Structural: Physical feature (shape and colour)

Extremophiles: Microorganisms that are adapted to live in extreme/harsh environments

FOOD CHAINS (HOW ENERGY PASSES IN AN ECOSYSTEM)

 What gets eaten by what

 Simplified version of food web

Biomass: renewable energy from plants and animals

Producers: Photosynthetic organism (Plants uses sunlight to carry out photosynthesis which makes glucose and
oxygen)

Primary Consumers: Animals and microorganisms that eats plants only (Herbivorous)

Secondary consumers: Animals that eat other animals for their food (energy) (carnivorous)

Territory consumers: Animals that eat both animals and plants (omnivorous)

Decomposers: organism that breaks down dead organic material (Bacteria and fungi)

WATER AND CARBON CYCLE

CAUSES OF REDUCTION IN BIODIVERSITY CARBON CYCLE

SAMPLING ORGANISMS

 Is a technique that scientists use to determine the number of organisms in an area

 2 types of Sampling:

1. Random: random sampling is used to compare the numbers of organisms in different areas to do
this we use a quadrat

2. Sampling along transacts

 We do this by using an equipment called quadrat a quadrat is simply a wooden or plastic square to use to
place it on the ground and then count the number of organisms inside the it so this technique can be used
to sample