Ecology and Evolution

5.1 Communities and Populations

Caitlin Barrett
 5.1.1- Define species, habitat, population, community,
ecosystem and ecology. (1)

ECOLOGY Population
The study of the relationship between living organisms A group of organisms of the same species in the
and between those organisms and their environment same area which are interacting

Ecosystem
A community and its abiotic environment

Community Species
Populations of different species in the same area A group of organisms which can interbreed and
which are interacting produce fertile offspring

Habitat
Location within which a species normally lives
5.1.2 - Distinguish between autotroph and heterotroph. (2)

Autotroph
Also known as a producer
An organism that synthesizes its
organic molecules from simple
inorganic molecules
Heterotroph
Also known as a consumer
An organism that obtains molecules
from other organisms

Consumers Decomposers
Chemosynthesis Photosynthesis
5.1.3 - Distinguish between consumers, detritivores and
saprotrophs. (2)

Consumers
An organism that
ingests other organic Saprophytes
matter that is living or An organism that lives on or in
recently dead non-living organic matter,
secreting digestive enzymes into
and absorbing the products of
digestion
Detritivores
An organism that ingests non-
living organic matter
5.1.4 - Describe what is meant by a food chain, giving three
examples, each with at least three linkages (4 organisms). (2)
Food Chain
Show a simple linear flow of ‘who eats who’ and therefore the energy and matter flowing through the links in the chain

Carrot plant ---> Carrot fly ---> Flycatcher -----> Sparrow hawk

buckwheat ---> Gopher ---> Gopher snake ----> Red Tailed Kite
 5.1.4 continued

Bushgrass---> Impala ---> Cheetah----> Lion

Tertiary consumer- Quartinary consumer-

Producer- oak Primary consumer - worm Secondary consumer- peeper
mangrove snake American alligator
5.1.5 - Describe what is meant by a food web. (2)
A Food Web has advantages over food chains such as

Shows more complex interactions A single producer being a food

between species within a More than one producer supporting a
source for a number of primary
community/ecosystem community
consumers

That a consumer may have a number of That a consumer can be an omnivore, feeding as a
different food sources on the same or primary consumer and as a consumer at higher
different trophic levels trophic levels

A Food Web is a diagram that shows how food chains are linked together
into more complex feeding relationships
 5.1.6 - Define trophic level . (1)
The Trophic Level of an organism defines the feeding relationship of
that organism to other organisms in a food

Autotroph Heterotroph Heterotroph Heterotroph

Producer Primary Consumer Secondary Consumer Tertiary Consumer

Trophic Level 1 Trophic Level 2 Trophic Level 3 Trophic Level 4

A consumer can occupy a number of different levels depending

on which organism is the prey
5.1.7 - Deduce the trophic level of organisms in a food
chain and a food web. (3)
5.1.8 - Construct a food web containing up to 10
organisms, using appropriate information. (3)

alligator hawk raccoon

turtle
snake marsh killifish
frog
mosquito fish
worm ant mosquitos
oak fungi
5.1.9 - State that light is the initial energy source for almost
all communities. (1)

To maintain food chains, food webs,

communities and all their interactions
requires energy

Sunlight is the source of this energy

for most communities both aquatic and
terrestrial

The principle trap of sunlight energy is

the protein molecule chlorophyll found
in the chloroplasts of producers cells
5.1.10 - Explain the energy flow in a food chain. (3)

a) not all solar energy will be absorbed by chlorophyll and therefore will not be trapped in the
synthesis of organic compounds during photosynthesis

b) photosynthesis in which light energy is trapped by producers

c) consumers feeding and passing on energy in the food molecules

d) Loss of energy as heat from respiration

e) death and the consumption of dead organisms by detritivores. Or as food not

assimilated because of incomplete digestion

Energy Loss

- loss of energy in undigested food which will then be used by

saprophytes/decomposers
-loss of heat energy in the reactions of respiration
-ultimately all energy will be lost as heat
5.1.11 - State that energy transformations are never 100%
efficient. (1)

The transfer of energy from one trophic level to the next is

inefficient

Approximately 10-20% of the energy on one trophic level will be

assimilated at the higher trophic level (about 90% lost)
5.1.12 - Explain reasons for the shape of pyramids of
energy. (3)

The narrowing shape illustrates the gradual

loss of energy progressing along the links of
a food chain to higher trophic levels

Each level loses around 90% of the

energy from the previous trophic
level
5.1.13 - Explain that energy enters and leaves ecosystems,
but nutrients must be recycled. (3)

Energy eventually ends in space as

Matter is not created it is used
it is lost in each level of the trophic
and then reused
level

A flow like a river has a start and a finish, a cycle is like a circle, never-
ending
 5.1.14 - State that saprotrophic bacteria and fungi
(decomposers) recycle nutrients. (1)
Decomposition is a biological process that begins with the secretion
of extra-cellular digestive enzymes

These enzymes are produced by the saprophytic bacteria and fungi and are
secreted onto the dead organism

The enzymes hydrolyse the biological molecules of which the dead organism
composed, the molecules are soluble and will be absorbed by the fungi or th
bacteria

Organic molecules are oxidised to release carbon dioxide back into the
atmosphere and release nitrogen in form of nitrate, nitrite and
ammonium

The oxidation of the organic compounds produces energy for the

saprophyte but returns the various forms of matter to the abiotic
environment