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Questions and Answers
What are the two main categories of factors that make up an ecosystem?
Abiotic factors and biotic factors
What is the role of water in cellular processes, and why is it essential for living organisms?
Water is required as a solvent for chemical reactions inside cells, and without it, cells dry out and die.
What are some examples of biotic factors in an ecosystem, and how do they interact with each other?
Examples include microbes, viruses, plants, fungi, animals, and their interrelationships, such as competition for food and breeding partners. Dead organisms and their waste products are also included.
How are environments classified in terms of water availability, and what are some examples of environments with low or high precipitation?
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What is the role of temperature in ecosystems, and how does it affect cellular processes and evaporation?
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What is the relationship between abiotic factors and biotic factors in an ecosystem, and how do they interact?
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What happens to proteins and cellular structures when they are exposed to high temperatures?
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What is the purpose of shivering and sweating in an organism's response to extreme temperatures?
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What is unique about the lifespans of organisms found in extremely cold environments?
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What is the primary source of energy in most ecosystems?
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How do changes in soil pH affect plant growth?
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What is the significance of oxygen in ecosystem functioning?
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Study Notes
Ecosystems
- An ecosystem is a community of organisms living together, interacting with each other and their non-living environment.
- Ecosystems consist of living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) factors.
Abiotic Factors
- Abiotic factors are non-living, physical factors in the environment, including:
- Air
- Rocks
- Soil
- Sunlight
- Water
- Weather
- Climate
- Water is essential for all living organisms, playing key roles in:
- Cellular reactions as a solvent
- Moderating temperature
- Transporting minerals and dissolved gases
- Supporting aquatic environments
- Temperature influences cellular processes, including:
- Rate of cellular reactions
- Evaporation
- Metabolic rate
- Organisms in extreme temperatures may need to use extra energy to cope with the effects.
Water
- Environments are often classified by amounts of water and rainfall, including:
- Deserts (arid, <250 mm precipitation/year)
- Semiarid (e.g. Melbourne, 650 mm precipitation/year)
- Water quality and abundance are closely related to soils, affecting plant growth and survival.
Sunlight
- Sunlight is the sole origin of energy in most ecosystems, driving:
- Photosynthesis in plants and other photosynthetic organisms
- Climate and weather cycles
- Daily and yearly weather patterns
- Sunlight varies daily and across the year, creating weather patterns that circulate water and materials through ecosystems.
Soil and Rocks
- Soil, sand, and rocks form the surfaces of ecosystems and the bottom of water bodies.
- Weathering, erosion, leeching, and soaking move minerals around ecosystems.
Oxygen
- Oxygen is essential for:
- Cellular respiration, releasing energy from glucose
- Causing oxidative stress, leading to cellular damage and death
- Terrestrial organisms obtain sufficient oxygen from the air, while aquatic and subterranean environments have limited oxygen availability, affecting the type and number of organisms present.
Biotic Factors
- Living organisms in an ecosystem can be classified as:
- Producers (e.g. plants, photosynthetic organisms)
- Consumers (e.g. animals, heterotrophic organisms)
- Decomposers (e.g. bacteria, fungi)
- Feeding relationships between these groups can be organized into:
- Food chains
- Food webs
- Energy and matter pass along these food chains and webs.
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Description
Test your knowledge of ecosystems, including the biotic and abiotic factors that make up these complex systems. Learn about the living and non-living components that interact with each other in an ecosystem.
