BRAINCAKE

Ecology

AQA GCSE BiologyTopic 7 of 721 lessons

Revision notes for Ecology in AQA Biology (8461). Every lesson in BrainCake comes with R.E.C.I.P.E. recall steps, a quick check and spaced reviews.

  1. CommunitiesAn ecosystem is the interaction of a community of living organisms (biotic) with the non-living (abiotic) parts of their environment.
  2. Abiotic factorsAbiotic factors are the non-living factors that can affect a community.
  3. Biotic factorsBiotic factors are the living factors that can affect a community.
  4. AdaptationsOrganisms have features, called adaptations, that help them to survive in the conditions where they normally live.
  5. Levels of organisationPhotosynthetic organisms, usually green plants and algae, are the producers of biomass for life on Earth.
  6. How materials are cycledMany different materials cycle through the abiotic (non-living) and biotic (living) parts of an ecosystem.
  7. Decomposition (biology only)Decay is the breakdown of dead plants and animals and their waste by microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi.
  8. Impact of environmental change (biology only) (HT only)The distribution of a species is where it is found in an ecosystem.
  9. BiodiversityBiodiversity is the variety of all the different species of organisms on Earth, or within an ecosystem.
  10. Waste managementThe human population is growing rapidly, and the standard of living is rising.
  11. Land useHumans reduce the amount of land available for other animals and plants by building, quarrying, farming and dumping waste.
  12. DeforestationDeforestation is the large-scale clearing of forests.
  13. Global warmingThe levels of carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere are increasing.
  14. Maintaining biodiversityHuman interactions with ecosystems can be negative, such as pollution and deforestation, or positive.
  15. Trophic levelsEach stage in a food chain is called a trophic level.
  16. Pyramids of biomassBiomass is the mass of living material.
  17. Transfer of biomassProducers are mostly plants and algae.
  18. Factors affecting food securityFood security means having enough food to feed a population.
  19. Farming techniquesFood animals use energy for movement and for keeping warm, and this energy is transferred to the environment.
  20. Sustainable fisheriesFish stocks in the oceans are declining.
  21. Role of biotechnologyBiotechnology offers biotechnical and agricultural solutions to the demands of the growing human population.

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