A LOCAL ECOSYSTEM

1. THE DISTRIBUTION, DIVERSITY AND NUMBERS OF PLANTS AND

ANIMALS FOUND IN ECOSYSTEMS ARE DETERMINED BY BIOTIC
AND ABIOTIC FACTORS
1.1
COMPARE THE ABIOTIC CHARACTERISTICS OF AQUATIC AND TERRESTRIAL
ENVIRONMENTS
Abiotic factors non-living components of an ecosystem, e.g. temperature, light, wind,
salinity, water availability
Biotic factors living things in an ecosystem, all organisms (plants, animals, bacteria etc.)
Biotic factors that could affect the distribution and abundance of a particular species include
predators, competition from other species for food and shelter, and the spread of disease
from one organism to another.
ABIOTIC FACTOR
Light

TERRESTRIAL ENVIRONMENT
Readily available

Water availability

Variable

Oxygen availability

High

Buoyancy
Viscosity
Nutrient availability

Low
Low
Variable

Temperature

Fluctuates (variable)

AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT
Less available, decreases with
depth
High, depends on osmotic
factors and salinity
Less, decreases with depth or
increase of temperature
High
High
Readily available in dissolved
form
Less variable, decrease with
depth

1.2
IDENTIFY THE FACTORS DETERMINING THE DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE
OF A SPECIES IN EACH ENVIRONMENT
Population: a group of individuals of a single species in a given area at the same time they
interact with each other and interbreed
Distribution: the spread of a species over a geographical area
Abundance: the number of organisms of a species in an ecosystem
DISTRIBUTION
Where an organism is found in an
environment
It is usually uneven throughout the
ecosystem
Organisms are found where abiotic and
biotic factors favour them
Organisms are distributed where:
Survival rate is high
Predation is low
Requirements for survival are met
Abiotic factors affecting distribution and
abundance
Light

ABUNDANCE
How many organisms in an ecosystem
Not the same throughout environment
Changes over time:
Increases due to births and immigration
Decreases due to deaths and emigration

Biotic factors affecting distribution and

abundance
Availability of food

Strength of wind
Number of competitors
Rainfall
Number of mates available
Temperature variations
Number of predators
Topography
Number and variety of disease causing
Tides, currents and waves
organisms
Water (amount, salinity, pH) Substrate
Space and shelter
Oxygen
Factors affecting distribution and abundance of the cane toad:
warm (ectothermic)
wet (amphibian)
food resources
number of competitors
number of mates
number/variety of disease causing organisms
habitat availability
births and deaths, immigration and emigration (cane toad is migrating across the northern
part of Australia at an alarming rate due to the suitability of the habitat)
1.3
DESCRIBE THE ROLES OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND RESPIRATION IN
ECOSYSTEMS

All energy for organisms within an ecosystem comes from the sun, and is harnessed by
plants in photosynthesis
Photosynthesis uses carbon dioxide and water to produce oxygen and glucose. Glucose is
the source of food for other organisms.
Respiration is the process by which cells obtain energy. It is a series of chemical reactions.

1.4

IDENTIFY USES OF ENERGY BY ORGANISMS

Synthesis complex molecules proteins, lipids, carbohydrates

Growth differentiation, elongation, division
Repair and maintain old/damaged cells
Active transport of materials across cell membranes
Specialized cells that require energy nerve, muscle and kidney cells
Transport o materials (e.g. through phloem, circulatory system)

1.5
IDENTIFY THE GENERAL EQUATION FOR AEROBIC CELLULAR RESPIRATION AND
OUTLINE THIS AS A SUMMARY OF A CHAIN OF BIOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
Glucose + Oxygen Carbon dioxide + Water + Energy

Respiration is the process to release energy

aerobic requires oxygen
the energy is in the bonds amongst glucose it is released when the bonds are broken
respiration involves over 50 different reactions each catalyzed by its own enzyme

1.6 PROCESS AND ANALYSE INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM A VARIETY OF

SAMPLING STUDIES TO JUSTIFY THE USE OF DIFFERENT SAMPLING TECHNIQUES TO
MAKE POPULATION ESTIMATES WHEN TOTAL COUNTS CANNOT BE PERFORMED

A population is a group of similar organisms living in a given area as a time

Populations can never be 100% accurately counted; this is because of the difficulty of
describing in detail large areas. Also it would be too time-consuming and damaging to the
environment
Populations are estimated using sampling techniques. These make an estimate, which is
roughly accurate of the population.

Measuring Distribution:
A transect is used
This a narrow strip that is placed across the area being studied from one end to another
The organism on the strip, from one end to another, are recorded and this represents the
distribution of organisms for that area
Measuring Abundance: Plants:
The quadrat method is used
Method: quadrats (squares of a fixed area) are placed randomly in an area.
The abundance of the organism in that area is measured
Animals - Quadrat method cant be used, as animals move around Capture recapture
method is used instead

2. EACH LOCAL OR TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM IS UNIQUE

2.1 EXAMINE TRENDS IN POPULATION ESTIMATES FOR SOME PLANT AND ANIMAL
SPECIES WITHIN AN ECOSYSTEM
Population growth = (births + immigrations) (death + emigrations)

Area Studied: Grey Mangrove forest at Homebush Bay:

As the water level rose, the amount of mangrove seedlings decreased, but the amount of
semaphore crabs increased
As the water level reduced, the amount of mangrove seedlings increased, but the amount
of semaphore crabs decreased
his pointed out that mangrove seedlings do not prefer to be covered in water, while crabs
do

2.2 OUTLINE FACTORS THAT AFFECT NUMBERS IN PREDATOR AND PREY

POPULATION IN THE AREA STUDIED
Predator population controlled by prey, as it depends on how many prey it can eat
Prey population controlled by predator activity as the predators rely on prey as a source of
food

Biotic factors food, competition, shelter, predators, parasites/disease

Abiotic factors sunlight, temperature, rainfall, wind, soil minerals

2.3 IDENTIFY EXAMPLES OF ALLELOPATHY, PARASITISM, MUTUALISM AND

COMMENSALISM IN AN ECOSYSTEM AND THE ROLE OF ORGANISMS IN EACH TYPE
OF RELATIONSHIP
Mutualism
Allelopathy

Relationship that is mutually beneficial for both organisms.

e.g. lychen relationship between algae (provides food) and fungi
(provides structure)
This happens when a plant releases a chemical to inhibit the growth of
other plants.
e.g. cassuarina tree has toxic needles which fall to the ground, inhibiting

Commensalism
Parasitism

the growth of other plants.

A relationship that benefits one organism and does no harm to the other.
e.g. golden orb spider builds web in tree so benefits the spider, but tree is
unaffected.
One organism benefits, but the host organism is harmed.
e.g. mosquitoes, harm animals (usually mammals humans)

2.4 DESCRIBE THE ROLE OF DECOMPOSERS IN ECOSYSTEMS

Decomposers are the rubbish cleaners of the ecosystems

They feed on the left overs of other organisms, dead organisms and decaying organisms
and their wastes.
They enable the materials of decomposition available to plants
They keep the biomass in circulation.

2.5 EXPLAIN TROPHIC INTERACTIONS BETWEEN ORGANISMS IN AN ECOSYSTEM

USING FOOD CHAINS, FOOD WEBS AND PYRMAIDS OF BIOMASS AND ENERGY
A trophic interaction is one where one organism is consumed by another
A Producer is also known as an autotroph
A consumer is also known as a heterotroph
Food Chain Is a single chain of feeding patterns. It shows a liner process in which organism
is consequently consumed by another in increasing trophic order.
Food Web This is the combination and interaction of numerous food chains and shows the
interactions and feeding patterns of numerous organisms. It is non-linear and one organism
can be in many different trophic levels depending on the chain/web. A food web and a food
chain also show the flow of energy and matter in an ecosystem.
Biomass pyramid A biomass pyramid indicates the relative amount of matter in the
organisms of a community. The total amount of mass in a community is called its biomass. In
a self-sustaining ecosystem, the biomass significantly decreases at each trophic level. The
normal pattern of a biomass pyramid has a huge percentage of producers, a limited
percentage of herbivores and a small percentage of carnivores. Biomass pyramids show the
amount of matter at each trophic level. These when used with food webs are best used to
describe the energy and matter transfer through a community.
Energy pyramid Energy pyramids show the amount of energy at each trophic level in a
community. The lower the organism on a food chain the more energy it has available to it.
Energy pyramids indicate the relative amount of energy transferred from one trophic level to
another. In a stable community, biomass and energy pyramids decrease rapidly as the trophic
level increases. Biomass and energy pyramids can be used to predict and explain changes in
a community.
2.6 DEFINE THE TERM ADAPTATION AND DISCUSS THE PROBLEMS WITH INFERRING
CHARACTERISTICS OF ORGANISMS AS ADAPTATIONS FOR LIVING IN A PARTICULAR
HABITAT
An adaptation is a feature of a organism that makes it well suited to its environment and its
lifestyle
Adaptations can be:

Structural: A physical characteristic relating to the structure of an organism

Physiological: Relating to the way an organism functions
Behavioural: How an organism relates to it environment

Adaptations are always genetic; they are the result of natural selection
Problems associated with inferring characteristics of organisms include:

If you do not know the environment an organism lives in, then saying a characteristic is an
adaptation is just guesswork
Sometimes, organisms gain features that are advantageous to its survival, but are a result
of the organisms live experience. This is not an adaptation, as adaptations are always
genetically based

2.7 IDENTIFY SOME ADAPTATIONS OF LIVING THINGS TO FACTORS IN THEIR

ENVIRONMENT
Animal adaptations Spider:

8 legs (structural adaptation)

Ability to produce web (physiological adaptation)
Crawl away from any points of bright light (behavioral adaptation)

Plant adaptations Old man Banksias:

Huge Flower, thick bark, extremely fine intricate roots (structural)
Seeds falling to the ground after a fire (physiological)
2.8 IDENTIFY AND DESCRIBE IN DETAIL ADAPTATIONS OF A PLANT AND AN ANIMAL
FROM THE LOCAL ECOSYSTEM

2.9 DESCRIBE AND EXPLAIN THE SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES ON

THE ECOSYSTEM OF SPECIES COMPETING FOR RESOURCES

Competition in ecosystems is the struggle between organisms for the same resource
Competition can be between members of the same species or between members of
different species.
In the short-term, competition reduces the chance of survival and restricts the abundance
of all competitors
In the long-term, one of the competitors will eventually be more successful and drive out
or significantly reduce the numbers of other competitors

2.10 IDENTIY THE IMPACT OF HUMANS IN THE ECOSYSTEM STUDIED