Life Science

Term 1 Grade 10

Biosphere
Ecology- Study of the relationship amongst living organisms and their nonliving environments
● Biosphere refers to an area where living organisms are found
● An ecosystem consists of living organisms (Bacteria, animals etc) & the nonliving factors
around them (soil, air & water)
Biomes
● Climate- weather, temp & rainfall patterns
● Biome- Region w a certain climate, soil type, animal type & types of vegetation
○ Biomes- terrestrial or aquatic
Grassland 🖼️
● Found in Mpumalanga, Gauteng, KZNl, EC & FS
● Climate- Summer is hot & wet . Winter is cold & dry
● Vegetation- Trees are scarce but grass is dominant
Animal Life- Lots of bird eg Blue Crane
● Soil- Deep & dark w fertile upper layers
Savannah
Covers 46% of SA’s land areas
● Found in Mpumalanga, Limpopo, KZN & EC
● Climate- Very hot summer/ Cool & dry winter.Less summer rainfall.Hotter than grassland
● Vegetation- Mix of grass & trees eg Baobab & Maroela
Animal Life- Big 5. Also
● Soil- Thin and lacks humus (organic matter)
Forest🐍🌳
● Found in Knysna, KZN, WC, Limp, Mpumalanga
● Climate- Temps vary from 30 to -50 C. Rainfall all year round
● Vegetation- Soil is rich in nutrient & can support tall trees eg yellow wood
Animal Life- Lots of Colourful birds eg Knysna Turaco
● Soil- Fertile & enriched by decaying plants
Nama Karoo
● Found in Namaland (Namibia) & Karoo (SA)
● Climate- Semi desert. Low rainfall (>400mm/y). Hot summer, very cold winter
● Vegetation- Shrubs & grass. Trees grow alongside river
● Animal Life- Animals can survive extreme temps & little water eg Jackal, Fox & dussy
● Soil- Thin & rich in lime. Not very fertile

Succulent Karoo 🏜️
● Found in WC & NC
● Climate- Hot summer (Up to 40C)/ cold winter. Winter rainfall area but very little
 ● Vegetation- Dominant plants e.g Cactus. Annual plants germinate after rainfall & dry off
during droughts
● Animal Life- Fox, Meerkat & gecko
● Soil- Not fertile

Fynbos
● Found in WC
● Climate- Cool wet winters & hot dry summers
● Vegetation- Evergreen eg Protea & Erika
● Animal Life- Tortoises, sugarbird, protea seed- eater
● Soil- not fertile

Thicket
● Found in KZN & EC in small projections
● Climate- Low rainfall, moderate temps
● Vegetation- Short trees & shrubs
● Animal Life- Elephant, Kudu, Bushbuck
● Soil- Thick layer, rich enough to sustain vegetation

🌊Aquatic Biomes🐬
2 types- Marine & freshwater
Marine
● 75% of earth
● Coral reefs, Estuaries & Oceans
● Ocean Temps affect climate & wind patterns
● SA has 270/ 325 fish families in it’s marine biomes
Freshwater
-Wetlands
● Swamps & Marshes (shallow w vegetation growing in and around)
● Prevent flooding of lakes, ponds & streams by acting as a sponge
● Animal life includes southern red bishop & hippo. Common plants include grass, water
lilies and sedges
-Rivers & streams
● Temp is cooler @ source than mouth
● Floating weeds & algae
● Mouth is murky due to sediment= less light due to dirt=fewer plants= less oxygen there4
Plants that require less oxygen can be found there (catfish and carp)

Eco- Tourism 📈
Eco-Tourism: Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment & sustains/
improves the lives of local ppl (by giving jobs)
 EcoTourism: Opportunities
➔ Allows visits to protected,
unexplored areas w-out
damage
➔ Provides economic reasons
to protect natural resources
➔ Money spent by travellers
remain in country
➔ Creates jobs by
making/selling craft items
➔ Allows location pp to use
natural resources
Eco Tourism: Economics
● Brings money into area
Economically benefits by
➔ Local communities becoming
involved in ecotourism
➔ Local ppl can be employed
➔ Local ppl can provide food,
craft & entertainment
➔ Local community get a share
from revenue
➔ Development of infrastructure
Eco Tourism: Ethics
Do not:
➔ Litter
➔ Drive vehicles in sensitive areas
➔ Remove/ pickup objects from
natural areas
➔ Do not disturb organism in
their habitat
➔ Follow marked trails
➔ Use environmentally friendly
transport
➔ Stop vehicle engines (noise &
air pollution)
➔ Choose conservation operators

Protection of Wildlife & Plants

● Do not
○ Purchase illegal wildlife products (ivory)
○ Intrude on wild animals
○ Remove any plants, eggs or any other living material
○ Damage habitat
Respect Culture & dignity of local people
● Find out customs & manners of ppl
● Take time to listen to em
● Respect privacy & dignity

Biotic Factors
Living organisms in an ecosystem
Producer- Photosynthetic creatures such as plants & algae/ They produce food
Consumer- Organisms that feed on other organisms eg Herbivore, Carnivore, Omnivore
Decomposer- Organism that break down dead matter eg Fungi, Bacteria & maggots

Abiotic Factors (All notes from soil to physiographic factors)

Non living organisms in an ecosystem

Soil-Edaphic Factors
Types:

Sandy Clay Loamy

➔ Large particles ➔ Highly compact ➔ Best 4 plant growth
➔ Lots of air ➔ Slippery & sticky ➔ Moderate & good amnt of airspaces
➔ Particles not too big or small
between particles ➔ High water capacity
➔ Best water holding capacity
➔ Low water holding (causing water to
➔ Contains Humus in soil (Component of soil made by
capacity become waterlogged) decomposing dead organisms into organic matter)
➔ Gritty Texture ➔ Little airspace
Soil pH
Plants grow well in slightly acidic soil. ( 6.8 pH ) eg Potato,
Wheat, bean & onion grow in alkaline soil
Water 💦
● Essential 4 life
● Needed by plants for photosynthesis
● Hydrophite/ aquatic plants- Plants living in water eg water lilies
● Zarophites- Plants adapted to live on dry land
● Mesophytes- Plants living in water & on land
Light 💡
★ Plants 🌱 use sunlight for photosynthesis to produce oxygen & food
★ Photoperiod- Number of hours of light that a plant gets everyday
➔ Mostly active during day- diurnal
➔ Mostly active during night- nocturnal
Tempo 🔥🥶
Incubation temp- 33.8o C
● Temp & seasonal change
Plants growing at the equator, grow differently to the ones at the pole
Ectothermic animals- Become dormant/ inactive in winter & hibernate
Aestivate- Animals aestivate during long periods of droughts. They hibernate in summer
Endothermic animals sweat in summer and curl in winter to reduce heat loss

● Animals migrate as seasons change where rainfall & temps become less
Hibernation- Slowing down of bodily processes when temps drop and food becomes scarce
Aestivation- Slowing down of bodily processes when temperatures are high

Atmospheric Gases 🎈🫧
● Carbon Dioxide- 0.03%
● Other gases (Methane, ozone & so on)- 0.07%
● Oxygen- 21%
● Nitrogen- 78%

O2 is needed for cellular respiration. During respiration, O2 and glucose is used to produce
🫁
energy & CO2 . Plants 🌱 use CO2 to produce glucose & oxygen during photosynthesis.

Nitrogen is not directly used by living organisms, except by some bacteria. Nitrogen is needed 4
the formation of protein.
Wind 💨
Current of air responsible for pollination and seed dispersal
Wind affects transpiration (evaporation from leaves)

Physiographic factors (Physical features of land)

● Altitude- Height above sea level
○ At sea level there is more O2 with higher atmospheric pressure creating higher
temp.At higher level there is less O2, less pressure and lower temps
 ● Slope- How steep/ flat an area is
○ North facing slopes receive more light & are much warmer
○ South facing slopes are cooler & wetter

Energy flow in ecosystems

Energy is transferred from the sun 🌞 to plants🌱 through photosynthesis bcz of chlorophyll.
Plants 🌱 produce glucose which can be used as energy. Plants 🌱are consumed by animals 🦓
where energy is transferred . Animals unalive 💀 and energy is decomposed 🐛
Trophic levels
A position or level in the food chain that describes the feeding/ energy relationships at that level

Autotroph- Organisms that can produce its own food

Heterotroph- Consumers which cannot produce their own food but have
to obtain energy from other organisms

Types of Consumers
● Herbivores- Primary Consumers
● Carnivores who eat herbivores- Secondary Consumers
● Carnivores who feed on carnivores- Tertiary

Decomposers
Can decompose organisms at all trophic levels

Food Chains

🌿 ➡️ 🦓 ➡️ 🦁
A way to show the direction of energy flow from one trophic level to the next in an ecosystem

● Each link is food for the next link

● The sun 🌞 is not part of the food chain bcoz it's too hot to eat
Food Webs - a no. of food chains interconnected

Food Pyramid/ Ecological Pyramid- represents the diff no. of orgasms or amount of energy or
biomass on each trophic level
● Energy is lost during energy transfer in a food pyramid due to inedible components or
lost energy due to growth/ reproduction
● Only 10% of energy can be past on

Pyramid of energy Pyramid of numbers Pyramid of biomass

Shows amount of energy in There are more organisms Large mass of plants at the
each trophic level providing energy to fewer bottom that feed a smaller
Energy @ Lower point>Higher organisms below mass above
 Nutrient Transfer
The Water cycle

Carbon Cycle

● Blue green bacteria was the first to photosynthesize

Oxygen Cycle

Respiration- O2 + Glucose = Energy+ CO2+ H20

Photosynthesis- CO2 + H20= Glucose + 02
Nitrogen cycle

Nitrogen- 78% of the atmosphere

● Only plants can absorb nitrogen to produce protein 💪🏻
● Nitrate- NO3
🦠
● Bacteria in the soil combines nitrogen & oxygen to produce nitrate- NO3
● Ammonia- colourless highly irritating gas with a sharp suffocating odour NH4

BIODIVERSITY 👨🏻‍🦱🐵
➔ Biodiversity- Large variety of living organisms with the different ecosystems on earth
➔ Species diversity- Variety of living orgasms in a certain region
➔ Genetic Diversity- Differences within a species
➔ Ecosystem Diversity- No. of different ecosystems in an area
➔ Keystone species- An organism that plays an unusually large role in the way an
ecosystem works

Classification
1. Endemic Organisms- Found in one area & nowhere else
2. Indigenous Organism- Naturally found in a region
3. Alien Species- Not naturally found in an area but is introduced

Sorting/ Grouping of organisms is called taxonomy/ classification

Know figure 12.15 pg 247

● Common names are everyday names which refer to organisms but their major problem is
that the names are different in each language
● A scientific name is used globally and across ALL languages
Carolus Linnaeus developed a hierarchy/ ranking order of groups into which related organisms
are placed
Kingdom

Phylum/ Division

Class

Order

Family

Genus

Species

Binomial Naming System

Genus species

Homo sapien

Homo erectus

Homo habilis

● A species is a group of organisms that look alike & have similar genes. Group of closely
related organisms that can interbreed & produce fertile offspring
● Carl Linnaeus created binomial system (2 name)
● This is to reduce confusion & in order to differ species
● Scientific names are written in latin

Also learn the tiny worksheet with the prokaryote,autotrophic etc