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Fun AQA Biology Topic 7: Ecology Revision Notes & Cool Predator-Prey Facts!

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Xen Jones

16/03/2023

Biology

Biology - Topic 7 - Ecololgy

Fun AQA Biology Topic 7: Ecology Revision Notes & Cool Predator-Prey Facts!

AQA GCSE Biology Topic 7: Ecology is a comprehensive guide covering key concepts in ecosystem dynamics, biodiversity, and environmental impacts. This resource provides essential information for students studying Ecology GCSE Biology Combined Science.

  • Explores communities, ecosystems, and interdependence
  • Covers biotic and abiotic factors influencing ecosystems
  • Examines adaptations, food chains, and predator-prey relationships
  • Discusses sampling techniques and environmental cycles
  • Addresses biodiversity, human impacts, and conservation efforts
...

16/03/2023

701

Topic 7 Ecology
●
●
Communities
Ecosystems
If one species was removed it effects
●
interdependence
If all areas
●
Biotic and Abionic factors

View

Adaptations and Extremophiles

This page delves into how organisms adapt to their environments, a crucial concept in AQA Biology Ecology exam questions.

Adaptations are features that enhance an organism's survival in its specific environment. They can be categorized into three types:

  1. Structural adaptations: Physical characteristics
  2. Behavioral adaptations: Actions an organism takes to survive
  3. Functional adaptations: Internal processes that aid survival

Example:

  • Structural: A polar bear's thick fur for insulation
  • Behavioral: A lizard basking in the sun to regulate body temperature
  • Functional: Some fish producing antifreeze proteins to survive in cold waters

Extremophiles are organisms that thrive in extreme conditions, such as high temperatures, high pressure, or high salt concentrations.

The page also introduces food chains, which illustrate feeding relationships within a community. Food chains always begin with producers typicallyplantstypically plants and progress through primary consumers, secondary consumers, and sometimes tertiary consumers.

Highlight: Understanding food chains is essential for grasping energy flow and trophic levels in ecosystems, a key topic in AQA GCSE Biology Ecology past papers.

Topic 7 Ecology
●
●
Communities
Ecosystems
If one species was removed it effects
●
interdependence
If all areas
●
Biotic and Abionic factors

View

Predator-Prey Cycles and Sampling Techniques

This section explores the dynamic relationship between predators and prey, as well as methods for studying ecosystem populations.

Predator-prey feeding cycles demonstrate the interdependence of species within an ecosystem. As prey populations increase, predator populations follow suit due to increased food availability. However, this leads to increased predation, causing the prey population to decline, which in turn affects the predator population. This cyclical relationship is a key concept in understanding ecosystem dynamics.

Example: The classic example of the predator-prey cycle is the relationship between lynx and snowshoe hares in North America, often featured in predator-prey graph explanations.

Sampling techniques are crucial for assessing organism abundance in ecosystems:

  1. Quadrats: Square frames used to count plants or slow-moving organisms
  2. Transects: A measuring tape with quadrats placed at regular intervals

Highlight: Proper sampling techniques are essential for accurate ecological studies and are often tested in AQA Biology Ecology exam questions.

The page also introduces three important environmental cycles:

  1. The water cycle
  2. The decay cycle
  3. The carbon cycle

These cycles illustrate the movement of matter and energy through ecosystems and are fundamental to understanding global ecological processes.

Topic 7 Ecology
●
●
Communities
Ecosystems
If one species was removed it effects
●
interdependence
If all areas
●
Biotic and Abionic factors

View

Biodiversity and Land Use

This page focuses on the importance of biodiversity and the impacts of human activities on ecosystems, a crucial topic in Topic 7 Biology AQA A Level.

Definition: Biodiversity refers to the variety of all species of organisms on Earth or within a specific ecosystem.

The importance of biodiversity is emphasized, highlighting its role in maintaining ecosystem stability and species interdependence.

Factors reducing biodiversity include:

  • Population growth
  • Increased standard of living
  • Pollution land,air,andwaterland, air, and water
  • Waste management issues
  • Land use changes e.g.,building,quarrying,landfille.g., building, quarrying, landfill

Highlight: Understanding the factors affecting biodiversity is crucial for addressing conservation challenges and is frequently assessed in AQA GCSE Biology Ecology past papers.

The page details various types of pollution and their impacts on ecosystems:

  1. Land pollution: Toxic chemicals entering food chains
  2. Air pollution: Smoke particles and acidic gases causing acid rain
  3. Water pollution: Pesticides, herbicides, sewage, and fertilizers contaminating water systems

Example: Pesticides entering water systems can accumulate in food chains, affecting multiple species and reducing biodiversity.

Topic 7 Ecology
●
●
Communities
Ecosystems
If one species was removed it effects
●
interdependence
If all areas
●
Biotic and Abionic factors

View

Deforestation and Climate Change

This section examines the environmental impacts of deforestation and peat bog destruction, as well as their contribution to global warming.

Peat bogs are unique ecosystems that form over thousands of years. Their destruction for fuel or compost releases significant amounts of CO₂, contributing to climate change.

Vocabulary: Peat bogs are acidic wetland ecosystems that store large amounts of carbon in organic matter.

Deforestation, particularly in tropical areas, has severe consequences:

  • Reduced biodiversity
  • Increased CO₂ emissions
  • Habitat destruction

Highlight: Deforestation is often driven by agriculture, including cattle ranching, rice cultivation, and biofuel crop production.

Global warming, caused by increased greenhouse gas emissions primarilyCO2andmethaneprimarily CO₂ and methane, leads to:

  • Loss of habitats
  • Changes in organism distribution
  • Altered migration patterns
  • Reduced biodiversity

Example: The greenhouse effect occurs when solar radiation is trapped by atmospheric gases, leading to increased global temperatures.

It's important to note that climate change and global warming are related but distinct concepts. Global warming refers specifically to the increase in Earth's average temperature, while climate change encompasses broader environmental shifts.

Topic 7 Ecology
●
●
Communities
Ecosystems
If one species was removed it effects
●
interdependence
If all areas
●
Biotic and Abionic factors

View

Maintaining Biodiversity

The final page discusses strategies for preserving biodiversity, a critical aspect of Ecology GCSE Biology Combined Science.

Key approaches to maintaining biodiversity include:

  1. Breeding programs for endangered species
  2. Protection and regeneration of rare habitats
  3. Creating field margins and hedgerows to support wildlife
  4. Reducing deforestation and CO₂ emissions
  5. Promoting recycling over landfill use

Highlight: Conservation efforts are crucial for mitigating the impacts of human activities on ecosystems and are often featured in AQA Biology Ecology exam questions.

These strategies aim to counteract the negative effects of human activities on ecosystems and preserve the planet's biodiversity for future generations.

Example: The creation of wildlife corridors, such as hedgerows, allows species to move between fragmented habitats, supporting genetic diversity and population stability.

Understanding these conservation approaches is essential for students studying Topic 7 Biology AQA GCSE and preparing for ecology-related exam questions.

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Biology

701

16 Mar 2023

6 pages

Fun AQA Biology Topic 7: Ecology Revision Notes & Cool Predator-Prey Facts!

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Xen Jones

@xenjones_veco

AQA GCSE Biology Topic 7: Ecology is a comprehensive guide covering key concepts in ecosystem dynamics, biodiversity, and environmental impacts. This resource provides essential information for students studying Ecology GCSE Biology Combined Science.

  • Explores communities, ecosystems, and interdependence
  • Covers... Show more

Topic 7 Ecology
●
●
Communities
Ecosystems
If one species was removed it effects
●
interdependence
If all areas
●
Biotic and Abionic factors

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Adaptations and Extremophiles

This page delves into how organisms adapt to their environments, a crucial concept in AQA Biology Ecology exam questions.

Adaptations are features that enhance an organism's survival in its specific environment. They can be categorized into three types:

  1. Structural adaptations: Physical characteristics
  2. Behavioral adaptations: Actions an organism takes to survive
  3. Functional adaptations: Internal processes that aid survival

Example:

  • Structural: A polar bear's thick fur for insulation
  • Behavioral: A lizard basking in the sun to regulate body temperature
  • Functional: Some fish producing antifreeze proteins to survive in cold waters

Extremophiles are organisms that thrive in extreme conditions, such as high temperatures, high pressure, or high salt concentrations.

The page also introduces food chains, which illustrate feeding relationships within a community. Food chains always begin with producers typicallyplantstypically plants and progress through primary consumers, secondary consumers, and sometimes tertiary consumers.

Highlight: Understanding food chains is essential for grasping energy flow and trophic levels in ecosystems, a key topic in AQA GCSE Biology Ecology past papers.

Topic 7 Ecology
●
●
Communities
Ecosystems
If one species was removed it effects
●
interdependence
If all areas
●
Biotic and Abionic factors

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Predator-Prey Cycles and Sampling Techniques

This section explores the dynamic relationship between predators and prey, as well as methods for studying ecosystem populations.

Predator-prey feeding cycles demonstrate the interdependence of species within an ecosystem. As prey populations increase, predator populations follow suit due to increased food availability. However, this leads to increased predation, causing the prey population to decline, which in turn affects the predator population. This cyclical relationship is a key concept in understanding ecosystem dynamics.

Example: The classic example of the predator-prey cycle is the relationship between lynx and snowshoe hares in North America, often featured in predator-prey graph explanations.

Sampling techniques are crucial for assessing organism abundance in ecosystems:

  1. Quadrats: Square frames used to count plants or slow-moving organisms
  2. Transects: A measuring tape with quadrats placed at regular intervals

Highlight: Proper sampling techniques are essential for accurate ecological studies and are often tested in AQA Biology Ecology exam questions.

The page also introduces three important environmental cycles:

  1. The water cycle
  2. The decay cycle
  3. The carbon cycle

These cycles illustrate the movement of matter and energy through ecosystems and are fundamental to understanding global ecological processes.

Topic 7 Ecology
●
●
Communities
Ecosystems
If one species was removed it effects
●
interdependence
If all areas
●
Biotic and Abionic factors

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Biodiversity and Land Use

This page focuses on the importance of biodiversity and the impacts of human activities on ecosystems, a crucial topic in Topic 7 Biology AQA A Level.

Definition: Biodiversity refers to the variety of all species of organisms on Earth or within a specific ecosystem.

The importance of biodiversity is emphasized, highlighting its role in maintaining ecosystem stability and species interdependence.

Factors reducing biodiversity include:

  • Population growth
  • Increased standard of living
  • Pollution land,air,andwaterland, air, and water
  • Waste management issues
  • Land use changes e.g.,building,quarrying,landfille.g., building, quarrying, landfill

Highlight: Understanding the factors affecting biodiversity is crucial for addressing conservation challenges and is frequently assessed in AQA GCSE Biology Ecology past papers.

The page details various types of pollution and their impacts on ecosystems:

  1. Land pollution: Toxic chemicals entering food chains
  2. Air pollution: Smoke particles and acidic gases causing acid rain
  3. Water pollution: Pesticides, herbicides, sewage, and fertilizers contaminating water systems

Example: Pesticides entering water systems can accumulate in food chains, affecting multiple species and reducing biodiversity.

Topic 7 Ecology
●
●
Communities
Ecosystems
If one species was removed it effects
●
interdependence
If all areas
●
Biotic and Abionic factors

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Deforestation and Climate Change

This section examines the environmental impacts of deforestation and peat bog destruction, as well as their contribution to global warming.

Peat bogs are unique ecosystems that form over thousands of years. Their destruction for fuel or compost releases significant amounts of CO₂, contributing to climate change.

Vocabulary: Peat bogs are acidic wetland ecosystems that store large amounts of carbon in organic matter.

Deforestation, particularly in tropical areas, has severe consequences:

  • Reduced biodiversity
  • Increased CO₂ emissions
  • Habitat destruction

Highlight: Deforestation is often driven by agriculture, including cattle ranching, rice cultivation, and biofuel crop production.

Global warming, caused by increased greenhouse gas emissions primarilyCO2andmethaneprimarily CO₂ and methane, leads to:

  • Loss of habitats
  • Changes in organism distribution
  • Altered migration patterns
  • Reduced biodiversity

Example: The greenhouse effect occurs when solar radiation is trapped by atmospheric gases, leading to increased global temperatures.

It's important to note that climate change and global warming are related but distinct concepts. Global warming refers specifically to the increase in Earth's average temperature, while climate change encompasses broader environmental shifts.

Topic 7 Ecology
●
●
Communities
Ecosystems
If one species was removed it effects
●
interdependence
If all areas
●
Biotic and Abionic factors

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Maintaining Biodiversity

The final page discusses strategies for preserving biodiversity, a critical aspect of Ecology GCSE Biology Combined Science.

Key approaches to maintaining biodiversity include:

  1. Breeding programs for endangered species
  2. Protection and regeneration of rare habitats
  3. Creating field margins and hedgerows to support wildlife
  4. Reducing deforestation and CO₂ emissions
  5. Promoting recycling over landfill use

Highlight: Conservation efforts are crucial for mitigating the impacts of human activities on ecosystems and are often featured in AQA Biology Ecology exam questions.

These strategies aim to counteract the negative effects of human activities on ecosystems and preserve the planet's biodiversity for future generations.

Example: The creation of wildlife corridors, such as hedgerows, allows species to move between fragmented habitats, supporting genetic diversity and population stability.

Understanding these conservation approaches is essential for students studying Topic 7 Biology AQA GCSE and preparing for ecology-related exam questions.

Topic 7 Ecology
●
●
Communities
Ecosystems
If one species was removed it effects
●
interdependence
If all areas
●
Biotic and Abionic factors

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Communities and Ecosystems

This section introduces fundamental concepts in Topic 7 Biology AQA GCSE, focusing on the interactions within ecological systems.

Communities and ecosystems are interconnected, with species interdependence playing a crucial role. The removal of one species can have far-reaching effects on the entire ecosystem. A stable ecosystem maintains a balance between all its components.

Definition: An ecosystem is a community of living organisms interacting with their non-living environment.

Biotic and abiotic factors are key components of ecosystems:

Vocabulary:

  • Abiotic factors: Non-living components of the environment, such as light intensity, water availability, and temperature.
  • Biotic factors: Living components of the environment, including predators, pathogens, and inter-species competition.

Competition within ecosystems occurs both within and between species, as organisms vie for essential resources like food, territory, light, and water.

Example: Plants compete for light, space, water, and minerals, while animals may compete for food and territory.

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Paul T

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The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.

Stefan S

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This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.

Samantha Klich

Android user

Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.

Anna

iOS user

Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good

Thomas R

iOS user

Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.

Basil

Android user

This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.

Rohan U

Android user

I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.

Xander S

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

Elisha

iOS user

This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now

Paul T

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