AQA GCSE Biology Topic 7: Ecologyis a comprehensive guide... Show more
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
Subjects
Careers
Energy transfers (a2 only)
Infection and response
Homeostasis and response
Responding to change (a2 only)
Cell biology
Organisms respond to changes in their internal and external environments (a-level only)
Biological molecules
Organisation
Substance exchange
The control of gene expression (a2 only)
Bioenergetics
Genetic information & variation
Inheritance, variation and evolution
Ecology
Cells
Show all topics
World war two & the holocaust
2m wars and welfare: britain in transition, 1906-1957
1f industrialisation and the people: britain, c1783-1885
Medieval period: 1066 -1509
1l the quest for political stability: germany, 1871-1991
Britain & the wider world: 1745 -1901
2d religious conflict and the church in england, c1529-c1570
The cold war
1c the tudors: england, 1485-1603
Inter-war germany
2j america: a nation divided, c1845-1877
2n revolution and dictatorship: russia, 1917-1953
2s the making of modern britain, 1951-2007
World war one
Britain: 1509 -1745
Show all topics
701
•
16 Mar 2023
•
Xen Jones
@xenjones_veco
AQA GCSE Biology Topic 7: Ecologyis a comprehensive guide... Show more
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:
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 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.
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:
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:
These cycles illustrate the movement of matter and energy through ecosystems and are fundamental to understanding global ecological processes.
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:
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:
Example: Pesticides entering water systems can accumulate in food chains, affecting multiple species and reducing biodiversity.
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:
Highlight: Deforestation is often driven by agriculture, including cattle ranching, rice cultivation, and biofuel crop production.
Global warming, caused by increased greenhouse gas emissions , leads to:
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.
The final page discusses strategies for preserving biodiversity, a critical aspect of Ecology GCSE Biology Combined Science.
Key approaches to maintaining biodiversity include:
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.
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.
App Store
Google Play
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
iOS user
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
iOS user
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
iOS user
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
iOS user
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.
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
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:
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 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.
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
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:
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:
These cycles illustrate the movement of matter and energy through ecosystems and are fundamental to understanding global ecological processes.
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
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:
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:
Example: Pesticides entering water systems can accumulate in food chains, affecting multiple species and reducing biodiversity.
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
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:
Highlight: Deforestation is often driven by agriculture, including cattle ranching, rice cultivation, and biofuel crop production.
Global warming, caused by increased greenhouse gas emissions , leads to:
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.
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
The final page discusses strategies for preserving biodiversity, a critical aspect of Ecology GCSE Biology Combined Science.
Key approaches to maintaining biodiversity include:
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.
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
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.
App Store
Google Play
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
iOS user
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
iOS user
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
iOS user
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
iOS user