Populations in ecosystems – AQA A Level Biology Summary Notes
Definitions
Species
- A group of similar organisms that can reproduce to give fertile offspring
Population
- A group of organisms of the same/1 species living in a particular area at a certain time
Community
- All of the populations of a different species in an area
Biotic
- The living gators within an area
- Eg Competition between organisms of the same species (Intraspecific)
Abiotic
- The non-living factors within an area
- Eg temperature, soil, amount of rainfall, humidity, wind speed etc)
Competition
- The populations of all the different species in an area/habitat
Ecosystem
- All the organisms living in a community, plus the biotic and abiotic conditions in the area in
which they live
Climax Community
- Most complex community an ecosystem can support
Climatic Climax
- The Climax Community for a particular climate
Habitat
- Place where an organism lives within an ecosystem
- Each habitat has “microhabitats” – smaller sections within a habitat
- Eg grass is a microhabitat for bugs, water is a microhabitat for algae and mud at bottom for
blood worm
Definitions
Species
- A group of similar organisms that can reproduce to give fertile offspring
Population
- A group of organisms of the same/1 species living in a particular area at a certain time
Community
- All of the populations of a different species in an area
Biotic
- The living gators within an area
- Eg Competition between organisms of the same species (Intraspecific)
Abiotic
- The non-living factors within an area
- Eg temperature, soil, amount of rainfall, humidity, wind speed etc)
Competition
- The populations of all the different species in an area/habitat
Ecosystem
- All the organisms living in a community, plus the biotic and abiotic conditions in the area in
which they live
Climax Community
- Most complex community an ecosystem can support
Climatic Climax
- The Climax Community for a particular climate
Habitat
- Place where an organism lives within an ecosystem
- Each habitat has “microhabitats” – smaller sections within a habitat
- Eg grass is a microhabitat for bugs, water is a microhabitat for algae and mud at bottom for
blood worm