S-Cool Revision Summary

Environment

Adaptation	Changes made in the structure or function of an organism to suit its environment.
Carnivore	Meat-eating animal.
Community	Groups of different species living in the same area.
Competition	Two or more species which require the same food or space to live in but do not eat each other.
Decomposer	Fungi or soil bacteria that break down dead plant or animal material.
De-nitrifying bacteria	Bacteria that convert nitrates back into atmospheric nitrogen gas. Not useful.
Efficiency	A measure in percentages of how much energy is passed on from one trophic level to another.
Energy transfer	When one organism is eaten by another some of the energy stored in its cells are passed on and used.
Food chain	Connection between organisms based on who eats whom.
Food web	A more complex system of connections based on predation, but links a number of food chains.
Haber process	Industrial chemical process which takes nitrogen and hydrogen gases and produces ammonia.
Herbivore	Plant-eating animal
Legume	A plant that has root nodules containing nitrogen-fixing bacteria. e.g. clover.
Migration	The movement, often seasonal, of animals or birds from one place to another.
Niche	The site or 'function' occupied by an individual organism in the environment.
Nitrates	Ion containing one nitrogen atom and three oxygen atoms. Used by plants and converted into many complex molecules.
Nitrifying bacteria	Convert ammonia and ammonium compounds into useful nitrates.
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria	Convert atmospheric nitrogen gas into useful nitrates. Many live in root nodules of Legume plants.
Omnivore	Animal that eats plants and other animals.
Photosynthesis	Process that produces glucose by combining carbon dioxide and water through the energy derived from the Sun.
Population	The total number of individuals of one species living in a particular location.
Predator	Animal that seeks out another animal for food.
Prey	Animal that is killed and eaten by a predator.
Primary consumer	A herbivore. An animal that eats a producer - a plant.
Producer	Plants. They produce the first glucose and other molecules by photosynthesis.
Putrefying bacteria	Decompose proteins and urea from animal and plant material into ammonia and ammonium compounds. Smelly!
Pyramid of biomass	Diagram that shows the total mass of all the organisms at each stage or level of a food chain or food web.
Pyramid of numbers	Diagram that shows the total numbers of organisms at each stage or level of a food chain or food web.
Secondary consumer	Animal that eats the primary consumer.
Tertiary consumer	Animal that eats the secondary consumer.
Top carnivore	The carnivore that eats other animals but is not itself eaten by a higher predator.
Trophic level	A stage in a food chain or food web.

Share | | Email | Print

Quick Find

Revise quicker

S-Cool Revision Summary