AQA Ecology Knowledge Organiser

Keywords Abiotic and Biotic Factors Food Chains

Biodiversity - the variety of living organisms. Abiotic factors are the non-living factors of an environment. The source of all energy in a food chain is the sun’s radiation. It is made useful by plants
Carrion - decaying flesh and tissue of dead animals. E.g. moisture, light, temperature, CO₂, wind, O₂ or pH. and algae which produce organic compounds through photosynthesis.

Community - made up of the populations of different species Biotic factors are the living factors of an environment.
living in a habitat. E.g. predators, competition, pathogens, availability of food.
Competition - the negative interaction between two or more
organisms which require the same limited resource. Adaptations
Consumers - feed on other organisms for their energy. Can be
Adaptations are specific features of an organism which enable
primary, secondary or tertiary.
them to survive in the conditions of their habitat.
Decomposers - organisms which feed on dead and decaying Adaptations can be structural, behavioural or functional:
organisms. They break down the biomass and release
• Structural adaptations are features of the organism’s body
nutrients into the soil.
e.g. colour for camouflage.
Deforestation - the removal and destruction of trees in forest
• Behavioural adaptations are how the organism behaves e.g.
and woodland.
migration to a warmer climate during colder seasons.
Ecosystem - the interaction between the living organisms and
• Functional adaptations are the ways the physiological
the different factors of the environment.
processes work in the organism e.g. lower metabolism during
Global warming - the increase of the average global hibernation to preserve energy.
temperature.
A plant or animal will not physically change to adapt to its The living organisms use the energy to produce biomass and grow.
Habitat - where a living organism lives.
environment in its lifetime. Instead, there is natural variation
Interdependence - the interaction between two or more When a living organism is consumed, some of the biomass and energy is transferred. Some
within the species and only organisms whose features are
organisms, where it is mutually beneficial. of the energy is lost.
more advantageous in the environment survive. The survivors
Population - the number of individual organisms of a single then go on to reproduce and pass on their features to some of Remember: the arrow in a food chain indicates the direction of the flow of energy.
species living in a habitat. their offspring. The offspring who inherit these advantageous
Predators - organisms which kill for food. features are better equipped to survive. Populations of predators and prey increase and decrease in cycles. The size of the predator
Prey - the animals which are eaten by the predators. Charles Darwin described this process as ‘survival of the population depends on the size of the prey population and vice versa. Overall, there is a
fittest’. stable community.
Producers - convert the sun’s energy into useful compounds
through photosynthesis. They are green plants or algae.
Scavengers - organisms which feed on dead animals (carrion).
Species - organisms of similar morphology which can
interbreed to produce fertile offspring.

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Competition Water Cycle Global Warming

Species will compete with one another and also within their
own species to survive and to reproduce.
Mutualism occurs when both species benefit from a relationship.
Parasitism occurs when a parasite only benefits from living
on the host.
Animals compete for resources such as food, water and space/
shelter. They may also compete within their own species for
mates.
Plants compete for resources including light, water, space and
minerals. All these resources are needed for photosynthesis so
the plant can make its own food. Plants do not need to compete
for food. Convection is the movement caused within a fluid as the hotter, less dense
material rises and colder, denser material sinks under the influence of
Deforestation and Land Use
gravity. This results in the transfer of heat.
Humans use land for buildings, quarrying, mining, agriculture The greenhouse effect is the natural process where some of the Sun’s radiation
and landfill. As the human population increases and we take is trapped within the insulating layer of the atmosphere. This maintains a
more land, there is less space for other organisms to live. temperature suitable to support life on Earth.
Deforestation (to use wood as a fuel/material or to clear space
Most of the radiation from the Sun is absorbed by the Earth when it reaches
for other uses) destroys habitats where other organisms live.
the surface. The rest of the infrared radiation is reflected from the surface
Peat bogs are produced when decomposition occurs over a very and absorbed by the greenhouse gases and clouds in the atmosphere. This is
long time. Peat stores a lot of carbon and can be extracted for then re-emitted in all directions.
use by gardeners or as an energy source. Burning peat releases
a lot of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which contributes However, due to many contributing factors, the global temperature is
to the greenhouse effect. gradually increasing. Several gases, called greenhouse gases, trap the heat
Evaporation occurs when heat energy from the surroundings (or a heat around the Earth; the most concerning is carbon dioxide. Human activities
Trees absorb carbon dioxide for photosynthesis, so as they are contribute to the excess amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and so
source) is transferred to water particles as kinetic energy. The particles begin
cut down and removed, less carbon dioxide is taken from the to move more rapidly and can turn from a liquid into a gas. are a cause of global warming.
atmosphere. Furthermore, when the trees are burned, they When moving particles transfer kinetic energy to the surroundings, the Global warming leads to the melting of ice caps, rising sea levels, flooding,
release carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere. The excess particles begin to move more slowly and can turn from a gas into a liquid. changes to climate, changes in migration patterns, changes in species
carbon dioxide can lead to global warming and the changes to This is condensation. distribution and reduction in biodiversity.
the ecosystem cause reduced biodiversity.
Precipitation occurs when rain, snow, sleet, or hail falls to (or condenses
on) the ground.

Transpiration is the process by which water is carried through plants from

roots to the stomata on the underside of leaves and it evaporates into the
surroundings.

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AQA Ecology Knowledge Organiser
RPI: Field Techniques Quadrats and Transects Carbon is transferred to the atmosphere through respiration by animals, Unfortunately these programmes can be difficult to manage. They are
plants and bacteria and by combustion of fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural often expensive and are difficult to regulate. People who are employed
The distribution of an organism is affected by the environment gas). in certain areas, e.g. tree felling, cannot always transfer their skills to an
and abiotic factors. environmentally friendly role and so become unemployed. It is difficult to
Quadrats can be used to measure the frequency of an organism Dead animals and plants are decomposed and their matter is broken down maintain biodiversity whilst preventing crops being overrun with pests and
in a given area e.g. the school field. You could count the by microbes and fungi. These organisms are collectively called decomposers. weeds, which would affect food security for the human population.
individual organism or estimate the percentage cover. You must When the organisms are broken down, the microbes and fungi release carbon
collect data from at least two areas to make a comparison. dioxide into the atmosphere through respiration. Decomposition and Decay
Quadrats should always be placed randomly.
Biodiversity and Waste Management Decomposition is the process of rotting (decay) of a material. The optimum
Transects are used to measure the change of distribution conditions for decay to occur are warm, moist conditions with a plentiful
Biodiversity is the variety of living organisms on the earth or in an ecosystem.
across an area e.g. from the edge of a river and moving further supply of oxygen available. This is because it is microorganisms which are
It is important in helping to maintain stable ecosystems. Organisms are
from the water’s edge. You could either count the number of breaking down the larger material into smaller pieces. The microorganisms
often interdependent, relying on others as food sources, or to create suitable
organisms touching the transect at regular intervals or use a can digest the material more efficiently and quickly when the conditions are
environmental conditions to survive. Human survival is also dependent on
quadrat placed at regular intervals along the transect. warm, moist and there is a high level of oxygen.
this biodiversity.
total number of organisms Food can be preserved by many methods to prevent or reduce the rate of
mean = The global human population has exceeded 7 billion.
decay. These include cooling, canning, freezing, drying, pickling (adding
number of quadrats Human population has increased due to modern medicine and farming
vinegar) or adding salt or sugar.
methods, reducing famine and death from disease.
This means a greater demand for food, resources and water. Some microorganisms ferment waste materials, producing biogas, which can
It also means more waste and emissions are created. be used as a fuel source. Biogas is produced in a generator (or a digester)
using many different microorganisms to ferment the carbohydrates in plant
Sewage, toxic chemicals, household waste and gas emissions pollute the and animal waste. Waste from factories or sewage treatment plants can also
water, land and air, killing plants and animals and reducing biodiversity. be used in a biogas generator. By-products of the fermentation process can
be used to fertilise crops and gardens.
Carbon Cycle Maintaining Ecosystems and Biodiversity
There are two main types of generators:
There are many ways that biodiversity and ecosystems are maintained:
batch and continuous.
• Breeding programmes can help to protect endangered species from
extinction. • A batch generator is manually loaded
with the waste and emptied by hand
• Conservation programmes can help to protect and preserve specialised afterwards. It only runs for a short
ecosystems and habitats such as peat bogs and coral reefs. while each time.
• Reintroduction of hedgerows and field margins on agricultural land can • A continuous generator is more
The main focus on the carbon cycle is its transfer to and from help improve biodiversity by breaking up the monoculture crops. automated and the waste is
the atmosphere. When carbon is in the atmosphere, it combines continually fed in. The products made
• Sustainable forestry programmes help to manage the woodlands and reduce
with oxygen to form carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. are removed at a steady, continuous rate.
the deforestation to a sustainable rate.
It is used for more large-scale projects.
Carbon is transferred from the atmosphere when plants absorb
carbon dioxide for photosynthesis and when the gas is dissolved • Societies actively encourage recycling and reusing of products and
into oceans. packaging to reduce the household waste going to landfill sites.

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Pyramids of Biomass and Biomass Transfer Impact of Environmental Change (HT only)

Biomass is the amount of living matter in a given area. Changes in the environment can affect the abundance and distribution of the organisms living there.
To find the biomass, we simply multiply the mass of an individual organism by the number of organisms. Abundance means a very large number of organisms.
Distribution means the way in which the organisms are spread over an area.
tertiary
consumer The changes can be seasonal, geographical or caused by human interaction with the environment. The
changing seasons mean that factors including temperature and availability of water can change. These factors
secondary impact the organisms living in the ecosystem.
consumer
• Birds such as geese migrate south from Europe during the winter months when the temperatures are colder.
primary
consumer • Whales migrate south through the oceans to breed in warmer waters near the equator.

• Worms bury themselves deeper into the earth during the winter to avoid the effects of frost and cold
biomass of producers temperatures.

• Land animals such as caribou migrate to find warmer temperatures and food during the colder months.

A pyramid of biomass shows you how A pyramid of number shows you how Some species depend on certain conditions to thrive and give us an indication of factors, such as oxygen
much biomass there is in each trophic many of each organism there is in each availability or pollution. For example, lichens: there are three types of lichens. A lichen is a plant species which
level. They should be drawn to scale so trophic level. grows in exposed areas such as rock surfaces or tree bark. They are adapted to absorbed nutrients from sparse
each bar accurately represents the amount sources, such as rain water. Depending on the level of pollution, different types of lichen are more abundant.
of biomass in that trophic level. We call these types of organisms bioindicators and they can help us to monitor the level of pollution or the
different factors affecting an ecosystem.
On average, only 10% of the biomass is transferred to the next trophic level each time.
Energy is lost from trophic levels as heat energy when the organism respires or moves. Intensive Farming and Sustainable Fishing
Energy is used by the organism for life processes such as homeostasis and growth. To increase the efficiency of the energy transfer, farmers employ techniques to reduce the amount of energy lost
Some of the biomass cannot be eaten e.g. snail shell. between the trophic levels. These techniques are collectively known as intensive farming.
Not all of the organism is eaten by a consumer e.g. stalks and roots. • Animal enclosures are covered and heated to regulate the temperature of the surroundings. This reduces heat
Biomass and energy are lost in excretions (like poo). loss and energy use for homeostasis and growth.

• Plant-growing spaces are covered and heated to regulate the temperature. This improves the growth and
energy available to the next trophic level
Efficiency = × 100 enables the environmental conditions to be controlled more closely.
energy that was available to the previous trophic level
• Some animals are fed high-protein foods and supplements to their usual diet to increase their growth and
produce higher yields of meat, milk or eggs.

Although these methods increase the output, many people believe it is unnecessarily cruel to the animals.
Due to the crowded nature of the enclosures, animals are given antibiotics to prevent disease. These antibiotics
can be transferred to humans through our food, and scientists claim this is a possible cause of increasing
bacterial resistance to antibiotics.

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Ocean fish stocks are declining across the world. 1. The investigation is carried out at five different temperatures: 0, 20, 40, 60 and 80°C.
If the population size is depleted too much, then the
breeding rate will no longer sustain a stable 2. Label five test tubes as ‘lipase’ and add 1cm³ of lipase to each one.
population and the species may become extinct.
3. Take another five test tubes and add five drops of phenolphthalein to each one.
Fishing regulations are enforced by many countries
4. Add 5cm³ of full fat milk to the test tubes containing phenolphthalein solution and label them ‘milk’.
to help promote the recovery of natural fish stocks
in the oceans and to help maintain populations at 5. Using a clean pipette, add 7cm³ of sodium carbonate solution to the milk (the solution should turn pink).
sustainable levels.
6. Place a test tube of lipase and a milk test tube into the water baths until they are both of the desired
Regulations control the size of the nets allowed to temperature.
be used and the introduction of fishing quotas helps
to limit overfishing in some areas. 7. To achieve 0°C, place the test tubes in a beaker of ice.

Biotechnology

Biotechnology and agriculture can be combined to provide some possible solutions. These include the following:
RPI: Decay - Investigating the Effect of Temperature on the Rate of Decay of Milk by
• Mass production of mycoprotein which is a protein-rich food suitable for vegetarians.
Measuring pH Change
• Genetically modified bacterium which produce human insulin which is a chemical used in the treatment
Milk is an alkaline solution. of diabetes.
• Phenolphthalein (an indicator) is pink in solutions with a pH of 10 or above. • Genetically modified crops, such as golden rice, which provide higher yields or greater nutritional values
• If the pH drops to about 8, the solution will become colourless. per unit.
• Lipase is an enzyme that will break down the fat in milk.
Mycoprotein Fermenters
• As lipase breaks down fat to fatty acids, the pH of the solution lowers.
• Mycoprotein is a protein product.
Independent variable – temperature (controlled by water baths and measured using a thermometer). • It is made by the fungus Fusarium.
Dependent variable – time taken for indicator to change colour (measured using a timer). • The fungus is grown in 40m-high fermenters which run continuously in 5-week cycles.

To calculate the mean: • After the growth cycle, the fungus is harvested, purified, dried and prepared for food products.

total time taken for pink colour to disappear (s) • The fermenter is sterilised and ready to repeat the process with a new batch of fungi.

number of trials • Genetic modification uses technology to transfer genes from one species to another.
• It can be used to improve food production.
Remember to check for any anomalies. If there is an anomaly, discard it and do not add it to your total.
Collecting repeated results and calculating an average allows you to identify any anomalous results and • Genes can be transferred to give plants increased resistance to herbicides, for example.
improves the reliability of your data. Genetically modified organisms may present a hazard to human health. They could lead to allergic reactions
or have higher than natural levels of toxins.

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Recombinant DNA technology involves the transfer of genes Food Security
from one species to another. It can be used to make another
organism, usually bacteria, produce a protein. The bacteria are Food security means a whole population have access to enough
grown in fermenters and can produce huge amounts of the nutritious food to sustain a healthy lifestyle. This is achieved
protein. Human insulin is now produced using recombinant using methods which the planet can continue to sustain for
DNA technology, as described below. further generations of the population.
However, there are several biological factors which can threaten
food security.
These factors include:
• increasing birth rate
• changing diets
• new pests and pathogens
• widespread famine
• drought
• increasing costs
• war and conflicts

Trophic Levels

Trophic levels describe the position of an organism within the

food chain.
They can be represented by numbers.
The higher the number, the further along the food chain.
Trophic levels only represent the living organisms (so the sun
isn’t included).
Scavengers and decomposers are not represented in the trophic
levels either.

Level 1: Producers

Level 2: Primary Consumers

Level 3: Secondary Consumers

Level 4: Tertiary Consumers

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