Survey
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I can: State that green plants are producers and that they produce the food in ecosystems. State that animals are consumers as they are unable to produce their own food. State that primary consumers are animals that eat plants only and that they can also be called herbivores. State that secondary consumers that eat only other animals are called carnivores and those which eat plants and animals are called omnivores. State that a food chain is a simple feeding relationship that in nature is unstable. State that a food web is a more complex feeding relationship that consists of many interconnected food chains. This makes it more stable. State that if the producer were removed from the food chain all consumers would die as they have no food. State that if the primary consumer were removed from the food chain, the secondary consumer would die, as it has no food. The producer may thrive, as it is not being eaten by the primary consumer. State that if the secondary consumer is removed from the food chain the primary consumer might thrive as it is not being eaten. However the primary consumer might overgraze the producer and both might ultimately die. State that energy can be lost from food chains as heat, in movement and in undigested material. State that a pyramid of numbers shows the numbers of organisms at each link in a food chain. State that the numbers of organisms present usually decrease moving along the food chain. Sate that the size of the organisms usually increases moving along the food chain. State that in some cases irregular pyramids of numbers are formed. State that a single large producer produces an irregular pyramid of numbers. State that parasites as the top consumers produce an irregular pyramid of numbers State that pyramids of biomass and energy are less likely to produce irregular pyramids. State that pyramids of biomass show the mass of organisms at each link in a food chain. State that pyramids of biomass may produce an irregular pyramid if the producer is eaten quickly by the primary consumer. State that a pyramid of energy shows the energy present in the organisms at each link in the food chain. State that a pyramid of energy always takes the shape of a regular pyramid. State that heat is lost at each link in the food chain. State that there is a limited supply of nutrients in any ecosystem. State that decomposers are responsible for returning nutrients to the soil State that soil nutrients are taken in by producers and incorporated into their tissues. The producers are then eaten by consumers, which incorporate the nutrients into their tissues. The nutrients are returned to the soil by the decomposition of wastes and dead bodies. State that plants and animals require nitrogen to produce proteins. State that plants such as peas and clover are called legumes. These plants contain bacteria in their roots that convert nitrogen gas to nitrates. State that fungi and bacteria convert proteins and nitrogenous wastes into ammonia, nitrite then nitrate. State that high levels of predation decrease biodiversity as more animals are eaten. State that the nitrogen cycle is the name of the sequence of reactions that return nitrogen to the soil. State that that nitrifying bacteria increase the level of nitrates in the soil by first changing ammonium into nitrites and then changing nitrites into nitrates. State that root nodule and free-living nitrogen fixing soil bacteria increase the level of nitrates in the soil by converting nitrogen gas into nitrates. State that denitrifying bacteria decrease the level of nitrates in the soil by converting nitrates into nitrogen gas. State that individuals living in the same ecosystem may have to compete for the same resources. State that competition occurs when resources are in short supply. State that plants compete for light, nutrients, water, space and soil nutrients. State that animals compete for food, water, shelter and mates. State that interspecific competition occurs between different species in the same ecosystem. State that intraspecific competition occurs between members of the same species in an ecosystem. State that intraspecific competition is more intense than interspecific competition when resources are in short supply. State that intense competition results in the death of the organism. State that state that intense competition may force animals to leave the ecosystem. State that red squirrels and brown trout are examples of species that have been outcompeted by introduced species. State that some birds maintain territories to reduce intraspecific competition.