Intro

Question 1

Ecological Factors Examples

Answer 1

Food
Microclimate
Protection from natural enemies
Protection from competitors

Question 2

Abiotic factors

Answer 2

Climate, altitude, aspect, soil structure, pH, nutrients, hydrology, seasonality

Question 3

Biotic factors

Answer 3

Food, natural enemies,(predators, parasites and disease), mutualists (reproduction, resource capture, defence)

Question 4

Liebig’s Law of the Minimum

Answer 4

The only limiting factor is the most limiting factor

Question 5

Mitscherlich’s Law

Answer 5

Yield depends on all sub-optimal factors. The smaller the difference between a factor and its optimum, the better

Question 6

Name the 2 mechanisms of competition

Answer 6

1. Exploitation - reduction of a shared resource (scramble)

2. Interference - behavioural and chemical (contest)

Question 7

Name 4 examples of mutualism

Answer 7

1. Resource aquisition (e.g nitrogen fixation between bacteria and plants)
2. Pollination
3. Defence
4. Gut flora