Ms Daly
BW 5 Habitat Study
Ecology
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Ecology is the study of plants and animals in relation to the environment
A Community is where all the animals and plants in a particular area live
Producer
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Producer makes its own food e.g. Green plants
Consumers
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Herbivores are animals that feed on plants e.g. cattle, sheep, deer
Carnivores are animals that feed on other animals (flesh meat) e.g. fox
Omnivores are animals that feed on plants and animals e.g. humans, badger
Food Chain
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Food chain is a list of organisms in the order in which one is eaten by the other
A food chain always begins with a producer (plant – can make its own food)
Food Web
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Food web is a group of
interconnected food chains
Competition
Competition occurs when organisms fight
for something in short supply.
Plants: compete for water, space, light.
Animals: food, shelter, mates, territory
Adaptation
An adaptation is a structure or way of life an organism has that helps it survive better
in its habitat.
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Nettles have stings to keep away herbivores.
Primroses flower early before the leaves grow on trees shading them.
Foxes have a brown coat for camouflage, snails have a shell for protection
against being eaten by birds.
Ms Daly
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BW 5 Habitat Study
Fish have gills to absorb oxygen underwater and fins to swim.
Frogs have webbed feet to swim.
Interdependence
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Interdependence is the way different organisms rely on each other.
Insects depend on plants for food, plants depend on insects for pollination.
Fewer bees would result in less pollination which could reduce the crop of
fruits such as apples.
Habitat Study
A habitat is a place where an organism lives.
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A robin lives in a nest in a tree
A Rabbit lives in a burrow in the ground
A Blackberry plant lives in the hedgerow
Steps in a habitat study
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Map your area
Identify Abiotic Factors
Qualitative Study - Identify flora and fauna present using a key
Quantitative Study - Estimate the number of flora and fauna present
Write up findings
(1) MAP
Draw a map of the grassland habitat including the following.
Grass, Trees, Hedges, Walls and Fences
(2) Identify Abiotic Factors
These are non living factors that affect organisms in their habitats.
Ms Daly
BW 5 Habitat Study
Abiotic Factor
Method of Measuring
Air Temperature
Use a thermometer in the air
Soil Temperature
Soil thermometer
Soil PH
PH meter
Light Intensity
Light Meter
(3) Qualitative Study
Identify what plants and animals are present using a KEY identification tool
Plants are easy to observe but animals must be captured carefully to observe them.
Ms Daly
BW 5 Habitat Study
(4) Quantitative Study
- It would be impossible to count all the plants and animals present so we take
a random sample to give us an estimation of the overall numbers.
- It is random to avoid bias and inaccurate results.
- There are two methods a Quadrat or A Line Transect
Quadrat
Ms Daly
BW 5 Habitat Study
● A square frame used to estimate plant numbers.
● Used to measure how frequently a plant species occurs in a habitat.
● Throw at random 10 times
Count plants as follows:
% Frequency =
Number of quadrats in which ‘plant x’ found x 100
Total number of quadrats
Line Transect
● A rope marked out at regular intervals across a habitat.
● It is used to investigate the distribution of organisms.
● Each interval is called a station - the type of plant or animal found
touching each station are recorded.