Biology Revision Unit 1 Exam

Scientific Method
Terminology
o Fair Test
o Validity
o Reliability
o Experimental Error
o Variables
Independent
Dependent
Control
Write a Hypothesis
Represent Data
o Tables
o Graphs
Interpolation (within the data)
Extrapolation (outside the data)
Identify trends in the data
o Relationship between the independent and dependent variables

Biodiversity
Three levels of Diversity
o Genetic, species and ecosystem
Biodiversity Strategies
o World Heritage Sites
o Biodiversity hotspots (the 3 criteria used to classify an area as a
hotspot)

Classification
Why is classification important?
Biological classification
o It is hierarchical, based on molecular sequences, levels of similarity
of physical features and methods of reproduction
o Reflects evolutionary relatedness between groups of organisms
Main classification groups
o Kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species
Main features of the 5 kingdoms
o Plantae, Animalia, Fungi, Protista and Monera
Definition of a species
o Ability to interbreed and produce fertile offspring
Binomial nomenclature
Dichotomous Key
o Branching and Sentence
Only use structural features
Only 2 options at each branch

Ecosystems and Interrelationships

Biotic Factors
 Abiotic Factors
Naming ecosystems
o Named after the dominant plant species present in the community
Types of ecosystems
Interrelationships
o Predation
o Competition
o Disease
o Symbiotic relationships
Mutualism
Commensalism
Parasitism
The role of keystone species in an ecosystem

Ecosystem Dynamics
Flow of energy in an ecosystem is represented by a number of different
qualitative and quantitative models
o Qualitative models
Food chains and Food webs
Arrows represent the flow of energy from one organism
to the next
Trophic levels (the position of an organism in a food
chain or food web)
Always start with producers
Terminology (producer, consumer, autotroph,
heterotroph, decomposer, detritivore, carnivore,
herbivore, omnivore)
o Quantitative models
Pyramids
Pyramid of Energy models the transfer of energy
from one trophic level to the next in a food chain. 10%
rule 10% energy transferred to next trophic level
90% of energy lost to the environment as heat
Pyramid of Biomass amount of matter present at
each trophic level
Pyramid of Numbers number of individual
organisms present at each trophic level
Cycling of Matter
o Carbon Cycle
o Nitrogen Cycle

Population Dynamics
Populations are described by their size, density (number of
organisms/area), composition (e.g. male vs female, age structure) and
distribution (random, clumped, uniform)
 Population growth determined by births, immigration, deaths and
emigration
o Population growth = (b + i) (d + e)
Survey techniques
o Quadrat
Size determined by size of organism
Number 10% of area sampled
Distribution Random
Used to estimate total population size and density of
sedentary organisms
Total Population = Total Area/Total quadrat area x
number or organisms
Population Density = Total Population/Total Area
o Capture-Recapture
Used to estimate the population size of mobile organisms
Population Size = (1st captured & marked x 2nd capture) /
Number marked in 2nd capture
The assumption made with this method
Marking method wont interfere with health
Organisms not trap happy/trap shy
Enough time allowed between 1st capture and 2nd
capture so organisms able to return to population
Not too much time between trapping so animals dont
die/reproduce
Weather conditions the same on trapping days
Habitat
o An area or environment where an individual or species lives in an
ecosystem
Niches (role of organism)
Carrying Capacity
o Maximum size of a population of a species that can be supported in
a given environment
Population Regulation
o Population growth graph S-curve
o Density-dependent factors (Competition, disease, parasites,
predation, food supply)
o Density-independent factors (Physical factors of the environment &
catastrophic events)

Impact of Human Activity

How does human activity impact populations
o Introduction of invasive species
o Fragmentation
o Biomagnification
o Eutrophication
Succession Changes to a community over time
o Difference between Primary and Secondary Succession
o Stages of Primary Succession
o Fire and Secondary Succession

Conservation Strategies
Genetic Strategies (seed banks & captive breeding)
 Environmental Strategies (revegetation & control of introduced species)
Management Strategies (protected areas, fishing licences, size and bag
limits, restricted commercial & recreational access)