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neurologyYou need to know

• A simple food chain shows the transfer of energy from a producer to consumers, for example, grass → rabbit → fox.
• A producer is an organism that makes its own food, usually through photosynthesis, such as plants.
• A consumer is an organism that eats other organisms, such as animals.
• A food chain is a linear sequence showing who eats whom.
• A food web is a network of interconnected food chains showing the feeding relationships in an ecosystem.
• An ecosystem consists of the interactions between a community of organisms and the abiotic parts of its environment.
• A population is all the organisms of one species living in a particular area at the same time.
• A community is all the populations of different species living and interacting in a particular area.
• Animals compete for resources such as food, water, and mates.
• Plants compete for light, water, and minerals.
• Adaptations are features that help organisms survive and compete, for example, sharp teeth in predators and deep roots in plants.
• Competition can drive natural selection, leading to the evolution of species better adapted to their environment.
• A predator is an animal that hunts and eats other animals, which are called prey, for example, a lion (predator) and a zebra (prey).
• Predator and prey populations are interdependent; as prey numbers increase, predator numbers may rise, and vice versa.
• Biotic factors are living components of an ecosystem, such as plants and animals.
• Abiotic factors are non-living components of an ecosystem, such as temperature and light.
• The main structures in a plant include roots (which absorb water and minerals), stem (which supports and transports), leaves (which carry out photosynthesis), and flowers (which are involved in reproduction).
• Decomposers, including many bacteria and fungi, break down dead organisms and waste, returning mineral ions to the environment for plants to absorb.
• Matter, including mineral ions, is recycled in an ecosystem, whereas energy is transferred through food chains and is not recycled.
• Bees are important pollinators; removing them would reduce pollination, affecting plant reproduction and food production.
• Humans play a role in food security by managing agriculture, reducing waste, and protecting pollinators.
• Toxins can enter food chains through contaminated water, soil, or plants.
• Bioaccumulation is the build-up of a persistent toxin within an organism over time.
• Biomagnification is the increase in the concentration of a persistent toxin at successive trophic levels, causing greater harm to top predators and potentially affecting human health.
• Pesticides can increase food production but may harm non-target species, accumulate in food chains, and cause environmental damage.
• Humans negatively impact ecosystems through pollution, habitat destruction, and overexploitation.
• Humans can have positive impacts, such as conservation and habitat restoration, and negative impacts, such as pollution and deforestation, on ecosystems.

• Construct a simple food web from a given set of organisms.
• Identify producers and consumers in food chains and webs.
• Label the main structures of a plant on a diagram and state their functions.
• Describe and explain how to investigate the effect of an abiotic factor, such as light intensity or soil pH, on the distribution of an organism, for example, using a transect and quadrats.
• Evaluate data to describe and explain predator-prey relationships, such as interpreting population graphs.
• Evaluate data to explain the distribution of organisms in relation to biotic and abiotic factors.
• Evaluate the impact of humans on ecosystems, using evidence to support arguments.
• Evaluate the use of pesticides in food production, considering both benefits and drawbacks.