4 Ecology and the Environment

Question 1

Population

Answer 1

All the organisms of the same species in a certain area

Question 2

Community

Answer 2

All the organisms of different species in a habitat

Question 3

Habitat

Answer 3

Where an organism lives

Question 4

Ecosystem

Answer 4

All the organisms interacting with their environment

Question 5

Biodiversity

Answer 5

The variety of different species of organisms within an ecosystem

Question 6

4.4B practical: investigate the distribution of organisms in their habitats and measure biodiversity using quadrats

Answer 6

1. Use 2 tape measures to lay out a survey area
2. Use a random number generator to create a set of coordinates to place your quadrat
3. Count number of chosen plant species within quadrat
4. Repeat
5. Estimate population size: Total Area/area samples x no. of plants
6. Higher number of different species = greater biodiversity

Question 7

Biotic Factors

Answer 7

Living Factors that effect the environment

Question 8

Abiotic Factors

Answer 8

Non - living factors that effect the environment

Question 9

Examples of Biotic Factors

Answer 9

Availability of food
Number of predators
Competition

Question 10

Examples of Abiotic Factors

Answer 10

Environment conditions (e.g. light intensity, soil pH, temperature)

Toxic chemicals

Question 11

Trophic Levels

Answer 11

Producer
Primary Consumers
Secondary Consumers
Tertiary Consumers

Question 12

Producer

Answer 12

Make their own food through photosynthesis

Question 13

Primary Consumers

Answer 13

Herbivores
Eat producers (plants)

Question 14

Secondary Consumers

Answer 14

Carnivores
Eat primary consumers

Question 15

Tertiary Consumers

Answer 15

Eat secondary consumers

Question 16

Decomposers

Answer 16

Bacteria + Fungi that break

Question 17

Herbivore

Answer 17

An organism that only eats plants

Question 18

Carnivore

Answer 18

An organism that only eat other animals

Question 19

Omnivore

Answer 19

An organism that eats both plants and animals

Question 20

How much energy is transferred from the Sun to the plants?

Answer 20

1%

Question 21

How much energy is transferred from the producer to other organisms?

Answer 21

10%
90% lost (due to indigestable parts, excretory waste, respiration)

Question 22

Examples of Cycles within ecosystems

Answer 22

Carbon Cycle
Nitrogen Cycle

Question 23

Two gases that pollute the air

Answer 23

Sulfur Dioxide
Carbon Monoxide

Question 24

Biological consequences of pollution of air by Carbon monoxide

Answer 24

• Released when fossil fuels are burnt in no air supply
• Poisonous -> card release it, however now have catalytic converters which convert CO -> CO2)

Question 25

Biological consequences of pollution of air by sulfur dioxide

Answer 25

* Released when fossil fuels are burnt * Dissolves in rain cloud -> makes it acidic * Causes acid rain

Question 26

The 5 Greenhouse Gases

Answer 26

* Water Vapour * Carbon Dioxide * Nitrous Oxide * Methane * CFCs

Question 27

How human activities contribute to greenhouse gases: CO2

Answer 27

Deforestation Fossil Fuels

Question 28

How human activities contribute to greenhouse gases: Methane

Answer 28

Paddy Fields Cattle

Question 29

How human activities contribute to greenhouse gases: Nitrous Oxide

Answer 29

Fertiliser Bacteria in soil

Question 30

How human activities contribute to greenhouse gases: CFCs

Answer 30

Fridges Aerosol

Question 31

What is the greenhouse effect?

Answer 31

Gases in the atmosphere absorb heat from the sun and re-radiate it in all directions

Question 32

What is the enhanced greenhouse effect?

Answer 32

Too much heat retained due to the increased amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that human activities

Question 33

Consequences of enhanced greenhouse effect

Answer 33

Global Warming (climate change) Leads to flooding (loss of habitat, polar icecaps melt, sea levels rise

Question 34

Eutrophication

Answer 34

When fertilisers are washed off from land into nearby lakes + rivers due to rain

Question 35

Biological consequences of eutrophication caused by leached minerals from fertiliser

Answer 35

1. Nitrate is added to plants 2. Fertilisers enter lakes + rivers through leaching 3. Causes growth of algal bloom on surface which blocks sunlight 4. Stops plants from carrying out photosynthesis so plants die 5. Dead plants are eaten by microbes which use up oxyegn in respiration 6. Sealife die due to lack of oxygen

Question 36

Pollution of water by sewage

Answer 36

Sewage contains phosphates from detergents and nitrates from human excretion Leads to same effects as fertiliser

Question 37

Deforestation

Answer 37

clearing an area of trees

Question 38

Effects of deforestation

Answer 38

* Leaching * Soil Erosion * Disturbance of evapotranspiration * Disturbance of carbon cycle * Disturbance of the balance of atmospheric gases

Question 39

Effects of Deforestation: Leaching

Answer 39

Trees normally use nutrients from the soil for growth, so without trees these run into lakes

Question 40

Effects of Deforestation: Soil Erosion

Answer 40

Trees help to stabilise the soil, so without them, soil will be washed away by the rain

Question 41

Effects of Deforestation: Disturbance to cycles

Answer 41

Transpiration from trees releases water vapour which contributes to the water cycle and the carbon cycle

Question 42

Effects of Deforestation: Disturbance of the balance of atmospheric gases

Answer 42

Less trees means increases atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and decreases oxygen levels