Combined Biology - B7 Ecology

Question 1

What is an ecosystem?

Answer 1

The interaction of a community of living organisms (biotic) with the non-living (abiotic) parts of the environment

Question 2

What four things do plants compete for?

Answer 2

1. Light
2. Space
3. Water
4. Mineral ions

Question 3

What is a community?

Answer 3

A group of animals and/or plants of different species

Question 4

What are extremophiles? Give examples of conditions they might live in.

Answer 4

Organisms which live in extreme environments

e.g. high temperature, pressure or salt concentration

Question 5

What is a population?

Answer 5

A group of animals or plants of the same species

Question 6

What three things do animals compete for?

Answer 6

1. Food
2. Mates
3. Territory/space

Question 7

List three biotic factors which can affect a community.

Answer 7

Any three from:

• Availability of food
• New predators arriving
• New pathogens
• One species outcompeting another (so numbers are no longer sufficient to breed)

Question 8

List three abiotic factors which can affect a community.

Answer 8

Any three from:

• Light intensity
• Temperature
• Moisture levels
• Soil pH and mineral content
• Wind intensity and direction
• CO₂ levels for plants
• O₂ levels of aquatic animals

Question 9

Give two examples of producers

Answer 9

Plants and algae

Question 10

What gases are contributing to global warming?

Answer 10

• Carbon dioxide
• Methane
• Water Vapour

Question 11

Name three processes in the carbon cycle

Answer 11

Any three from:

• Photosynthesis
• Respiration
• Decay
• Burning/combustion
• Carbon locked up in fossil fuels
• Animals eating plants and other animals

Question 12

What are the reasons for people doing deforestation?

Answer 12

• To provide land for cattle and rice fields
• Growing crops for biofuels

Question 13

Give two examples of factors that reduce biodiversity.

Answer 13

• Deforestation
• Global warming

Question 14

Give three things that are in place to reduce the negative impact on biodiversity?

Answer 14

Any three from:

• Breeding programmes for endangered species
• Protection / regeneration of rare habitats
• Reintroduction of field margins
• Reduction of deforestation and CO₂ emissions
• Recycling resources

Question 15

What are the four main stages in the water cycle?

Answer 15

• Evaporation
• Condensation
• Precipitation
• Transpiration

Question 16

What is biodiversity?

Answer 16

The variety of all the different species of organisms on Earth.

Question 17

What environmental problem does sulfur dioxide cause?

Answer 17

Acid rain

Question 18

What environmental problem does soot/solid particulates cause?

Answer 18

Global dimming

Question 19

Give an example of interdependence in a community.

Answer 19

Examples include:

Species depending on each other for:

• Food
• Shelter
• Pollination
• Seed dispersal

Question 20

What are the three different types of adaptations?

Answer 20

• Structural
• Behavioural
• Functional

Question 21

Give three ways humans have used land and, as a result, reduced biodiversity?

Answer 21

Any three from:

• Quarrying for metals
• Building
• Farming
• Deforestation
• Landfill sites

Question 22

What environmental problem does carbon dioxide cause?

Answer 22

Global Warming

Question 23

What is a stable community?

Answer 23

Population size remains fairly constant

(because the species and environmental factors are in balance)

Question 24

Name the primary consumer in the food chain below:

Grass -> Rabbit -> Fox -> Eagle

Answer 24

Rabbit

Question 25

Name the organisms that are responsible for decay.

Answer 25

Microorganisms

Question 26

What are the two major impacts of a rapidly increasing human population?

Answer 26

* More resources used * More waste produced

Question 27

How does the destruction of peat bogs affect biodiversity?

Answer 27

Reduces biodiversity (because it removes habitat for the species that live there)

Question 28

Peat can be used as a fuel. How does this impact the environment?

Answer 28

* Peat is burned * Carbon dioxide is released * Carbon dioxide causes global warming

Question 29

How does decay contribute to global warming?

Answer 29

* Microorganisms are involved in decay. * Microorganisms respire and release carbon dioxide

Question 30

What are the three main categories of pollution?

Answer 30

* Water (sewage, fertilisers or toxic chemicals) * Air (smoke and acidic gases) * Land (landfill and toxic chemicals)

Question 31

Explain how the destruction of peat bogs contributes to global warming.

Answer 31

* Peat is dug and removed or water is drained from the peat bog. * Oxygen enters the peat bog. * Microorganisms decay the plant material in the peat bog. * Microorganisms respire and release carbon dioxide.

Question 32

Name the secondary consumer in the food chain below: Grass -\> Rabbit -\> Fox -\> Eagle

Answer 32

Fox

Question 33

Name the tertiary consumer in the food chain below: Grass -\> Rabbit -\> Fox -\> Eagle

Answer 33

Eagle

Question 34

What do the arrows in the food chain represent? Grass -\> Rabbit -\> Fox -\> Eagle

Answer 34

The transfer of energy

Question 35

Name the grid used to randomly sample organisms.

Answer 35

Quadrat

Question 36

Name the sampling technique shown in the image.

Answer 36

Transect

Question 37

Name the producer in the food chain below: Grass -\> Rabbit -\> Fox -\> Eagle

Answer 37

Grass

Question 38

What are predators?

Answer 38

Consumers that hunt and kill other animals

Question 39

What are prey?

Answer 39

Animals eaten by predators

Question 40

Give three consequences of global warming.

Answer 40

Examples include: * Change in species distribution * Changes in rainfall patterns * Flooding * Droughts * Sea level rise * More frequent extreme weather events

Question 41

What is a bog?

Answer 41

An area of land that is acidic and waterlogged