Ecology

Question 1

Describe the boom-bust graph

Answer 1

Rapid growth of a population = boom

High death rate due to decreasing avalibility of food = bust

Question 2

Define intraspecific competition

Answer 2

Competition between organisms of the same species

Question 3

What is coppicing? And why was pollarding then used as a result?

Answer 3

Trees are cut low to the ground - shoots were eaten by animals
Pollarding is cutting the trees higher up to prevent the shoots from being eaten

Question 4

Explain rotational felling

Answer 4

Woodland split into 4 areas
One area is chopped down
The area is left to regrow slightly, then the next is cut down

Question 5

Why does rotational felling increase biodiversity greatly?

Answer 5

Secondary succession can occur, so new trees can grow that previously couldn’t, so new habitats are formed

Question 6

What happens instead of rotational felling in large scale timber companies?

Answer 6

New trees planted straight away
Pests and pathogens controlled
Trees planted at an optimum distance apart