Ecology-PAPER2

Question 1

How can a chicken farmer ensure his chickens will grow quickly?

Answer 1

They must convert most of their food into biomass, rather than have their energy wasted on movement. This is why some farmers have battery farm chickens ( a lot cheaper to maintain)

Question 2

Why do farmers not like weeds?

Answer 2

As they take up more space- meaning that there is less room for their crops and therefore less profit due to less crops.

Question 3

What would the quickest and most effective way be to get rid of weeds?

Answer 3

By using a chemical herbicide or weed killer

Question 4

What would an intensive farmer turn to, to prevent pests ruining the quality of their crops?

Answer 4

Chemicals such as insecticides.to kill insects and fungicides to kill any fungi.

Question 5

What is hydroponics?

Answer 5

Plants are grown in mineral containing water instead of soil so the plants roots are always in contact with the solution.

Question 6

What is an advantage of using hydroponics?

Answer 6

As there is no soil, there is less mess, fewer diseases and fewer weeds.

Question 7

What is a disadvantage to hydroponics?

Answer 7

As there is a lack of soil there is a lack of support as there isnt anyway for the roots to grow into, so the plants may easily fall over. They also require fertilises which increases costs.

Question 8

What is organic farming?

Answer 8

Rely on as many natural processes as possible (no chemicals e.g. pesticides)

Question 9

What do organic farmers use instead of unnatural fertiliser?

Answer 9

They use manure or compost which are natural fertilisers.

Question 10

What is crop rotation?

Answer 10

Growing different crops in different areas each year

Question 11

What is a benefit of crop rotation?

Answer 11

It avoids the build up of pests that infect only certain crops.

Question 12

What is a disadvantage of a herbicide?

Answer 12

They can run off plants and spread further to other plants which may be important in the food chain.

Question 13

How do organic farmers try and prevent their animals getting diseases?

Answer 13

They allow them space to move around and allow them outside, meaning that diseases can’t spread so quickly between animals.

Question 14

What is biomass?

Answer 14

Living or once living matter.

Question 15

Give some examples of biomass which can be used as fuel.

Answer 15

wood, paper, manure and alcohol made from fermentation of plant material.

Question 16

What does the term “carbon neutral” mean? Give an example of a method that is carbon neutral

Answer 16

That the process will not result in any extra CO2 emissions.
Burning biomass is thought to be carbon neutral.

Question 17

What is an issue with burning biomass?

Answer 17

Releases soot into the atmosphere which can contribute towards global dimming, they can also cause health problems such as lung cancer or asthma.

Question 18

What useful products can you get from fermentation?

Answer 18

Ethanol which can then be burned.

Question 19

Which method, Ethanol or biomass creates the most energy?

Answer 19

Ethanol has a higher energy content and when mixed with petrol the fuel has an even higher energy content.

Question 20

What type of resource is burning biomass?

Answer 20

A renewable resource.

Question 21

What is the process of photosynthesis?

Answer 21

The process in which light energy is transferred into chemical energy inside the glucose molecules.

Question 22

What molecules, after an animal has consumed something, makes up the animals tissues (known as animals biomass)

Answer 22

Protein and fat.

Question 23

What is interdependence?

Answer 23

All living things in an ecosystem being reliant on each other for survival

Question 24

What is a food chain?

Answer 24

The process of organisms eating, being eaten and passing energy along to another organism.

Question 25

What minerals are found in fertilisers that increase plant growth?

Answer 25

Phosphates and nitrates.

Question 26

What is eutrophication?

Answer 26

A process where all food chains in an eco system in and around the lake are disrupted (usually by the nitrates and phosphates from fertilisers being washed into the water from rainfall).

Question 27

What is an issue with the increase of algal growth (from the fertilisers?)

Answer 27

Can causes water to turn green and this means that less light is able to penetrate the water causing plants in the water to die. The death of the plants reduces the amount of oxygen given out and causes the animals to also die.

Question 28

How can you decrease the amount of run off from farms?

Answer 28

Make sure farmers are using the minimum amount of fertiliser needed to optimise growth and include buffer zones.

Question 29

What is a buffer zone?

Answer 29

An area of vegetation between the source of pollution and water ways, which are able to filter out the minerals before reaching the water due to the vegetation.

Question 30

What term is used to describe an organism that derives its energy and nutrients form eating other plants and/or animals?

Answer 30

A consumer.

Question 31

What term is given to an animal that speeds up decay by eating dead plant and animal material and increasing its surface area?

Answer 31

Detritivore