energy and ecosystems exam questionsw Flashcards
suugest appropriate units for gross productivity
g/m2 per year
explain the decrease in gross productivity as the woodland matures. 2)
-less light
-reduced photosynthesis
use the infromation in figure 3 and your knowledge of net productivity to explain why biomass shows little increase after 100 years. (2)
-net productivity= gross productivity- respiratory losses
-increase in respiration.
explain how the intense rearing of domestic livestock increases net productivity (4)
-movement restrictede
-heating
reduces losses from respiration.
controlled diet- less lost in faeces
genetically selective breeding.
describe the reasons for the low efficiency of energy transfer through ecosystems. (5)
-some light reflected
-some light misses leaf
-heat losses
-energy lost through respiration
-and faeces.
suggest why the efficiency of energy tranfser from producers to primary consumers in this food web is higher than 10%
-less respiration
-parts of plant not eaten
energy from the sun may ultimately end up in dead plant matter. Explain how (2)
-photosynthesis
-carbon containing compounds.
in some countries, pigs are reared in intensive units in whic the temperature is controlled. agricultural scientists investigated the effect of teperature on pig growth and on te efficiency with which pigs converted food to biomass.
in this investigation, te scientists used pigs of the same breed, with similar genotypes. Explain why. (2)
-same breed- similar genes
-removes genes as a variable
the pigs were allowed to eat as much food as they wanted
how could this have decreased te reliability of any conclusions drawn from the investigation (2)
-different growth rates
-not due to temperature.
pigs can survive at temperatures above 35 degrees celcius. Use the data to suggest why scientists did not carry out any investigations at temperatures higher than 35 degrees.
-growth rate decreases
-scientists looking for high growth rate.
The athelete continues to breathe deeply several minutes after the race is over. Explain why this is necessary (2)
oxidise pyruvate into lactate
by aerobic respiration
A hedgerow is a line of shrubs and trees bordering a field, together with the herbaceous plants at their base. In the last 50 years farmers have removed many hedgerows.
(a) Explain two advantages for a farmer of removing hedgerows
(2)
-source of pests
-source of weeds
Use the data in the graph above to evaluate the use of artificial fertilisers on grain
producing crops in India. (3)
using more but getting less response over time
less cost effective
the graph shows ocrrelation but does not prove that changes in yield due to fertiliser.
Explain why an increase in shoot biomass can be taken as a measurement of net
primary productivity. (2)
represents gross primary productivity- respiratory losses
represents dry mass of carbon.
Yield can be determined by measuring the dry mass of plants.
(a)
(b)
Suggest how you could determine the dry mass of a sample of plant material. (2)
-heat to temperature to evaporate water
-weigh and heat until constnat mass reached