G: Ecology & the Environment

Question 1

Biodiversity

Answer 1

Variety in and between organisms, species and ecosystems.

Question 2

Biomass

Answer 2

The total weight of living organisms within a habitat or food chain.

Question 3

Biomes

Answer 3

Major world communities of plant and animal life.

Question 4

Biosphere

Answer 4

The Earth’s landmasses, oceans and atmosphere, and all the animals, plants, insects, birds and micro-organisms living in them.

Question 5

Carbon cycle

Answer 5

The way through which carbon is recycled through the process of respiration, photosynthesis and decomposition.

Question 6

Carnivore

Answer 6

An animal which hunts and eats other animals.

Question 7

Community

Answer 7

All the population of different species living together in a habitat.

Question 8

Consumers

Answer 8

Organisms that get their energy by eating either green plants or other consumers. Primary consumers feed on plant material and secondary consumers feed primarily on animal material.

Question 9

Decomposer

Answer 9

An organism which eats dead organisms or animal droppings and breaks them down into simple materials.

Question 10

De-oxygenated

Answer 10

Not containing oxygen.

Question 11

Ecology

Answer 11

The study of living things in relation to their environment.

Question 12

Ecosystem

Answer 12

A community of animals, plants and micro-organisms, together with the habitat where they live.

Question 13

Eutrophication

Answer 13

‘Hyper-nutrition’ resulting from pollution of aquatic ecosystems with fertiliser causing a ‘bloom’ of algae which then die and decompose, resulting in low oxygen levels and reduced ability to support life.

Question 14

Food chain

Answer 14

(diagram of) a sequence of feeding relationships between organisms, showing who eats what and the movement of energy through trophic levels.

Question 15

Food web

Answer 15

(diagram of) a network of feeding relationships between organisms in a community.

Question 16

Habitat

Answer 16

A place where plants, animals and micro-organisms live.

Question 17

Herbivore

Answer 17

An animal which feeds on plants only.

Question 18

Niche

Answer 18

Particular place or role occupied by an organism within an ecological community.

Question 19

Oxygenated

Answer 19

Containing oxygen.

Question 20

Parasites

Answer 20

An organism that lived in or on another organism.

Question 21

Pollution

Answer 21

Contamination of the environment, usually by chemicals.

Question 22

Populations

Answer 22

Members of a single species living in a habitat.

Question 23

Predator

Answer 23

Animal that hunts, kills and eats other animals for food.

Question 24

Prey

Answer 24

Organisms that predators kill for food.

Question 25

Producer

Answer 25

An organism which can make its own food - i.e. a green plant.

Question 26

Pyramid of biomass

Answer 26

A diagram to illustrate the amount of biological material within a food chain or web.

Question 27

Pyramid of numbers

Answer 27

A diagram to illustrate the number of organisms within a food chain or web.

Question 28

Scavengers

Answer 28

Animals that feed on dead animals or decaying matter.

Question 29

Symbiosis

Answer 29

A relationship between two different organisms which co-exist and in some cases help each other to survive.

Question 30

Trophic (feeding) relationship

Answer 30

Relationships between organisms which are fed upon and organisms who feed upon them. Feeding relationships can be shown in food chains or food webs.

Question 31

Trophic level

Answer 31

Feeding levels of a food chain.

Question 32

Trophic rainforest

Answer 32

Dense tropical equatorial woodland.