Paper 2A part 1 Flashcards
.Organisms in an ecosystem rely on a source of ____ to carry out all their activities
energy
.The ultimate source of energy is the ___ , which plants conserve as ______ energy
sunchemical
.Most plants use sunlight in making ______________
organic compounds
.An example of an organic compound made by plants using sunlight is _____, which is used by plants as ____________
Sugarrespiratory substrates
When plants use sunlight to form organic compounds, other biological molecules formed (apart from sugar) make up what?
the biomass of plants, that is the means by which energy is passed between other organisms
.Organisms can be divided into ___ groups according to how they obtain their energy and nutrients, these are: what?
3producers, consumers and saprobionts
What are producers?
photosynthetic organisms that manufacture organic substances using light energy, water, carbon dioxide and mineral ions
What are consumers?
organisms that obtain their energy by feeding on (consuming) other organisms rather than using the energy of sunlight directly
Are animals consumers?
yes
Those that directly eat producers are called _____, because?
Primary consumersthey are the first in the chain of consumers
Those animals easting primary consumers are called ______ consumers and those eating secondary consumers are called _____ consumers.
SecondaryTertiary
Secondary and tertiary consumers are usually predators but they may also be …
scavengers or parasites
What are saprobionts
(decomposers) are a group of organisms that break down the complex materials in dead organisms into simple ones. In doing so, they release valuable materials and elements in a form that can be absorbed by plants and so contribute to recycling.
What is the majority of saprobionts work carried out by?
The majority of this work is carried out by fungi and bacteria.
What is a food chain?
.A food chain described a feeding relationship in which the producers are eaten by primary consumers, these in turn are eaten by secondary consumers, which are then eaten by tertiary consumers
What can be seen in long food chains?
In a long food chain the tertiary consumers may in turn be eaten by further consumers called quaternary consumers
What is each stage in a food chain referred to as?
A trophic level
.The arrows on food chain diagrams represent what?
The direction of energy flow
.In reality, most animals do not rely on a single food source.Within a single habitat many food chains will be linked together to form awhat?
Food web
.It is likely that all organisms within a ____, even within an ________, will be liked to others in the food web
habitatecosystem
Define herbivore
An animal which eats plants (producers) and is therefore a primary consumer
Define carnivore
An animal that eats animals and may therefore be a secondary or a tertiary consumer
Define omnivore
An animal that eats both plants and animals and is therefore a primary consumer and also a secondary or a tertiary consumer
What is biomass?
.Biomass is the total mass of living material in a specific area at a given time
.The fresh mass is quite easy to assess, but the presence ______________ makes it unreliable
of varying amounts of water
How do you get over the problems that arise with measuring fresh biomass?
.Measuring the mass of carbon, or dry mass
What are the drawbacks of measuring dry biomass?
because the organism must be killed it is usually only made on a small sample, and this sample may not be representative
How is biomass measured?
.Biomass is measured using dry mass per given area, in a given time.It is measured in grams per square metre (g m-2) when an area is being sampled, for example on grassland or a sea shore.It is measured in grams per cubic metre (g m-3) when a volume is being sampled, for example in a pond or ocean
The chemical energy store in dry mass can be estimated using what?
Calorimetry
What happens in bomb calorimetry?
.In bomb calorimetry, a sample of dry material is weighed and is then burnt in pure oxygen within a sealed container called a bomb, the bomb is surrounded by a water bath and the heat of combustion causes a small temperature rise in this water. We know how much energy is required to raise the temperature of 1g of water by 1’C, so if we know the volume of the water we can calculate the energy released from the mass of burnt biomass in units such as kJkg-1
Suggest how you could determine the dry mass of a sample of plant material
Heat till all the water evaporates then weigh it, heat it again and weigh, repeat this till there is no change in mass and that is the mass of the dry mass
Give one reason why not all the light energy falling on the producers is used in photosynthesis.
Some will be reflected
What percentage of the Sun’s energy is captured by plants or algae?
1-3%
Most of the Sun’s energy is not converted to organic matter by photosynthesis. Explain why.
Not all light will hit a chlorophyll moleculeNot all wavelengths of light can be absorbed and used for photosynthesisOver 90% of the Sun’s energy is reflected back into space by clouds/dust or absorbed by the atmosphereLimiting factors, e.g. low temperature, may reduce the rate of photosynthesis
Gross is?
the total amount before anything is deducted.
Net is?
the amount remaining after certain adjustments have been made for debts, deductions or expenses
What is gross primary production (GPP)?
The total quantity of energy that plants in an area/volume convert into organic matter (biomass) in a given time
Respiration uses how much of GPP?
20-50%
What is net primary productivity?
the energy left over from GPP after some has been sed by respiration, it is to be stored
Net primary productivity =
gross primary products – respiratory losses
Why is mean GPP different between different environments?
Temperature variationsConstant/ no / little seasonal change Higher plant densityHigher water availability / rainfall Evergreen / deciduous More light (energy) / intensity
What is NPP used for? How much is used by who?
• The NPP is available for plant growth and reproduction.• It can also be passed along the food chain to other trophic levels.• However, <10% is used by primary consumers for growth.• Secondary/tertiary consumers transfer about 20% of the energy from their prey to their own biomass.
Why is their energy loss in food chains?
- Not all of the organism is eaten.2. Not all is digested, and is lost as faeces.3. Some lost in excretory materials, such as urine.4. Heat loss to the environment.
N = I – (F+R), in this equation what does each letter represent?
N = Net productionI = Chemical energy store of ingested foodF = Energy lost in faeces and urineR = Energy lost in respiration
Finish the equation, N=
I – (F+R)
Why can food chains only support up to 5 trophic levels?
Food chains are extremely inefficientInsufficient energy available to support a large population at higher trophic levelsThe totally biomass is less at each trophic levelTherefore the amount of energy available is less
How could we improve the efficiency of a food chain?
Shorten it
From the information, ‘1 hectare of land can produce 0.3 tonnes of beef (1,200 steaks) or 7.5 tonnes of wheat grain (11,500 loaves of bread)’, what can you infer?
That the same piece of land can make different amounts of food, depending on what is being grown
Intensive farming can be hugely ….
… profitable
Intensive farmers aim to …
… produce the maximum yield with the minimum input
.The focus of intensive rearing is to …
… convert the smallest amount of food energy into the greatest quantity of animal mass
How can intensive farmers increase the efficiency of mass of food to mass of animal?
.Minimise energy loss.This allows more food energy taken in by the animals to be converted to body mass.This is then passed along the food chain to human (this means more profit)
What measures may farmers take to improve the energy-conversion rate in the livestock (animals) they rear?
- Limit movement – less movement = less energy lost during exercise2. Heat the environment around the animals (in barns) – they don’t have to waste energy keeping themselves warm3. Control diet – food is high in protein and low in fibre as this builds muscle which means more meat to eat4. Remove predators and pests – sick animals use energy fighting infections
What are the features of intensive rearing?
- Efficient energy conservation2. Low cost food production3. Inferior food quality4. Less space required5. Safety – easier to control as it’s a small area6. High spread of disease7. Over use of drugs8. Poor animal welfare9. High pollution10. Reduced genetic diversity11. High use of fossil fuels12. Chickens have their beaks cut so they are unable to peck and injure each other
Points for intensive farming
Efficient energy conversion – restricting wasteful energy loss means more energy is passed on to humans along the food chainLow cost – foods such as meat, eggs and milk can be produced more cheaply than by other methods, with more and more families now reliant on foodbanks tis could be helpfulUse of space – intensive rearing uses less land which efficient production meaning that less of the country side is required for agriculture, leaving more as natural habitatsSafety – small, concentrated units are easier to control and regulate, it is easier to prevent infections being introduced from the outside and to isolate the animals if this happensFood is essential for life – with an ever expanding human population, there is pressure to produce more and more food intensively
Points against intensive farming
Quality of food – the taste of foods produced by intensive rearing is inferior to food produced less intensivelyDisease – large numbers of animals living in close proximity means that infections can spread easily amongst them. To control this, the animals are regularly given antibioticsUse of drugs – over-use of antibiotics to prevent disease in animals has led to the evolution of antibiotic resistance. This resistance can be transferred to bacteria that cause human diseases, making their treatment with certain antibiotics ineffective. Other drugs may be given to animals to improve their growth or reduce aggressive behaviour. These may alter the flavour of the food or pass into the foods and then into humans, affecting their healthAnimal welfare – the larger intensive farms have the resources to maintain a high level of animal welfare and are most easily regulated. However, animals are kept unnaturally and this may cause stress, resulting in aggressive behaviour. This may cause them to harm each other or themselves, which is why battery chickens are de-beaked. Restricted movement can lead to osteoporosis and joint pain. The wellbeing of animals may be sacrificed for financial gainPollution – intensively reared animals produced large concentrations of waste in a small area. Rivers and ground water may become polluted. Pollutant gases may be dangerous and smell. Large intensive farms may have their own disposal facilities that enable them to treat waste more effectively than smaller non-intensive farms.Reducing genetic diversity – selective breeding is used to develop animals with high energy conversion rates and a tolerance of confined conditions. This reduces the genetic diversity of domestic animals, resulting in the loss of genes that might later prove to have been beneficial.Use of fossil fuels – high energy conversion rates are possible because fossil fuels are used to heat the buildings that house the animals, in the production of the materials in the buildings (especially cement) and in the production and transportation of animal feeds. The carbon dioxide emitted increases global warming.
What can farmers do to increase productivity?
Reduce energy loss Shorten food chains Use fertilisers
List the things that plants need to grow:
.Water.Light.Carbon dioxide.Mineral ions
• Most farming is an intensive process.• Farmland is used repeatedly, sometimes several times a year, to rear animals or grow crops.• Plants take up the nutrients and are then harvested.Referring to the nitrogen cycle, explain the effect this would have on the ecosystem.
- Ammonification is reduced as less plants and dying and decaying• In natural ecosystems, dead matter remains and it is allowed to decompose.• On farmland mineral ions are continually removed from the soil, leaving it deficient.
How do farmers counteract reduced ammonification?
farmers apply fertiliser to their crops
What are the two types of fertilisers?
Organic and inorganic (natural and artificial)
Describe organic fertiliser
• Dead and decaying plant and animal matter• Animal excreta such as manure and slurry• Bone meal
Describe inorganic fertiliser
• Mined from rock• Converted to suitable form• Blended to suit a particular crop• Includes:- Nitrogen- Phosphorous- Potassium
The best yields are achieved when a combination of …
… the 2 types of fertilisers are applied
describe and explain the shape of the graph for fertiliser use (incerasing volumes of fetilser)
The yield increases until an optimum mass is reach and then it decreases, this is because increasing the nitrogen content of the soil increases the productivity of the crop. After an optimum amount of nitrogen is supplied the yield decreases, this is due to the water potential. Increased nitrates in the soil reduce the water potential which will eventually draw water out of the plant by osmosis.
What do plants need nitrogen for?
Plants need nitrogen for amino acids, DNA nucleotides and ATP which are all essential for plant growth
• Outline a method that would scientifically test the effect of nitrogen on plant growth.• Include independent, dependent and control variables.
- Gather 11 plant seeds of the same species2. Place them in equal volumes of soil in separate pots3. Make up 11 batches of fertiliser, one with 0% nitrogen, one with 10% nitrogen, etc. all the way up to one with 100% nitrogen4. Fertilise each plant with different fertilizers but of the same volume (labelling each pot with the fertiliser used)5. Water the plants throughout the week6. Measure how much each plant grew at the end7. Draw a conclusion from your resultsIV = the concentration of nitrogen in the fertiliserDV = the growth of the plantsCV = temperature, light intensity, water for watering, volume of soil, volume of fertiliser, type of plant, humidity, concentration of other things in the fertiliser (keep the ratio of other aspects of the fertiliser the same)
What is leaching?
.Rainwater dissolves soluble nutrients and washes them deep into the soil.The plant roots are unable to reach and absorb them.The leached nutrients then find their way into watercourses and drinking water
What a can excessive nitrates lead to?
.Excessive nitrates can prevent efficient O2 transport in babies and has links to stomach cancer.It can also lead to eutrophication
What is eutrophication? Include a description and explanation of the process in detail
.Watercourses tend to contain low levels of nitrates.This limits the growth of algae and bacteria.Farmers apply fertilisers to their fields.Rainfall dissolves the nutrient ions.These dissolved nutrient ions are leached into watercourses.Nutrient content is no longer a limiting factor for algae and bacteria.Both populations grow.Algae grow on the water surface, forming an algal bloom.The algae absorb light and prevent it from reaching the bottom of the water body.Light is now a limiting factor for plants below the surface.The algae and plants below the surface die.The lack of dead organic matter is no longer a limiting factor for saprobionts.Their population increases.Their growing population requires more oxygen.Oxygen concentration reduces.More nitrates are released from the decaying organisms.Oxygen is now the limiting factor for organisms that aerobically respire.They die.Now less competition for anaerobically respiring organisms.Their population increases.They continue to decompose dead material releasing further nitrates and toxins (hydrogen sulphide).They water becomes putrid
Equations for photosynthesis
Carbon dioxide + water light glucose + oxygen6CO2 + 6H2O C6H12O6 + 6O2
What is the importance of photosynthesis?
.The energy all living things rely on came from photosynthesis.This includes the food we need for respiration and the fuel we use (wood, oil, gas, coal).It also produces oxygen.During photosynthesis chlorophyll absorbs and converts light energy into chemical energy.The plant then uses these molecules to produce ATP during respiration.Non-photosynthetic organisms feed on the molecules produced by plants and use them to make ATP during respiration.Plant cells are perfectly adapted to carry out photosynthesis
Label a plant cell
IDK google it
Label a leaf cross section
IDK google it
What makes leaves good at photosynthesis?
.Large surface area – absorb maximum light.Leaf arrangement – minimises leaves overlapping.Thin – most light absorbed by the first few micrometres, efficient gas exchange.Transparent cuticle and epidermis – allows light into upper mesophyll.Palisade cells are long and thin and tightly packed – max light absorption.Many stomata – efficient gas exchange, short diffusion distance.Stomata open and close in response to light intensity – reduces transpiration.Many air spaces in lower mesophyll – allows rapid gas exchange.Xylem and phloem – allow transport around the plant
Describe how the action of microorganisms in the soil produces a source of nitrates for crop plants. (5 marks)
- Protein / amino acids / DNA into ammonium compounds / ammonia / urea2. By saprobionts;3. Ammonium / ammonia into nitrite;4. Nitrite into nitrate;5. By nitrifying bacteria / microorganisms;6. Nitrogen to ammonia / ammonium;7. By nitrogen-fixing bacteria / microorganisms in soil;
Mutualism is …
… the way two organisms of different species exist in a relationship in which each individual benefits from the activity of the other.
Example of mutualistic relationship
mycorrhizae and plants, birds and flowers
Describe the role of mycorrhizae
.Mycorrhizas are beneficial fungi growing in association with plant roots.They exist by taking sugars and amino acids from plants ‘in exchange’ for moisture and nutrients gathered from the soil by the fungal strands.The mycorrhizas greatly increase the absorptive area of a plant, acting as extensions to the root system.They hold water close to the roots making the plant more drought tolerant.Phosphorus is often in very short supply in natural soils.It would require a vast root system for a plant to meet its phosphorus requirements unaided.Mycorrhizas are crucial in gathering this element in uncultivated soils.Neither fungi nor plants could survive in many uncultivated situations without this mutually beneficial arrangement.Mycorrhizas also seem to confer protection against root diseases
Describe how the relationship between mycorrhizae and plants can be described as a mutualistic one. (4 marks)
Mycorrhizae gain glucose Amino acids Plants gain increased drought resistance Larger root surface area So increase absorption of water and minerals
What is the law of limiting factors –
When a process depends on two or more factors, the rate of that process is limited by the factor which is in shortest supply
The rate of photosynthesis in a plant can be limited by:
.Light intensity.Availability of water.Availability of carbon dioxide.Availability of chlorophyll.Temperature
Draw and annotate graphs showing how the following affect rate of photosynthesis:.Light intensity.Availability of water.Availability of carbon dioxide.Availability of chlorophyll.Temperature
IDK google it or something
what are the 3 main stages in photosynthesis?
.Capturing of light energy.The light-dependent reaction.The light-independent reaction
What is oilrig?
Oxidation is loss, reduction is gain
Where does the light-dependent reaction occur?
In the thykaloid membrane
What does the light-dependent reaction provide?
.Provides: Energy, hydrogen, and oxygen
What is the type of chlorophyll common to all plants?
Chlorophyll a
Ionised meaning
the addition or removal of electrons to create an ion
In the light-dependent reaction, does the chlorophyll get oxidised or ionised?
oxidised
What are the two photosystems?
P680 and P700Or photosystem 2 and 1
In the light dependent reaction, a ____ of electrons get excited, always _____
pairpairs
First molecule to accept the molecule is the ________ in the light-dependent reaction
primary acceptor molecule
What is photophosphorylation?
the addition of phosphate because of light
Going through two photosystems allows the electrons to be at the same energy level as ____
NADP+
NADP+ is …
… a coenzyme that accepts electrons and protons
Reduced NADP+ is …
… NADPH
What happens in the photolysis of water?
H2O turns into H+, e-, and O22H2O O2 + 4H+ + 4e-NADP gains the H+ also
Photosynthesis equation
6CO2 + 6H2O C6H12O6 + 6O2
.There are three main stages involved in photosynthesis, what are they?
- Capturing of Light Energy2. The Light-Dependent Reaction3. The Light-Independent Reaction
.In the light-dependent stage of photosynthesis, the majority of reactions involve molecules being _____ and _______
oxidisedreduced
What is oxidation?
.Loss of HYDROGEN.Loss of ELECTRONS.Gain of OXYGEN.Energy given out
What is reduction?
.Gain of HYDROGEN.Gain of ELECTRONS.Loss of OXYGEN.Energy taken in
Oxidation and reduction always happen together, what is this called?
REDOX reactions
Where does the LDR occur?
.Occurs on the thylakoid membranes
What does the LDR provide?
Provides energy, hydrogen, and oxygen
LDR catches light, which is used for what?
- To combine ADP + Pi (inorganic phosphate) to form ATP2. To split water into H+ (protons) and OH- ions – photolysis
What is chlorophyll a?
.Type of chlorophyll common to all plants.Absorbs light mainly in the red-orange and blue-violet part of the visible spectrum.Accessory pigments absorb energy that chlorophyll a does not absorb, e.g. chlorophyll b
.When a photon of light is absorbed by chlorophyll a, it boosts the energy levels of what?
a pair of chlorophyll electrons
What is photoionisation?
.When a photon of light is absorbed by chlorophyll a, it boosts the energy levels of a pair of chlorophyll electrons.These excited electrons leave the chlorophyll molecule.As a result the chlorophyll molecule becomes ionised (addition or removal of electrons to create an ion).This process is called photoionisation
In photoionization, what has been oxidised, and what has been reduced?
.As the chlorophyll has lost electrons it has been oxidised.As the electron carrier has gained electrons it has been reduced
T or F, Oxidation is the loss of electrons
T
T or F, LDR takes place in the stroma
F (thylakoid membranes)
T or F, Chlorophyll a absorbs green wavelengths of light
F (reflects it)
T or F, Photons of light cause electrons to leave chlorophyll molecules
T
T or F, Photoionisation is the loss of electrons due to light
T
What are photosystems?
.Functional and structural protein complexes involved in photosynthesis
What do photosystems do?
.Together they:- absorb light- transfer energy and electrons
Where are photosystems found?
.Photosystems are found in the thylakoid membranes of plants
What are the two photosystems and how can you tell them apart?
.P700 (PSI) – red light.P680 (PSII) – orangey light
After photoionisation, what happens to the electrons?
.The excited electrons are taken up by an electron carrier.The excited electrons move along the ETC from PS2
What are carrier molecules?
.The carrier molecules are a series of proteins found in the thylakoid membrane
What makes the electrons move down the ETC?
.Each carrier has a slightly higher affinity for the electrons than the last.This draws the electrons along the chain to PS1
Why do electrons lose energy down the ETC?
.A series of redox reactions happen between the chlorophyll and then the carrier’s.One carrier donates – oxidised.The next accepts – reduced.Each carrier is at a slightly lower energy level than the previous one in the chain.Therefore the electrons lose energy at each stage
What happens to the energy lost by electrons in the ETC?
.The energy that is released by the electrons is used to synthesise ATP
What is the formation of ATP called during photosynthesis?
photophosphorylation
As the electrons move along the chain they pass through 2 photosystems, why?
.Further absorbed light energy increases the energy of the electrons.This makes the energy sufficient for the reduction of NADP+ to NADPH
What is NADP+?
nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate is a coenzyme that accepts electrons and protons
What do coenzymes do?
help enzymes to function
.NADP+ is the final acceptor in the chain and therefore what happens to it?
It becomes reduced NADP+ (NADPH)
What reduces NADP+ to NADPH?
The electrons and protons
.The NADPH stores the electrons and protons until when?
they are transferred into the light-independent reaction