BIOLOGY REVISION

THE ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY FLOW & NUTRIENT

TRANSFER
DEFINITIONS
Environment the habitat of living organisms and the living organisms
themselves and the climate

BALANCE
There is increasing pressure on the environment to provide for human
requirements e.g. food, space. There must, however, be a balance with
the needs of wildlife. The collection of detailed, reliable scientific
information and monitoring by biologists could help to inform, manage
and reduce the impact of development on the environment e.g. the data
collected by the Environment Agency

INTENSIVE FARMING
Intensive farming is when you attempt to produce the maximum yield
from the land available. Examples are battery farming and using
chemicals (pesticides and fertilisers) to increase yield and control disease.
There are advantages to this method:
High yield because more animals can be kept and conditions can be
controlled.
The food is cheaper to produce so the farmer makes more money
Helps keep the UK self-sufficient in food
The food is also cheaper in shops and allows all people to have a
healthy diet
But there are also disadvantages to this method:
Chemicals can enter the food chain and get into human bodies
Chemicals can cause pollution and harm wildlife
Natural environments can be destroyed by having to make room for
intensive farming
Intensive farming causes animals stress and discomfort with a poor
quality of life

DISEASE
The most prevalent example of this is bTB in cattle. Badgers are believed
to transmit TB to cattle any many tests have taken place to determine
whether or not this is correct. The data gathered, however, is inconclusive:
Badgers definitely pass TB on to cattle
If killing every badger in an area is killed in a short time then TB in
cattle is significantly reduced
It is extremely difficult to kill every badger in an area
Partial culls result in badgers moving away and carrying the
infection to surrounding areas

POLLUTION
Indicator species and changes in pH, chemical and oxygen levels may be
used as signs of pollution in a river whereas lichens can be used as
indicators of air pollution. Mathematical modelling can be used to analyse
and predict the effects of this pollution.

ACCUMULATION

Heavy metals are present in some industrial waste and chemicals in

fertilisers or pesticides. These may enter the food chain and accumulate in
animal bodies to a toxic level and have harmful effects. These effects of
pesticides became apparent in the 1960s, especially in the case of DDT.
After the initial observation, accumulation and interpretation of scientific
evidence the need to monitor the effects and control the use of these
chemicals was emphasised.

EUTRIFICATION
Untreated sewage and fertilisers may cause rapid growth of plants and
algae in water. When the plants and algae die the microbes, which break
them down, increase in number and use up the dissolved oxygen in the
water. Animals, including fish, which live in the water, may suffocate.

ENERGY FLOW
Radiation from the Sun is the source of energy for most ecosystems and
green plants, and algae, capture a small percentage of the solar energy
which reaches them. At each stage in the food chain energy is used in
repair and in the maintenance and growth of cells whilst energy is lost in
waste materials and as heat during respiration.

The arrows in food chains and webs show the direction that the energy
travels through the tropic levels whereas in pyramids the tropic levels
begin at the bottom.

THE CARBON CYCLE

Carbon is constantly cycled in nature by the carbon cycle via

photosynthesis which incorporates it and respiration and combustion
which release it.

DECOMPOSITION

Microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) feed on waste materials from

organisms and when plants and animals die their bodies are broken down
by microorganisms bringing about decay. These microorganisms respire
and release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Nutrients are also released in decay (e.g. nitrates and phosphates) and
are then taken up by other organisms resulting in nutrient cycles. In a
stable community the processes which remove materials are balanced by
processes which return materials.

THE NITROGEN CYCLE

Nitrogen is recycled through the activity of soil bacteria and fungi acting
as decomposers, converting proteins and urea into ammonia and . This is
converted to nitrates which are taken up by plant roots and used to make
new protein.
Urea