FAHAHEEL AL-WATANIEH INDIAN PRIVATE SCHOOL

AHMADI-KUWAIT
BIOLOGY -- CLASS X

Chapter 15: OUR ENVIORNMENT

1. What are trophic levels? Give an example of a food chain and state the different trophic levels in it.
Ans. The various levels or stages in a food chain at which the transfer of energy in the form of food takes place
is called trophic level, e.g., food chain.
Grass → Grasshopper → frog → snake → peacock
Grass — Producer — I trophic level.
Grasshopper — I Consumer (Herbivores) — II trophic level.
Frog — II Consumer (Carnivores) — III trophic level
Snake — III Consumer (Carnivores) — IV trophic level
Peacock — IV Consumer (Carnivores) — V trophic level.

2. State the role/importance of decomposers. OR Why are decomposers a vital link in the ecosystem/ food
chain?
Ans. Decomposers breakdown complex organic substances into simpler inorganic substances that are returned to
the environment and are again used by the plants. Hence decomposers are a vital link in the ecosystem.eg-
bacteria, fungi etc.

3. Explain the different trophic levels and flow of energy.

Ans. Each level of the food chain forms a trophic level. The trophic level is pyramidal in shape.
a) The autotrophs/producers form the 1st level. They are the largest in number.
b) The herbivores/primary consumers form the 2nd level.
c) The small carnivores/ secondary consumers form the 3rd level.
d) The large carnivores/ tertiary consumers form the 4th level.
e) Producers capture the solar energy and convert it to food energy /chemical energy.
f) This energy is then used up from the herbivores up to the carnivores and finally the decomposers.
g) Thus, energy gradually flows from one trophic level to the other. It is unidirectional.

4. As energy flows through different trophic levels in what all ways does it get used up?
Ans.
a) Plants capture 1% of sun’s energy and convert it into food energy
b) Plants are eaten by herbivores. They use 10% of the above 1% of energy. Of this, some energy is lost by
herbivores as heat to the environment while the rest is lost in doing different types of physical work.
c) Later, only 10% of the above energy is passed on to the next level.
d) This process continues up to the carnivores. At each level, very little usable energy is present.

5. Explain the term biological magnification. OR. Why do our food grains/ meat contain varying amounts
of pesticide residues?
Ans.
a. Pesticides/chemicals get washed down into soil and water sources.
b. These are absorbed by terrestrial and aquatic plants along with water and useful minerals
c. Thus, harmful chemicals enter our bodies through food chains via plants.
d. As these chemicals are non-biodegradable and they get accumulated progressively at each level.
e. Humans are at the last level of the trophic level and the maximum concentration of
harmful chemicals get into their bodies.
f. This process is known as biological magnification.
6. Explain the formation of ozone. State its importance.
Ans. At higher levels of atmosphere, higher energy UV radiations split up oxygen molecules into single oxygen
atoms. These single oxygen atoms later combine with oxygen molecules to form ozone molecules. Ozone
layer protects the earth from harmful UV rays from the sun.
O2 O + O
oxygen molecule UV rays single oxygen atoms

O + O2 _________ O3
ozone molecule

7. Give reasons of ozone depletion and its effects on living things.

Ans. CFC (chlorofluorocarbons) are used in refrigerators, air conditioners, deodorants etc. The increase in the
amounts of CFC ‘s causes depletion of ozone layer. This in turn will allow more of harmful UV rays from the
sun to enter our atmosphere causing various health problems.

8. How can you help in reducing the problem of waste disposal? Give any two methods.
Ans. To reduce the problem of waste disposal we can
(i) Segregate the bio-degradable waste from non-biodegradable waste before dumping it.
(ii) Remove all materials which can be recycled and send it for recycling. e.g., paper, glass, metal, rubber.

9. What will happen if we kill all the organisms in one trophic level?
Ans. If all the organisms in one trophic level are killed then all the organisms of next trophic level which are
dependent on these also will die. Next trophic levels will not get food to eat and the entire food chain gets
disturbed. At the same time the organisms at the lower trophic level will reproduce and the population will
increase in abundance there by, disturbing the ecosystem.

10. What are the problems caused by the non-biodegradable waste that we generate?
Ans. (i) As the non-biodegradable waste cannot be broken down into simpler forms hence they keep on
accumulating in nature causing pollution.
(ii) They cause diseases.
(iii) It also causes biological magnification.

11.What are (a) biodegradable wastes and (b) non- biodegradable wastes? Explain with examples.
Ans. (a) Substances that are broken down (decomposed) by biological processes are said to be biodegradable.
E.g. Kitchen wastes, toilet wastes etc.
(b) Substances that are not broken down (decomposed) by biological processes are said to be non-
biodegradable. E.g. Plastics, glass etc.

12.. Give any two ways in which bio-degradable substances would affect the environment.
Ans. Two ways in which bio-degradable substances would affect the environment are:
(i) During decomposition of the substances lot of foul smell spreads in the surrounding areas.
(ii) The place where these bio-degradable substances are present with some moisture becomes breeding
ground for insects like mosquitoes, housefly which are vectors in carrying parasites that cause different
diseases.

13. Give any two ways in which non-biodegradable substances would affect the environment.
Ans. (i) The non-biodegradable substances get accumulated and remains in the ecosystem for a long time. This
chokes the system of many animals and kills them.
(ii) These substances due to accumulation cause water and soil pollution e.g., pesticides, detergents,
polythene.
14. Why are some substances biodegradable and some non-biodegradable?
Ans. Many human-made materials like plastics will not be broken down by the action of enymes in bacteria or
other saprophytes. These materials will be acted upon by physical processes like heat and pressure, but
under the ambient conditions found in our environment, these persist for a long time.

15. Explain the following terms;

Ans. (a) Ecosystem-In a given area, all interacting organisms together with the non-living components of
the environment forms an ecosystem. E.g.- a pond ecosystem, a garden ecosystem etc.
(b) Biotic components – all living organisms like animals, plants etc.
(c) Non-biotic components – temperature, wind, rain, soil, rocks etc.

16. Classify biotic components.

Ans. Biotic components are classified into:
1. Producers- green plants and blue green algae that can produce their own food by photosynthesis.
2. Consumers- organisms that cannot prepare their own food and hence depend for their food on producers
directly/indirectly.

17. Classify consumers.

Ans. Consumers are classified into:
1. Herbivores- plant/grass eating animals. E.g.- deer, cow
2. Carnivores- flesh eating animals. E.g.- tiger, eagle
3. Omnivores- Organisms that eat everything. E.g.- crow, bear
4. Decomposers- micro-organisms that break down dead remains/waste. e.g.- bacteria, fungi

18. Explain the following terms; -

Ans (a) Food chain- Biotic components of an ecosystem are linked together to form a food chain.
E.g.- grass___ grasshopper___frog___eagle
E.g.- plants___ rat__ snake___ hawk
(b) Food web- many food chains interlinked together form a food web.

19. Will the impact of removing all the organisms in a trophic level be different for different trophic
levels? Can the organisms of any trophic level be removed without causing any damage to the
ecosystem?
Ans. The impact of removing all the organisms in a trophic level will be same. If the organisms of any trophic
level be removed it will certainly damage the ecosystem.
For example, Grass → Grass hopper Frog → Snake → Peacock
In this if all grasshoppers are killed/removed frogs will strive and grass will reproduce in abundance.
If snakes are removed then the number of frogs will increase which will disturb the entire ecosystem.
The level of magnification will be different at different trophic levels, the maximum concentrations will be
at the highest trophic level and the chemical will be less at lower trophic levels.

20. If all the waste we generate is bio-degradable, will this have no impact on the environment?
Ans. If all the waste we generate is bio-degradable and is managed in such a way that it is allowed to decompose
then it will have no impact on the environment.

21. Why is damage to the ozone layer a cause for concern? What steps are being taken to limit this
damage?
Ans. Ozone layer in the stratosphere is very helpful in shielding harmful UV rays. In absence of ozone layer
heavy damage to organism may occur. It may cause diseases like skin cancer, cataract, reduced crop
production etc.
The damage is limited by UNEP (United Nations Environment Program, it has forged an agreement to
freeze for CFC production in 1986. CFC– Chlorofluorocarbons used as refrigerants and in fire extinguishers.