Chapter 14: Ecosystems

1. Match the terms in the table with their correct definitions.

Term Definition
plants that photosynthesise to
population
make their own food
living components of an
community ecosystem

all the organisms of one species in

ecosystem
an ecosystem at a certain time
organisms that break down dead
habitat
material
the place an organism lives
biotic factor
animals that eat plants or other
abiotic factor
animals
non-living components of an
producers
ecosystem
the populations of all species in an
consumers
ecosystem at a certain time
the community and physical
decomposers
environment that is present

2. A group of students decided to estimate the populations of two species of plant, plantain and
buttercup, in an area. They divided the area up into 100 1m squares and gave all of the squares
coordinates.

Squares were selected, and a metal frame placed on each.

The number of plantain and buttercup species in each of the squares was counted.

They tried to estimate the population using 5, 10 and 15 squares.

(a)(i) Give the name of the metal frame.

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(ii) Explain how the students should have selected the squares.

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(b)

Number of square Coordinates of square Number of plantains Number of buttercups

1 A1
2 B2
3 B3
4 E5
5 E1

6 F5
7 H1
8 H5
9 J2
10 I8

11 A7
12 E4
13 D10
14 J9
15 B9
Table 1

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(i) Count the number of plantains and buttercups in each of the squares shown in the diagram. Write
your answers in table 1.

(ii) Calculate the mean number of plantains and buttercups found per square for squares 1–5. Write
your answers in table 2.

(iii) Calculate the mean number of plantains and buttercups found per square for squares 1–10 (all of
the squares). Write your answers in table 2.

(iv) Calculate the mean number of plantains and buttercups found per square for squares 1–15.
Write your answers in table 2.

Number of squares Mean number of Mean number of Estimated total Estimated total
used plantain per square buttercups per number of number of
metre square metre plantain in area buttercups in
area

1–5

1–10

1–15

Table 2

(v) Use your mean number of plantains and buttercups per square metre and the formula below to
estimate the total number of plantains and buttercups in the area. Write your answers in table 2.

Estimated total number of plants ∈the area=mean number per sqaure metre × total area ¿)

(c) Count the actual total number of both plant species and compare them with your estimated
totals in table 2.

(i) State which number of squares gave the most accurate estimate for each species of plant.

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(ii) Discuss how accurate your estimated totals of plantain and buttercups are for the different
number of squares used. Suggest reasons for any inaccuracies. You should consider the distribution
pattern of the plants and how representative the samples are.

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(iii) Suggest ways of improving the reliability and accuracy of the investigation.

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3. Ladybirds are predators of aphids which feed on roses.

(a)(i) Draw the food chain to show the relationship between the rose, aphids and ladybird in the
picture.

(ii) State what is meant by the term predator.

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(iii) Give the names of the trophic levels that each organism occupies in this food chain.

rose………………………………………………..

aphid………………………………………………

ladybird………………………………………….

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(iv) Suggest and explain two abiotic factors that could affect the organisms in the food chain.

Factor…………………….

Explanation

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Factor…………………….

Explanation

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(b) The population of aphids and ladybirds was measured each week for 16 weeks. The results are
shown on the graph.

(i) State the aphid population on day 21…………………………………………..

(ii) State the ladybird population on day 21…………………………………………..

(iii) Compare the changes in population of aphids and ladybirds over the 16 weeks.

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(iv) Explain the changes in population of aphids and ladybirds over the 16 weeks.

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(v) State one biotic factor that could affect the population of ladybirds.

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(vi) State two biotic factors that could affect the population of aphids.

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4. Kelp is a type of seaweed that exists in underwater, marine ‘forests’. Many marine creatures
depend on kelp forests for food, habitat and reproduction. The diagram shows an area of kelp forest
and part of its food web.

(a)(i) Write down a food chain in this food web that consists of three organisms.

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(ii) Write down a food chain in this food web that consists of six organisms.

(b)(i) State the process that brings energy into the food web.

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(ii) Suggest and explain the effects on the food web of an increase in sediment in the water reducing
the amount of light that can pass through the water.

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(c) Sea otters eat large numbers of sea urchins and are considered to be a ‘keystone species’. In
some areas of the world, sea otters have been hunted to extinction. It has been reported that kelp
forests in these areas have disappeared, along with many other species, and fishermen have
reported very low catches.

(i) Suggest what is meant by a ‘keystone species’.

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(ii) Explain why the loss of sea otters has resulted in the reported changes.

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5. Pyramids of numbers are used to show the numbers of organisms at each level in a food chain.

(a) Sketch labelled pyramids of number for the following food chains:

(i) A herd of zebra feeding on grass are hunted by a pack of lions. Many fleas feed on each of the
lions.

(ii) Many aphids feed on a single oak tree. Sparrows feed on the aphids and are hunted by a
sparrowhawk. There are many nematode worm parasites inside the gut of the sparrowhawk.

(iii) Phytoplankton are microscopic algae that reproduce rapidly in the oceans if conditions are ideal.
They are eaten by zooplankton (microscopic animal plankton) which in turn are eaten by a shoal of
herrings. The herrings are eaten by a small group of dolphins, each of which have parasitic sealice on
their skin.

(iv) A single elephant consumes many acacia trees. On the elephant’s skin are many parasitic lice and
each of the lice has many parasitic nematode worms in its gut.

(b)(i) Draw pyramids of biomass for the food chains listed in (a)(i) and (a)(ii).

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(ii) Explain why biomass is measured as dry mass.

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6. The energy found in the biomass of each trophic level of a food chain is shown in the diagram.

tertiary consumer

6 kJ per m2 per year

secondary consumer

76 kJ per m2 per year

primary consumer

895 kJ per m2 per year

producer

9866 kJ per m2 per year

(a)(i) Use the formula to calculate the percentage of energy that is transferred between the trophic
levels.

energy∈biomass
percentage energy transfer= ×100 %
energy∈biomass of previouslevel
% energy transferred between producer and primary consumer = ……………… kJ per m 2 per year

% energy transferred between primary and secondary consumer = ……………… kJ per m2 per year

% energy transferred between secondary and tertiary consumer = ……………… kJ per m 2 per year

(ii) Explain how energy is lost between trophic levels.

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(iii) In this food chain, the primary consumer is a homoeothermic mammal. Suggest and explain how
the efficiency of energy between the primary consumer and secondary consumer would change if
the primary consumer was a reptile that was not homoeothermic.

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7. The diagram shows the carbon cycle.

(a) Give the names of the processes shown in the diagram.

A:…………………………………………………….

B:……………………………………………………

C:…………………………………………………….

D:………………………………………………………

E:………………………………………………………..

F:………………………………………………………..

(b) Suggest two groups of organic compounds in animals or plants that contain carbon.

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8. The diagram shows the nitrogen cycle

(a)(i) Name the processes A, B, C and D shown in the diagram of the nitrogen cycle.

A………………………………….

B………………………………….

C…………………………………..

D…………………………………..

(ii) Describe the roles of nitrifying bacteria, nitrogen-fixing bacteria and denitrifying bacteria in the
nitrogen cycle.

nitrifying bacteria

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nitrogen-fixing bacteria

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denitrifying bacteria

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(b) Use the diagram and your knowledge of the nitrogen cycle to explain the following.

(i) Farmers plough crop fields to increase aeration of the soil.

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(ii) Waterlogged soils tend to have poor fertility leading to poor crop growth.

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(iii) Constant harvesting of crops reduces soil fertility.

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(c) Use the diagram to explain why the following methods can improve the fertility of soil.

(i) Adding manure (faeces of animals).

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(ii) Allowing a field to grow weeds, which are often leguminous plants, for a year. At the end of the
year, plough the weeds into the soil.

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9.(a)(i) Explain what is meant by the term biodiversity.

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(ii) Explain why conservationists aim to preserve biodiversity in ecosystems.

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(iii) Suggest why it is important to consider both the range of species and populations of each
species rather than just the range of species.

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(b) An area of countryside was used to build a housing estate. Patches of countryside were left as
‘green areas’ inside the housing estate. Devise an investigation to compare the biodiversity in the
green areas with the surrounding countryside.

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