Case Study - Epping Forest

Question 1

context

Answer 1

• Located near London, Epping Forest is all that remains of a larger forest that colonised England at the end of the last ice age
• Bogs and ponds in the forest have their own unique species, including 20 kinds of dragonfly
• For 100 years, Epping Forest has been managed in a variety of ways: as hunting grounds for royalty, timber resource and nowadays a recreational area.

Question 2

What are the characteristics of Epping Forest’s food web?

Answer 2

• A large number of tree species including oak, elm, ash and beech
• A lower shrub layer of holly and hazel at five metres, overlying a field layer of grasses, brambles, bracken, fern and flowering plants; 177 species of moss and lichen grow here. Altogether, there is a great diversity of producer species
• Many insects, mammal and bird consumer species are supported, including one amphibian and reptile species and 38 bird species
• Studies have found 700 species of fungi, which are important decomposers

Question 3

How is the ecosystem adapted + interdependent?

Answer 3

• species at Epping Forest are interdependent which means they rely on one another
• As most trees are deciduous, they have adapted to cold UK climate
• In prep for darker + cooler winters (mean monthly temp. 5C in Jan), trees lose their leaves in autumn to save energy + moisture
• In summer sunlight hrs increase + temps are warmer (mean monthly temp. 18C in July), they have re-grown broad green leaves during spring allow them to maximise photosynthesis
• Flowering bulbs like bluebells make use of sunlight available in early spring, as sunlight is able to penetrate bare + newly sprouting branches, use energy from available sunlight to flower early
• In autumn, forest floor is covered in a thick layer of leaves
• nutrients in this leaf layer are converted by decomposers and detritivores to humus in the soil and so by spring these leaves have disappeared
• These nutrients will support new growth, which will eventually produce fruits + berries that support primary consumers
• This nutrient cycling clearly demonstrates interdependence of plants, animals + the soil

Question 4

How is the ecosystem + People interdependent?

Answer 4

• People + ecosystem at Epping Forest are also interdependent
• In the past pollarding was common (cutting back trees to promote new growth)
• Today visitors pick berries + flowers, In turn, this helps spread the seeds, which stick to clothing

Question 5

What explains the characteristics of Epping forest’s nutrient cycle?

Answer 5

• the biomass store is large because of the great height of the trees and dense undergrowth beneath them
• soil store is large too because there is also plenty of humus
• high flow rates between litter, soil and biomass stores reflects the vigorous cycle of new growth that takes place each year, via leaching, during episodes of heavy rainfall

Question 6

producers

Answer 6

• shrubs, like holly
• deciduous trees
• moss, lichen, grasses, herbs, ferns

Question 7

primary consumers

Answer 7

insects, beetles, worms, caterpillars, rabbits

Question 8

secondary consumers

Answer 8

mice, small birds, badgers, foxes

Question 9

tertiary consumers

Answer 9

sparrowhawk, owl