cold environments

Question 1

figure 6, which shows a food web for a small scale ecosystem in the uk

using figure 6 which one of the following statements is true

A) sparrow hawks eat plants
B) voles eat moles
C) moles eat beetles
D) badgers eat small birds

Answer 1

C) moles eat beetles

Question 2

figure 6, which shows a food web for a small scale ecosystem in the uk

suggest what would happen in the food web shown if foxes became extinct

Answer 2

the number of rabbits increases which means numbers of plants decreases and there is less food fo the caterpillar so caterpillar numbers could decrease

Question 3

state one role of decomposers in an ecosystem

Answer 3

they break down organic matter and allow it to be recycled by plants

Question 4

figure 7, graph showing biomass at different levels of a food chain

calculate the percentage loss in biomass between the primary consumer and secondary consumer levels

A) 2.5%
B) 97.5%
C) 25.2%
D) 95.5%

Answer 4

B) 97.5%

Question 5

give two reasons why the biomass changes between each level in the food chain

Answer 5

loss of energy though respiration

loss of energy through digestion

Question 6

figure 8, diagram showing structure of tropical rainforest

using figure 8 which part of the rainforest matches the following description?

A) emergent layer
B) upper canopy
C) lower canopy
D) understorey

Answer 6

B) upper canopy

Question 7

figure 8, diagram showing structure of tropical rainforest

using figure 8 describe one characteristic of the base of the taller trees

Answer 7

buttress roots

Question 8

give one effect of deforestation on the soils of the rainforest

Answer 8

less interception so more soil erosion

Question 9

figure 10 (plants and animals in a cold environment)

‘plants and animals adapt in order to survive in a hostile environment’ explain this statement using figure 10 (6)

Answer 9

in figure 10 the flowers shown are low growing and round shaped to provide protection from the wind. plants may also become dormant to survive winter and have shallow roots because of the permafrost beneath. leaves can also be small to limit the amount of water lost through transpiration. in figure 10, a polar bear is shown with thick fur to reduce the amount of energy needed to keep warm. this polar bear and other animals also have white fur in order to camouflage into the snow - it helps predators sneak up on their prey into the snow and helps prey hide from predators. also some animals hibernate to conserve energy and survive winter and those that don’t adapt to survive on limited food sources. many birds migrate to warmer areas for winter

Question 10

to what extent are cold environments at risk from economic development and therefore in need of protection? (9)

Answer 10

in my opinion, cold environments are at risk of economic development to a greater extent. this can be shown by Alaska’s tourism industry as 2 million tourists visit each year however this may bring more noise and air pollution to the wilderness areas due to increased buses, cars and more litter to the area which could consequently damage natural habitats, therefore rules and laws may need to be put in place to protect these untouched wilderness areas. as well as this, the trans alaskan pipeline provides over half of alaska’s income however the risk of oil leaks because of this is very high, and the effects of a leak could be detrimental to biodiversity and habitats. as a result the pipeline was raised which also helps animals migrating to pass underneath. other protection could be the 1964 wilderness act which protects much of alaska from development reducing conflict over land use in wilderness areas. cold environments are in need of protection as they provide habitats for organisms that cant live anywhere else so strict development laws and rules are in need of being put in place so these habitats aren’t destroyed.