Ecology (Paper 2)

Question 1

Define habitat

Answer 1

• The place where an organism lives

Question 2

Define population

Answer 2

• All the organisms of one species living in a habitat

Question 3

Define community

Answer 3

• The populations of different species living in a habitat

Question 4

Define abiotic factors

Answer 4

• Non-living factors of the environment

Question 5

Define biotic factors

Answer 5

• Living factors of the environment

Question 6

Define ecosystem

Answer 6

• The interactions of a community of organisms with the abiotic parts of their environment

Question 7

What factors do plants compete for in an environment

Answer 7

• Light
• Space
• Water
• Nutrients

Question 8

What factors do animals compete for in an environment

Answer 8

• Space
• Food
• Water
• Mates

Question 9

List abiotic factors

Answer 9

• Moisture level
• Light intensity
• Temperature
• Carbon dioxide level
• Wind intensity and direction
• Water oxygen level
• Soil pH and nutrient content

Question 10

List biotic factors

Answer 10

• New predators
• Competition
• New pathogens
• Availability of food

Question 11

Define the three types of adaptations

Answer 11

• Structural - Body structure adaptations
• Behavioural - How an organism behaves
• Functional - Things that go on inside an organisms body that are related to processes like reproduction and metabolism

Question 12

What environmental changes can affect the distribution of organisms

Answer 12

• Availability of water
• Temperature
• Atmospheric composition of natural gases

Question 13

Describe the carbon cycle

Answer 13

• CO2 is removed from the atmosphere via green plants and algae through photosynthesis
• When plants and algae respire, some CO2 is returned to the atmosphere
• When plants and algae are eaten by animals, carbon is stored in their body as various compounds
• When the animals respire, some CO2 is returned to the atmosphere
• When plants, animals and algae die - or waste is produced - detritovores decompose the waste or remains and release the accumulated carbon as CO2 through respiration
• The combustion of wood and fossil fuels releases CO2 into the atmosphere

Question 14

Define compost

Answer 14

• Decomposed organic matter

Question 15

What factors affect the rate of decomposition

Answer 15

• Temperature
• Oxygen availability
• Water availability
• Number of decay organisms

Question 16

How is biogas produced

Answer 16

• The decomposition of organic matter via detritovores anaerobically

Question 17

Consequences of global warming

Answer 17

• Higher temperature causes ice to melt and sea levels to rise, which can result in loss of habitats
• The distribution of plants and wild animas could change as temperature could change rainfall patterns
• Changes on migration patterns may occur as species have to travel to different places to find areas with different conditions
• Biodiversity could decrease as species’ struggle to survive due to changing climates

Question 18

Effects of deforestation

Answer 18

• Less carbon taken in through photosynthesis
• More carbon released through burning to clear space
• Less biodiversity as the same amount of organisms have to occupy a smaller amount of space, potentially causing species to go extinct

Question 19

Features of bogs

Answer 19

• Land that is acidic and waterlogged
• Organisms that die in bogs do not fully decay as there is very little oxygen present

Question 20

Define trophic levels

Answer 20

• The different stages of a food chain

Question 21

How much biomass is passed between trophic levels

Answer 21

• 10%

Question 22

Features mycoprotein

Answer 22

• Large amounts of microorganisms can be cultured industrially under controlled conditions in large vats for use as a food source
• Made from fungus fusarium which is grown in aerobic conditions on glucose syrup