Ecosystem

Question 1

What is an ecosystem?

Answer 1

An ecosystem is a community of living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) components of their environment.

Question 2

Define the term biodiversity.

Answer 2

Biodiversity is the variety of plant and animal species within an ecosystem.

Question 3

True or False?
Food chains always start with a producer.

Answer 3

True.
Food chains always start with a producer (plant).

Question 4

Define the term producer.

Answer 4

A producer is an organism that can produce its food from sunlight, water and air.

Question 5

What is a primary consumer?

Answer 5

A primary consumer is an organism that eats producers.

Question 6

What does interdependence in an ecosystem mean?

Answer 6

Interdependence is when the different biotic components depend on each other, and the abiotic components for survival (food, water and shelter) within an ecosystem. It means that changes in one component can have significant impacts on other parts of the ecosystem.

Question 7

What is a tertiary consumer?

Answer 7

A tertiary consumer is an organism that eats secondary consumers.

Question 8

Define what the term decomposers means.

Answer 8

Decomposers are fungi and bacteria that break down dead organic matter.

Question 9

Define a stable ecosystem.

Answer 9

A stable ecosystemis one where all the biotic and abiotic components are in balance so that the biotic populations remain constant.

Question 10

State one natural event which may disrupt an ecosystem.

Answer 10

• Wildfires caused by lightning.
• Climate change (though it can be argued this is human-induced).
• Spread of invasive species.
• Disease.
• Extreme weather events: floods or droughts.

Question 11

True or False?
Oak trees are an example of a producer within a deciduous forest
ecosystem.

Answer 11

True
Deciduous trees such as oak, elm, ash and beech are producers and growin deciduous woodland.

Question 12

True or False?
Animals can be within more than one trophic level.

Answer 12

True

Question 13

What is a biome?

Answer 13

A biome is a large-scale ecosystem. They have similar climate, plant, animal and landscape characteristics. Tropical rainforests found in South America, Africa and
Southeast Asia are all part of the tropical rainforest biome.

Question 14

Name two factors which affect the distribution of biomes.

Answer 14

Latitude.
• Precipitation
• Altitude.
• Continentality.
• Ocean currents.

Question 15

True or False?
Areas of low pressure experience low rainfall and areas of high pressure experience high rainfall.

Answer 15

False.
Areas of high pressure experience low rainfall, and areas of low-pressure experience high rainfall.