Ecology Practice test NkA S students HT 2008

Sample G section 1. A single living thing is a : a) Community b) Population c) Organism d) None of the above 2. A collection of interacting populations is a: a) Community b) Population c) Organism d) Species 3. Animals such as foxes that consume other animals for their food and energy are: a) Producers b) Herbivores c) Omnivores d) Carnivores 4. A group of organisms of the same species that interbreed and live in the same place: a) Community b) Populations c) Organism d) Species 5. Animals that consume autotrophs for their food and energy are: a) Producers b) Carnivores c) Omnivores

d) Herbivores 6. Animals such as bears that consume both plants and other animals: a) Producers b) Carnivores c) Omnivores d) Herbivores 7. Organisms that use the suns energy to make their own food are: a) Producers b) Consumers c) Omnivores d) Herbivores

Sample VG Section

The diagram below shows part of a food web for a marine ecosystem. The food web is based around a species of starfish.

Starfish feed at different trophic levels.

1. Write one food chain where the starfish feed at the secondary consumer trophic level. Algae, mollusks, starfish, seagull would be an example, but it is not the only example.

2. Explain the factors that account for why the starfish has less energy available to them than the zooplankton. Must explain the concept and significance of feeding at a higher trophic level

3. Suggest an advantage to populations of starfish which feed on a variety of prey species. A variety of answers would be acceptable, but must address the larger food supply but go deeper as well, e.g. what if one species is more affected by pollution than another. What if the food sources are found at different times of the year, or in different locations etc. etc. Too many possible answers to account for them all here, the important part it to show your level of understanding and knowledge of ecology. Sample MVG question

1.

Basking sharks (Cetorhinus maximus) filter feed on zooplankton (small floating marine animals) in temperate coastal seas. Marine biologists recorded the swimming paths taken by two basking sharks about 8 km off the coast of Plymouth (UK). At the same time the -3 densities of zooplankton (in gm ) were recorded within 3 m of the swimming path of the sharks.

[Source: D W Sims and V A Quayla (1998) Nature 393, pages 460464]

(a)

Using the scale given, calculate the straight line distance, (i) (ii) from point A to point B. 1450 m +/- 20 m (marks lost if units omitted) from point C to point D. 980 m +/- 20 m (marks lost if units omitted)

(b)

Outline the difference in the swimming behaviour between shark 1 and shark 2.

Shark 2 turns/changes directions more often than shark 1 (c) Using the data given, suggest reasons for the difference in the swimming behaviour of the two sharks. Shark 1 swims in water where zooplankton levels are low, Shark 2 swims in water where zooplankton levels are higher. Shark 2 is turning more becomes it is swimming in food-rich water and it is feeding, turns are highest where zooplankton levels are highest. Shark 1 is doesnt turn as it keeps looking for food (d) State two factors other than food which may affect the distribution of the basking sharks. Possible answers can include water temperature, competition from other sharks, mates, water currents, pollution etc.

Extra review questions: 1. Besides energy, what do autotrophs (producers) need to produce carbohydrates and oxygen? They need carbon dioxide and water.

2. Describe each of the three types of ecological pyramids. An energy pyramid shows the relative amount of energy available at each trophic level. A biomass pyramid represents the amount of living organic matter at each trophic level. A pyramid of numbers shows the number of living organisms at each trophic levels.

3. Suppose that the base of the energy pyramid consists of plants that contain 450,000 calories of food energy. If all the plants were eaten by mice and insects, how much food energy would be available to those first level consumers?

45,000 calories (10% of the available calories) 4. If all the mice and insects were eaten by snakes, how much food energy would be available to the snakes? 4500 calories (10% of the available calories)

5. If all the snakes were eaten by a hawk, how much food energy would be available to the hawk? 450 calories (10% of the available calories)

6. How much food energy would the hawk use for its body processes and lose as heat? 405 calories (90% of 450)

7. How much food energy would be stored in the hawks body? 45 calories (10% of the available energy)

8. A hawk eats a snake that eats a mouse that eats corn. Describe each level as a producer or a consumer. What level consumer is the hawk? The corn is an autotroph (producer), the mouse is a 1st level consumer, the snake is a 2nd level consumer, the hawk is a 3rd level consumer (the top consumer)

9. Draw an energy pyramid for a five step food chain. If 100 procent of the energy is available at the first trophic level, what percentage of the total energy is available at the highest trophic level? You should draw a pyramid with producer (100%), 1st order consumer(10%), 2nd order consumer(1%), 3rd order consumer(0.1%), 4th order consumer (0.01%)

10.Show the following as a food chain: omnivore, autotroph, herbivore

Autotroph-herbivore-omnivore