Secondary 4 Pure Biology Ecology Quiz

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Secondary 4 Pure Biology Quiz - Ecology

Name: ________________________
Class: ________________________
Date: ________________________
Score: ________ / 60

Duration: 60 Minutes
Total Marks: 60
Instructions: Answer all questions in the spaces provided. Use clear biological terminology.

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Section A: Energy Flow and Trophic Levels (Questions 1-7)

1. Define the term producer and provide one example of a producer in a marine ecosystem. [2]

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2. Explain why energy flow in an ecosystem is described as non-cyclical. [2]

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3. In a food chain consisting of Grass $\rightarrow$ Grasshopper $\rightarrow$ Frog $\rightarrow$ Snake, identify the trophic level of the frog. [1]

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4. Explain why there are typically fewer individuals at the top trophic level of a pyramid of numbers compared to the first trophic level. [3]

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5. Compare a pyramid of numbers and a pyramid of biomass. In what specific scenario would a pyramid of numbers be inverted while the pyramid of biomass remains upright? [4]

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6. Only approximately 10% of energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next. State two reasons why the remaining 90% of energy is lost. [2]

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7. A food web contains multiple overlapping food chains. Explain the advantage of having a complex food web for the stability of an ecosystem. [3]

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Section B: The Carbon Cycle and Global Warming (Questions 8-14)

8. State the process by which carbon is removed from the atmosphere and incorporated into organic compounds. [1]

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9. Describe the role of decomposers (such as fungi and bacteria) in the carbon cycle. [2]

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10. Explain how the combustion of fossil fuels increases the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. [2]

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11. Forests are often described as "carbon sinks". Explain what this means and how it helps mitigate global warming. [3]

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12. Describe the "greenhouse effect" and explain how an increase in atmospheric $\text{CO}_2$ leads to a rise in global temperatures. [4]

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13. Apart from burning fossil fuels, suggest one other human activity that increases atmospheric $\text{CO}_2$ and explain the biological reason behind it. [3]

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14. Predict and explain one possible effect of global warming on the distribution of species in a tropical rainforest. [3]

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Section C: Human Impact and Conservation (Questions 15-20)

15. Define biomagnification. [2]

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16. A farmer uses a non-biodegradable insecticide on crops. Explain why a bird of prey at the top of the food chain may suffer from reproductive failure even if the insecticide concentration in the soil is very low. [4]

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17. Distinguish between biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste. Provide an example of each. [3]

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18. Explain how the discharge of untreated sewage into a river can lead to the death of fish (eutrophication process). [5]

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19. Suggest two sustainable methods of managing natural resources to ensure the survival of endangered species. [2]

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20. Discuss the ethical trade-off between the need for agricultural land to feed a growing human population and the need for forest conservation. [5]

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Answer Key - Secondary 4 Pure Biology Quiz: Ecology

1. Define producer and example.

• Definition: Organisms that can produce their own organic food/glucose from inorganic substances using light energy (photosynthesis) or chemical energy. [1]
• Example: Phytoplankton / Seaweed / Algae. [1]

2. Non-cyclical energy flow.

• Energy is lost as heat to the environment at each trophic level [1] and cannot be reused by producers; it must be constantly replenished from the sun. [1]

3. Trophic level of frog.

• Tertiary consumer (or 3rd trophic level). [1]

4. Fewer individuals at top.

• Energy is lost at each trophic level (via respiration, heat, undigested waste). [1]
• Therefore, there is less energy available to support a large population of top predators. [1]
• This limits the biomass and number of organisms that can survive at higher levels. [1]

5. Pyramid of numbers vs Biomass.

• Comparison: Numbers count individual organisms; biomass measures the total dry mass of organic matter. [2]
• Scenario: A single large producer (e.g., one large oak tree) supporting many small primary consumers (e.g., thousands of aphids). [2]

6. Energy loss reasons.

• Any two: Energy lost as heat during respiration; energy in undigested materials (faeces); energy in unconsumed parts of the organism (e.g., bones, roots). [2]

7. Food web stability.

• Provides alternative food sources for consumers. [1]
• If one prey species declines, the predator can switch to another. [1]
• This prevents the collapse of the entire ecosystem/prevents predator extinction. [1]

8. Carbon removal process.

• Photosynthesis. [1]

9. Role of decomposers.

• They break down dead organic matter and waste. [1]
• They release $\text{CO}_2$ back into the atmosphere through aerobic respiration. [1]

10. Combustion of fossil fuels.

• Fossil fuels contain carbon stored from ancient organisms. [1]
• Burning them reacts the carbon with oxygen to release $\text{CO}_2$ into the atmosphere. [1]

11. Carbon sinks.

• Meaning: Forests absorb more $\text{CO}_2$ via photosynthesis than they release via respiration/decomposition. [1]
• Mitigation: By sequestering carbon in biomass (wood), they reduce the amount of $\text{CO}_2$ available in the atmosphere to trap heat. [2]

12. Greenhouse effect.

• $\text{CO}_2$ acts as a greenhouse gas. [1]
• It allows short-wave radiation from the sun to enter but traps long-wave infrared radiation (heat) reflecting off the Earth's surface. [2]
• This increases the average temperature of the atmosphere. [1]

13. Other human activity.

• Deforestation. [1]
• Biological reason: Fewer trees mean less $\text{CO}_2$ is absorbed via photosynthesis. [1] Also, burning cleared land releases stored carbon. [1]

14. Effect on species distribution.

• Prediction: Species may migrate to higher altitudes or latitudes (cooler regions). [1]
• Explanation: As temperatures rise, the current habitat may exceed the organism's tolerance range. [1] Those unable to migrate or adapt will face extinction. [1]

15. Biomagnification.

• The increase in concentration of a non-biodegradable toxin in the tissues of organisms at successively higher trophic levels. [2]

16. Insecticide and bird of prey.

• Toxin is non-biodegradable and cannot be excreted/metabolised. [1]
• It accumulates in the fatty tissues of the producer and primary consumers. [1]
• The bird of prey consumes a large biomass of contaminated prey to meet energy needs. [1]
• This results in a very high concentration of toxin in the bird, leading to physiological damage (e.g., thinning eggshells). [1]

17. Biodegradable vs Non-biodegradable.

• Biodegradable: Can be broken down by decomposers/microorganisms (e.g., food waste, paper). [2]
• Non-biodegradable: Cannot be broken down by microorganisms (e.g., plastics, DDT). [1]

18. Sewage and fish death.

• Sewage provides nutrients (nitrates/phosphates) to the river. [1]
• This causes an algal bloom (rapid increase in algae). [1]
• Algae block sunlight, killing plants at the bottom. [1]
• Decomposers break down dead algae/plants using aerobic respiration, depleting dissolved oxygen in the water. [1]
• Fish suffocate due to lack of oxygen. [1]

19. Sustainable management.

• Any two: Creating protected wildlife corridors; implementing sustainable logging (selective cutting); regulating hunting/fishing quotas; restoring degraded habitats. [2]

20. Ethical trade-off.

• Need for food: Growing population requires more land for crops/livestock to prevent famine. [2]
• Conservation: Deforestation leads to loss of biodiversity, disruption of water cycles, and acceleration of global warming. [2]
• Synthesis: A balance is needed, such as using vertical farming or genetically modified high-yield crops to produce more food on less land. [1]