ECOLOGY

Biology Concepts

Name
Name of Candidate:………..…………………………..
of Candidate: ………………….……………………. Date: ……………
Date: ……………………..
Subject: Biology / 5090
Subject: Biology Total [Marks:
Total Marks: ] [23]

1. Fig. 5.1 shows a food web.

(a) (i) Complete the food chain from this food web.

[1]

(ii) Complete each column of Table 5.1 by naming two appropriate organisms from the food web. Some
organisms could occur in more than one column.

[3]

Prepared by: Ahmed Kaleem Khan Niazi 1

(b) The overuse of some pesticides can make the eggs of birds of prey, such as the kestrel, infertile. This
may cause a large decrease in the population of kestrels.
Predict and explain the possible effects this could have on populations of stoats and rabbits in the food
web, Fig. 5.1.

stoats ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

rabbits ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… [4]

(c) About 20 years ago a failure at a nuclear plant resulted in the release of radioactive material into the
atmosphere. The radioactive material was deposited on grasslands over parts of Europe. Some of the
radioactive chemicals got into organisms in the food web, Fig. 5.1. Not all of these radioactive chemicals
taken in by organisms are excreted.

(i) Suggest which organism would have accumulated the highest concentration of radioactive chemicals
and explain why this would happen.

organism ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

explanation ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… [3]

(ii) One of the radioactive chemicals present was strontium, which behaves very much like calcium in an
animal’s body. Suggest where this strontium would be found in high levels in an animal’s body.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]

[Total: 12]

Prepared by: Ahmed Kaleem Khan Niazi 2

2.

Lake Victoria is the largest tropical lake in the world. Until the 1960s it provided an ecosystem with habitats
for 500 species of small cichlid fish. They feed on algae (aquatic plants). Prawns also feed on algae.
Nile perch were introduced into the lake. These fish are excellent food for humans, as well as providing
sport for tourists. The Nile perch eat cichlids.
Deforestation of the lake shore and pollution by humans caused eutrophication and resulted in a huge
reduction in cichlid numbers. However, the Nile perch are able to survive in poor quality water, even when
the oxygen level is low. As the cichlid population dropped, prawn numbers increased and Nile perch now
eat them.
(a) Define the term ecosystem.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………..………[2]

(b) Using information in the text above, state two reasons why Nile perch were introduced into Lake
Victoria.

1. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

1. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………….……… [2]

Complete the table to identify at which trophic level each of the organisms named in the text are feeding.

algae-------cichlid------fish-------human------Nile perch-----prawn

[3]

(d) Explain how eutrophication could have resulted in a reduction in the numbers of cichlid fish.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……[4]
[Total: 11]

Prepared by: Ahmed Kaleem Khan Niazi 3

EXAMINER REPORT
Question no 1:

In (a)(i) two errors arose that have been identified elsewhere in this report, in that candidates did neither
read the question clearly enough nor gave attention to the positioning of labels A and B. In the former case
a number identified the type of vessel, artery and vein, but did not name them and in the latter case there
were a significant number of responses with the correct names but linked to the wrong letter label. The
function of the valve was regularly correctly identified but it was misnamed as either tricuspid or semilunar
valve. Unfortunately there were candidates who expanded their responses about preventing backflow then
incorrectly qualified this with phrases such as “to the ventricles”. In Section (b)(i) many candidates quoted
the maximum output of the heart, 14 dm3
per minute, rather than the requested response, namely the maximum increase in heart output, 7 dm3
per minute. Perhaps this is another example of lack of attention in reading the question. Far too many
responses in (b)(ii) are worded as if the events mentioned do not occur before exercise rather than
increasing during exercise, for example “now blood carries oxygen to the muscles because they start
respiring”. In (c) most candidates were well versed in the ways in which the risk of a blockage of the
coronary artery could be reduced, although some discussed medical intervention which is curative rather
than preventative. Far fewer appreciated that the blockage would lead to no flow of blood with oxygen and
glucose to the tissue beyond X and thus the death of the tissue. Many responses simply identified the
events as a heart attack or cardiac arrest and some used even more technical medical terms. Candidates
should appreciate that a heart attack and a stroke are not synonymous.

Question no 2:

(a) The candidates were asked for another definition here – this time of ecosystem. Some candidates
defined a habitat instead because they referred to an organism instead of a community of organisms.
Some candidates gave definitions of ecology rather than ecosystem. However, most candidates gave a
satisfactory definition of this widely used term that implied that an ecosystem consists of organisms that
interact with each other and/or with the physical environment in a defined place. The Examiners found
quite a few ‘non living organisms’.
(b) Most candidates found the appropriate answers to this question from the text and referred to food
for humans and sport for tourists. Candidates lost marks if they did not qualify ‘food’ and ‘sport’ in their
answers. Some thought that Nile perch were introduced to balance the ecology of Lake Victoria.
(c) As in June 2007, some candidates did not realise that this table should include more than one
species. They often wrote one species in each row and this gained a maximum of one mark for giving
algae as the producer.
(d) Knowledge of eutrophication seemed somewhat patchy. Some candidates gave very detailed
answers gaining the four marks available very easily. These were splendid answers. Other candidates did
not realise that eutrophication leads to the death and decomposition of plants so that the oxygen
concentration of the water decreases. Instead they wrote about the loss of algae as food for cichlid fish or
predation by the Nile perch.

Prepared by: Ahmed Kaleem Khan Niazi 4

MARK SCHEME
Question no 1:

(a) (i)

[1]
(ii) consumer Any two animals in web; carnivore Any two from – carnivorous insect, spider, fox, toad,
lizard, stoat, kestrel; herbivore Any two – from herbivorous insect, vole, rabbit; Each correct column – 1
mark [3]
(b) * 1 stoat population could rise;
2 as kestrels eat less voles;
3 more food/voles for stoats; *
4 (if more stoats then) population of rabbits fall;
5 as stoats eat more of them;
6 more voles would eat more grass;
7 less food for rabbits (population falls); Any four – 1 mark each [4]
(c) (i) 1 foxes/kestrel/top carnivore; [1]
2 plants absorb radioactive minerals/ions/chemicals;
3 taken in by herbivores within plants/on plants;
4 passed to carnivore;
5 at each stage predator eats lots of prey individuals;
6 (bio)accumulation occurs; Any two – 1 mark each [2]
(ii) bones and teeth/where there are high levels of calcium; [1]
[Total: 12]
Question no 2:

Prepared by: Ahmed Kaleem Khan Niazi 5