Essential Biology 5.1: Communities, Ecosystems
Sources to use: Clegg pp 137-147, Revision Guide pp 40-43 Click4Biology, The Habitable Planet
(http://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/) Biology4good (http://sciencevideos.wordpress.com)
1. Define the following terms:
Species
Habitat
Population
Community
Ecosystem
Ecology
Niche
Biodiversity
Trophic level
2. Complete the tree below with definitions and examples of each type of feeding strategy.
Can you distinguish between the feeding strategies at each level?
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Essential Biology 5.1: Communities, Ecosystems
3. Food chains represent the flow of energy and nutrients in a series of feeding relationships.
Give one example of a marine food chain (min. 4 organisms)
Give one example of a terrestrial food chain (min. 4 organisms)
Give one other example of a food chain (min. 4 organisms)
4. Describe what is meant by a food web.
5. The food web below shows some coral reef feeding relationships;
a. Identify species in the following trophic levels:
i.
Producers
ii.
Primary consumers
iii.
Secondary consumers
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Essential Biology 5.1: Communities, Ecosystems
6. What is the original source of energy for almost all communities?
7. What does a pyramid of energy show?
8. Give an example of a unit of measurement used in a pyramid of energy, giving a description of
each component.
9.
Explain the shape of the pyramid of energy repreented by the information below in terms of
energy loss between trophic levels.
10. Energy transfers are never 100% efficient.
In which ways is energy lost between trophic levels?
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Essential Biology 5.1: Communities, Ecosystems
11. Study the energy flow diagram below:
a. Calculate the percentage of energy lost as heat in:
i.
Autotrophs
ii.
Heterotrophs
b. Suggest reasons for the difference in part a.
12. “Energy flows through an ecosystem, nutrients are recycled.”
Explain this statement with the aid of a flow chart.
Include the roles of saprotrophic bacteria and fungi.
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Essential Biology 5.1: Communities, Ecosystems
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