Explain the following terms used in ecology:
(i) Biosphere
(ii) Edaphic factors
(iii) Food web - Leaving Cert Biology - Question 11 - 2021
Question 11
Explain the following terms used in ecology:
(i) Biosphere
(ii) Edaphic factors
(iii) Food web.
Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
Game o... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Explain the following terms used in ecology:
(i) Biosphere
(ii) Edaphic factors
(iii) Food web - Leaving Cert Biology - Question 11 - 2021
Step 1
Explain the following terms used in ecology:
(i) Biosphere
96%
114 rated
Only available for registered users.
Sign up now to view full answer, or log in if you already have an account!
Answer
The biosphere refers to the global sum of all ecosystems, essentially encompassing all living organisms and their interactions with the environment. It exists where life can sustain through interactions between soil, water, air, and living beings.
Step 2
(ii) Edaphic factors
99%
104 rated
Only available for registered users.
Sign up now to view full answer, or log in if you already have an account!
Answer
Edaphic factors are the physical and chemical properties of soil, which influence the types of organisms that can thrive in a given environment. These factors include soil pH, texture, moisture, and nutrient content.
Step 3
(iii) Food web
96%
101 rated
Only available for registered users.
Sign up now to view full answer, or log in if you already have an account!
Answer
A food web is a complex network of feeding relationships among various organisms in an ecosystem. It illustrates how energy and nutrients flow through different trophic levels, showing who eats whom in the ecological community.
Step 4
(i) What is meant by the term fauna?
98%
120 rated
Only available for registered users.
Sign up now to view full answer, or log in if you already have an account!
Answer
Fauna refers to the animal life that is present in a particular region or habitat. It encompasses all animal species within a specific ecological community.
Step 5
(ii) Give two reasons why the population of red squirrels declined after 1911.
97%
117 rated
Only available for registered users.
Sign up now to view full answer, or log in if you already have an account!
Answer
The arrival of larger grey squirrels that outcompeted the red squirrels for food sources like pine nuts.
The grey squirrels also carried a disease known as squirrel pox virus, which was detrimental to the native red squirrel population.
Step 6
(iii) Name a predator mentioned in the passage.
97%
121 rated
Only available for registered users.
Sign up now to view full answer, or log in if you already have an account!
Answer
Pine marten.
Step 7
(iv) Give two activities that affected the population of the named predator.
96%
114 rated
Only available for registered users.
Sign up now to view full answer, or log in if you already have an account!
Answer
Hunting, which has historically reduced the pine marten population.
Loss of habitat, as urbanization and agriculture have encroached on their natural environments, further threatening their numbers.
Step 8
(v) Why has the population of grey squirrels declined in recent years?
99%
104 rated
Only available for registered users.
Sign up now to view full answer, or log in if you already have an account!
Answer
The population of grey squirrels has declined primarily due to predation from the returning pine marten, which has regained its ecological role as a natural predator of the grey squirrel.
Step 9
(vi) Draw a food chain using the information from the above passage:
96%
101 rated
Only available for registered users.
Sign up now to view full answer, or log in if you already have an account!
Answer
Pine nuts → Squirrel → Pine marten
Step 10
(i) Explain the term pollution.
98%
120 rated
Only available for registered users.
Sign up now to view full answer, or log in if you already have an account!
Answer
Pollution is defined as a harmful addition to the environment that negatively impacts wildlife, ecosystems, and human health. This can include the introduction of toxic substances or waste materials.
Step 11
(ii) Name one pollutant from agriculture or industry or the home, and describe how it affects the ecosystem:
97%
117 rated
Only available for registered users.
Sign up now to view full answer, or log in if you already have an account!
Answer
Nitrates from fertilizers can lead to water pollution through runoff into nearby water bodies, causing eutrophication, which depletes oxygen in the water and threatens aquatic life.
Step 12
(iii) Give one reason why waste management is important:
97%
121 rated
Only available for registered users.
Sign up now to view full answer, or log in if you already have an account!
Answer
Effective waste management is crucial to prevent pollution and protect human health by ensuring that waste materials do not contaminate soil, water, or air.
Step 13
(iv) Give one example of a good waste management practice from agriculture or fisheries or forestry:
96%
114 rated
Only available for registered users.
Sign up now to view full answer, or log in if you already have an account!
Answer
In agriculture, composting organic waste reduces landfill contributions and provides nutrient-rich fertilizer for soil, enhancing soil health.
Step 14
(v) Name any two sets of factors that affect the distribution of organisms in a habitat.
99%
104 rated
Only available for registered users.
Sign up now to view full answer, or log in if you already have an account!
Answer
Biotic factors, such as competition, predation, and symbiosis.
Abiotic factors, including temperature, sunlight, soil composition, and water availability.
Join the Leaving Cert students using SimpleStudy...
