1.

Figure 1 shows a simplified food web for the North Sea in Europe.
Figure 1
In s o la tio n
fro m su n
(s o la r e n e rg y )

S u rfa c e o f se a
E u p h o tic z o n e
(lig h t a v a ila b le fo r
p h o to s y n th e s is )

M in e ra l
n u trie n ts
in s o lu tio n

P h y to p la n k to n

S e a b ird s ( e .g . p u ffin , g a n n e t)
S e a ls

Z o o p la n k to n

M ac k erel
J
e
l
l
y
f
i
s
h
S
a
n
d
e
e
l
s
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - C a rb o n d io x id e
d is s o lv e d in
s e a w a te r

H e rrin g
D o lp h in s
S q u id

D e m e r s a l f is h ( e .g . c o d , h a d d o c k )
C ru s ta c e a n s
( e .g . c r a b s , lo b s te r s )
C o n tin e n ta l s h e lf
B e n th ic z o n e
(se a b e d )

D e tritu s (d e c a y in g
o rg a n ic m a te ria l)

S E D IM E N T

[Adrian Kidd, Managing Ecosystems, (Hodder & Stoughton, 1999) p. 41; p. 72. Hodder and Stoughton.
Reproduced by permission of Hodder & Stoughton Ltd.]

(a)

(i)

Complete the table below by assigning each of the following types of organisms
from Figure 1 to its correct trophic level.
jellyfish, crustaceans, dolphins, zooplankton, puffins, phytoplankton
Producer

(ii)

Primary
Consumer

Secondary
Consumer

Tertiary
Consumer

Decomposer

Explain why there is a limit to the number of trophic levels which can be supported
in an ecosystem.

(iii) In the 1970s sand eels were harvested and used as animal feed, for fishmeal and for
oil and food on salmon farms. State and explain what impacts a dramatic reduction
in the number of sand eels might have on the rest of the ecosystem.

2.

Figures 1 and 2 represent the food webs for two ecosystems.

Figure 1. Terrestrial Grassland

S u n lig h t

G ra ss
a u to tro p h
In o rg a n ic
m a te ria l
D ecay
a n d m in e ra liz a tio n

H e rb iv o re
h e te ro tro p h

D e a th

C a rn iv o re
h e te ro tro p h

Figure 2. Marine Food Web

H um an

B a le e n w h a le

C ra b e a te r
seal

S p e rm w h a le
S m a ll-to o th e d
w h a le

L e o p a rd se a l

E le p h a n t
seal

S e a b ird
F is h

S q u id

C a rn iv o ro u s p la n k to n

K rill

H e rb iv o ro u s
p la n k to n
P h y to p la n k to n

[Source: Tudge, C (1991) Global Ecology, The Natural History Museum, pp. 112113]

(a)

(i)

State, giving two reasons, which of the food webs, Figure 1 or Figure 2, is likely to
be more stable.

(ii)

Deduce what would happen to the ecosystem in Figure 1 if rabbits were removed.

(iii)

Predict two changes that may occur if foxes were removed from the food web in
Figure 1.