Ecology past paper answer

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7. (a) Habitat is the place in nature where the species lives (or where you can find the
species). 1
Niche is the functional role of the species (i.e. what it does in the community (including
the habitat, food, nest sites, its place in the community in relation to other species and
so on, that it needs in order to survive). 1

(b) Biomass is the amount of living material (e.g. in terms of weight or carbon) of a
biological unit at any given time. 1

Production is the difference in biomass within a certain time interval (Biomasst1

-Biomasst0 ). 1

(c) Zonatlon refers to the spatial distribution pattern of various species within a community
at any one time according to the environmental gradient 1
Succession refers to the replacement of some species within a community by other
species through time. 1
(6)

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9. (a) Species A dominates the upper shore 
Species B dominates the lower shore 
(1)
(b) The sharp increase in population density was caused by settlement of a large number
of free-swimming larvae on the shore 2
Due to a high degree of intra-speciflc competition / vulnerability of juveniles, the
mortality was normally high when the barnacles first settled and the population density
therefore declined gradually. 2
(4)
(c) Desiccation limits the distribution of species B in the upper tidal zone. 1
Because species B diet quickly when they were transplanted to the upper tidal zone
(Graph 3), but they survived in a similar pattern as individuals settled in the lower tidal
zone when they were transplanted to a tidal pool in the upper tidal zone (compare
Graphs 4 & 2). 2
(3)
(d) Interspecific competition limits the distribution of species A in the lower tidal zone. 1
Because once species B was removed, species A was able to survive in the lower tidal
zone in the same pattern as those individuals living in the upper tidal zone (compare
Graphs 5 and 1). 2
(3)
(e) The removal of all species A from the upper tidal zone will NOT affect the survival and
population density of species B. 2
Because species B is limited by desiccation, but not interspecific competition [see
answer in 2(b)], the limiting effects of desiccation exerting on species B would remain
the same even species A is removed from the upper tidal zone. 2
(4)
(f) Wave action dislodge organisms 1+1)
Temperature extremes during aerial exceed the tolerance limit of the 1+1)
exposure animals and plants
 Period of submergence / emergence / affect the available feeding time 1+1) any
tidal cycle 1
Salinity exceed the tolerance limit of the 1+1)
organisms
Other suitable answers (2)

(g) Transect line / random quadrat / belt transect 

Description of the method 1
Count / estimate Z coverage of organisms inside quadrats in relation to tidal level on
the shore 
,
(3)
11. (a) Graphs Ia and Ib are not straight lines because crowding of the plants leads to
intraspecific competition as the density is increased. At higher densities, environmental
conditions (e.g. space, nutrients, water, etc.) become limiting, and there are more
plants but each plant is smaller. (Alternatively, could be increased mortality at higher
densities.) (3)

(b) The shapes of the yield curves are different because in experiment II there is
interspecific competition between the species in addition to the intraspecific
competition in experiment I. Thus the yields of each species in the mixture are less
than the yields in pure culture. (3)

(c) In the mixed plantings in the absence of Rhizobium the yield of species B is depressed
much more than the yield of species A. This suggests that competition between A and
B is unequal, with A affecting B more than B affects A. (3)

(d) When Rhizobium is added to the soil the yield curve of the legume, B becomes convex
(the yield of B in the mixtures is increased). This shows that competition between
species A and species B has been reduced. 2
This suggests that in experiment III the species are competing mainly for available soil
nitrogen. The addition of Rhizobium bacteria enables the legume to form a mutualistic
root nodule association with the bacteria and fix nitrogen from the atmosphere. The
grass and legume thus use different sources of nitrogen so the competition is reduced. 4
(6)

(e) Maximum total yield in the presence of Rhizobium occurs with a 50 : 50 grass : legume
mixture. (2)

(f) Any reasonable explanation e.g. (3)

－ plants in pots forced to compete because roots confined to the same area
－ other environmental variables, such as pests, water supply or availability of other
nutrients may limit yield in the field
－ inadequate replications, etc.
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4. A named local habitat
(a) Transects and / or quadrats
abundance and distribution of species recorded etc..
e.g. line transect ()
－ select a typical stretch of areas of interest in the habitat ()
－ laid a rope on ground (fixed at the 2 end) ()
－ record abundance and distribution of species touching the rope ()
－ data graphed (histograms / kite diagrams / etc.) and analysed ().

e.g. quadrats ()

－ random or along a transect (belt transect) ()
－ count the number of each species occurring in the quadrat / estimate the
percentage coverage of each species in the quadrat ()
－ for random quadrat : repeat a number of times to get the average ()
－ for belt transect : repeat along the transect ()
Presentation (1) (6)

(b) The 2 physical factors described must be major ones operating at the specified habitat
for each factor :
－ correct factor cited 
－ effect on the distribution of organism 1 2  2 factors = 4 (4)

(c) The organisms named must be present in the habitat adaptations cited must be
adaptations towards the particular habitat specified general adaptations not acceptable

for each organism :

－ correct name (common name acceptable) 
－ each adaptation described  (max. 1  4 organism = 6 marks) (6)

(d) The examples cited must be present in the habitat for each inter-relationship : 4
－ correct examples (both partners correct) 1
－ description of the role of each partner 1 2  2 = 4 marks
(20)
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3. In the pyramid of energy, there is a progressive decrease in energy flowing through
successive trophic levels up a food chain ().
This is due to a net loss of energy to the environment () as a result of processes such as
(any two  mark each) respiration / heat loss / dead body / incomplete eating / excreta.

Inverted pyramids of biomass can result when the turn － over rate of producers is fast
compared to the consumers (1),
thus at any time the standing biomass of the producer can be smaller () to sustain a
larger biomass of consumers ().
(4)