Question 1

CALCULATOR

Which of the following correctly describes how energy is lost from ecosystems?

● A. Lost as light

● B. Lost as heat

● C. Lost as carbon dioxide

● D. Lost as chemical energy

Difficulty: EASY
B

Explanation‾Explanation:
When organisms respire, they lose energy in the form of heat. This form of energy cannot be recovered and is finally lost from the
system.

Initially, during photosynthesis, energy is captured from light (Choice A). Carbon dioxide is not a form of energy (Choice C), and
chemical energy (Choice D) is held in the bonds of organic molecules made during photosynthesis.

Question 2
CALCULATOR

Which of the following statements are correct descriptions of food chains?

● A. The most abundant organisms in a food chain are the secondary consumers.

● B. Autotrophs are producers and form the base of the food chain.

● C. Energy enters a food chain via tertiary consumers.

● D. The flow of energy is from secondary consumers to primary consumers to producers.

Difficulty: EASY
B

Explanation‾Explanation:
Autotrophs are producers and form the base of food chains. They carry out photosynthesis and get their energy from the Sun.

The most abundant organisms (Choice A) are usually the producers but there are exceptions. Energy always enters the food chain
via the autotrophs, not consumers (Choice C).

The flow of energy (Choice D) is from producers to primary to secondary to tertiary consumers.

Question 3
CALCULATOR

The image below shows an Arctic food web.

[Source: Cmglee. (2003, October). File: Arctic Food Web.svg - Wikimedia Commons. Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved August 1,
2023,, from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File
.svg. Copyright under CC BY-SA 3.0]

Which of the following organisms is not a heterotroph?

● A. Polar bear

● B. Phytoplankton

● C. Killer whale

● D. Capelin

Difficulty: EASY
B

Explanation‾Explanation:
Heterotrophs are organisms that cannot produce their own food. They obtain organic nutrients by consuming other organic matter,
such as plants, animals, fungi, or decomposing organic material. Polar bears (Choice A), killer whales (Choice C) and capelins
(Choice D) are all heterotrophs, as can be seen on the food web.

The producer, or photoautotroph for this marine ecosystem is the phytoplankton (Choice B), which forms the food web base.
Photoautotrophs have the pigment chlorophyll and can absorb sunlight energy for photosynthesis to produce organic molecules.
Because there are no arrows pointing to phytoplankton, phytoplankton can be identified as an autotroph.

Question 4
CALCULATOR

The illustration shows a rice cultivation system that eliminates the need for fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides by raising ducks in
rice paddies. Additionally, Azolla, an aquatic floating fern, is grown in these fields because they harbour blue-green algae that fixes
N22. This system produces duck, fish and rice for human consumption.
[© Revision Village 2022. Created with BioRender.com]

What would be a possible food chain for the rice cultivation system shown in the image?

● A. algae →→ fish →→ duck →→ human

● B. algae ←← fish ←← duck ←← human

● C. insects →→ algae →→ duck →→ human

● D. insects ←← algae ←← duck ←← human

Difficulty: EASY
A

Explanation‾Explanation:
Algae is a producer, (Choice B), but the arrows show the flow of energy in the wrong direction. The food chain cannot start with
insects (Choice C) as it is not an autotroph. Algae do not eat ducks and ducks do not eat humans (Choice D).

Question 5
CALCULATOR

The illustration shows a rice cultivation system that eliminates the need for fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides by using ducks in
the organic cultivation of rice. In addition, Azolla, an aquatic floating fern, is grown on these fields because it harbours blue-green
algae which can fix atmospheric nitrogen. Using this system, rice, ducks, and fish can all be produced for human consumption in
one location.
[© Revision Village 2022. Created with BioRender.com]

Which option includes two of the autotrophs in the system?

● A. Azolla and rice

● B. Azolla and ducks

● C. Rice and fish

● D. Fish and ducks

Difficulty: EASY
A

Explanation‾Explanation:
Ducks and fish are consumers (Choice B, C and D), which is a type of heterotroph, whereas Azolla and rice can carry out
photosynthesis and are, therefore, autotrophs (self-feeding).

Question 6
CALCULATOR

[Maximum mark: 2]

The food web below shows the feeding relationships in a soil ecosystem.
[Adapted from Ingham, E. R. (n.d.). Natural Resources Conservation Service. Soil Food Web | NRCS Soils. Retrieved April 16,
2022, from https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/soils/health/biology/?cid=nrcs142p2_053868 Copyright -free]

Draw a food chain with five trophic levels. [2]

Difficulty: EASY

Question 7
CALCULATOR

What units are typically used for pyramids of energy?

 ● A. Calories

● B. Kilocalories

● C. kJm−2

● D. kJm−2y−1

Difficulty: EASY

Question 8
CALCULATOR

The image below shows a pyramid of energy for a grassland ecosystem.

[© Revision Village 2023. Created with BioRender.com]

Which organism(s) in the diagram synthesise carbon compounds from simple inorganic substances?

● A. I only

● B. IV only
 ● C. II, III, and IV

● D. I, II, III, and IV

Difficulty: EASY
B

Explanation‾Explanation:
Only autotrophs can synthesize their own carbon compounds from inorganic substances. Autotrophs are always found at the base
of a pyramid of energy, so Choice B is the correct response.

Choices A, C, and D cannot be correct as they all involve heterotrophs.

Question 9
CALCULATOR

The energy pyramid represents organisms in a tropical grassland. What is a reason that the lions have less energy available to
them than the giraffes?

[© Revision Village 2023]

● A. Energy is lost as heat, a waste product of respiration, at each level

● B. There are a higher number of giraffes in tropical grasslands than lions

● C. Giraffes have a higher rate of respiration than lions

● D. Giraffes can derive more energy from acacia trees than lions are able to from hyenas

Difficulty: EASY
A

Explanation‾Explanation:
There is a loss of energy between trophic levels for a number of reasons including heat from respiration; Choice A is correct.

The size of the trophic levels in pyramids of energy do not represent the number of organisms; Choice B is incorrect. Pyramids of
energy offer no information on respiration rates; Choice C is incorrect. Approximately 90% of energy is lost between trophic levels,
regardless of the organisms involved; Choice D is incorrect.
Question 10
CALCULATOR

Which of the following processes in the Carbon cycle requires the longest time?

● A. Compounds present in plankton and plants turn into fossil fuels.

● B. Respiration breaks down organic compounds into carbon dioxide.

● C. Photosynthesis captures solar energy and fixes CO22.

● D. Forest fires, which occur naturally and burn the underbrush clean the forest floor of debris.

Difficulty: EASY
A

Explanation‾Explanation:
Heat and pressure from the Earth’s crust decompose the remains of dead plants and animals over millions of years to form oil,
natural gas or coal (fossil fuels).

Respiration (Choice B) takes place in a relatively short time as does photosynthesis which requires light to synthesize organic
compounds (Choice C). Forest fires (Choice D) often occur naturally and release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Global
warming has increased the number of wildfires.

Question 11
CALCULATOR

Aquatic autotrophs require inorganic carbon. In what forms is inorganic carbon present in aquatic ecosystems?

● A. Dissolved carbon dioxide and hydrogen carbonate ions

● B. Dissolved carbon monoxide and calcium carbonate

● C. Dissolved methane and glucose

● D. Dissolved carbon dioxide and methane

Difficulty: EASY
Question 12
CALCULATOR

Which of the following statements are true?

I. Living organisms release energy from organic compounds and convert it to heat during the process
of respiration.

II. Since heat cannot be transformed into other forms of energy it is lost from ecosystems.

III. Light energy from the Sun is converted to chemical energy by producers and then converted to
heat during respiration.

● A. I only

● B. I and II

● C. I and III

● D. I, II and III

Difficulty: EASY
D

Explanation‾Explanation:
All the statements above are true. In most ecosystems, light energy from the Sun is captured by producers via photosynthesis and
transferred to consumers through feeding. As organisms respire, they lose energy in the form of heat which cannot be reused by
organisms. There is a constant input of energy from the Sun.

Question 13
CALCULATOR

Which of the following diagrams shows the flow of energy in an ecosystem having four trophic levels? The size of each level
represents energy values (in kJm−2yr−1) in the energy pyramids below.

[ © Revision Village 2022]

Difficulty: EASY
C

Explanation‾Explanation:
Most of the energy present in each trophic level does not pass to the next level in large part because of respiration. Producers
usually have the largest amount of biomass and greatest amount of energy and form the base of the stepped pyramid. Typically
only 10% of the energy is moved from one trophic level to the next which is why the upper levels are generally smaller than lower
levels.

Question 14
CALCULATOR

Which of the organisms in the food web below is both a secondary and a tertiary consumer?
[Source: Cmglee. (2003, October). File: Arctic Food Web.svg - Wikimedia Commons. Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved April 14,
2022, from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: Arctic_food_web.svg. Copyright under CC BY-SA 3.0]

● A. Harbour seal

● B. Polar bear

● C. Arctic cod

● D. Capelin

Difficulty: EASY
C

Explanation‾Explanation:
Arctic cod feeds on herbivorous zooplankton which is a primary consumer which makes Arctic cod a secondary consumer. Arctic
cod also consumes carnivorous zooplankton which is a secondary consumer, making Arctic cod both a tertiary and secondary
consumer.

Harbour seals (Choice A), polar bears (Choice B) and capelins (Choice D) are all tertiary consumers, not secondary consumers.

Question 15
CALCULATOR

Which of the following statements about greenhouse gases is NOT true?

● A. Greenhouse gases are needed to keep the Earth’s atmosphere warm.

● B. Greenhouse gases absorb the majority of incoming shortwave radiation from the Sun.

● C. The majority of longer-wavelength radiation emitted by the earth is absorbed by greenhouse gases.

● D. Nitrous oxide and industrial halocarbons are greenhouse gases.

Difficulty: EASY
B

Explanation‾Explanation:
Greenhouse gases only absorb a small percentage of incoming shortwave radiation from the Sun.

Greenhouse gases warm the earth (Choice A) because they let most incoming radiation through, which heats the surface of the
earth and then absorbs the re-emitted longer wavelength radiation (Choice C).

Nitrous oxide, which is anthropogenic in origin, as well as industrially generated halocarbons, are also greenhouse gases (Choice
D) and enhance the greenhouse effect.

Question 16
CALCULATOR

Nutrients are constantly cycled in ecosystems, including in the atmosphere as a gaseous form. Which of the following elements is
not found in the atmosphere?

● A. Carbon

● B. Sulfur

● C. Nitrogen

● D. Phosphorus

Difficulty: EASY
D
Explanation‾Explanation:
Unlike the other elements, phosphorus is not found as a gas,

Carbon exists as a gas in the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and methane (Choice A).

Sulfur can be found as sulfur dioxide which mainly comes from burning coal (Choice B). Nitrogen gas is inert and found in the
atmosphere and oxides of nitrogen are emitted during the combustion of fossil fuels. (Choice C)

Question 17
CALCULATOR

Which of the following statements is an incorrect description of energy flow in terrestrial ecosystems?

● A. Trophic relationships between plants and animals do not exist as a simple chain, but tend to be more elaborate and
interwoven as a food web.

● B. In food webs, different herbivores may feed on the same plant. Also, the same species of herbivore may feed on
different plants.

● C. Consumers which feed on the dead remains of plants and animals are called detritivores.

● D. In food webs, a typical food chain consists of approximately 6 organisms.

Difficulty: EASY
D

Explanation‾Explanation:
The length of food chains tends to be shorter than 6 organisms, even including parasites and detritivores. When energy is passed
from one organism to the next, most of the energy is generally lost as heat which means that less and less energy is available to
higher trophic levels.

All other statements are true.

Question 18
CALCULATOR

[Maximum mark: 5]

The following diagram shows a trophic level pyramid of energy.

[© Revision Village 2022]

1. Label the bottom (step A) and topmost steps (step D) of the pyramid to describe what types of organisms are present in
the two levels. [2]
 2. State which trophic level can support the largest population of people, step A or step B?[1]

3. Explain why animals at level D are most vulnerable to becoming extinct. [2]

Difficulty: EASY

Question 19
CALCULATOR
[© Revision Village 2022]

The diagram above shows a simplified diagram of the movement of carbon in the ocean. Which of the following rows correctly
identifies processes involved in the carbon cycle?

I II III IV

A. Respiration Eaten by Decomposition Photosynthesis

B. Decomposition Photosynthesis Respiration Eaten by

C. Photosynthesis Respiration Decomposition Eaten by

D. Photosynthesis Respiration Eaten by Decomposition

Difficulty: EASY
D

Explanation‾Explanation:
Process I is photosynthesis and shows the capture of energy by phytoplankton from the Sun. Process II is respiration where
carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere. Process III shows the movement of carbon when organisms are eaten by members
of the next trophic level, and process IV is the decomposition of dead organisms by bacteria which eventually causes a release of
carbon dioxide.

All other choices (Choice A, Choice B and Choice C) do not identify the processes correctly.

Question 20
CALCULATOR

[Maximum mark: 3]

The following image shows the productivity of a small terrestrial ecosystem with the numbers showing the flow of energy (kJ m
-2
yr
-1
).

[© Revision Village 2023]

Net production = Gross production – energy lost to respiration

1. Outline how light energy is sequentially transformed into other forms of energy in the terrestrial ecosystem shown in the
image. [2]

2. Calculate the percentage of energy captured by the producers that is available to the secondary consumers in the
ecosystem shown above. [1]

Difficulty: MEDIUM
Question 21
CALCULATOR

The following graph shows the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide measured at Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii, USA.

[Source: Adapted from US Department of Commerce, NOAA. “Global Monitoring Laboratory - Carbon Cycle Greenhouse Gases.”
GML, ( Oct. 2005). Retrieved 18 May,2023 from gml.noaa.gov/ccgg/trends/. Copyright under CC0 4.0]

Which of the following statements do not explain the rise and fall of the carbon dioxide levels shown in the graph above?

● A. During the winter months, there is a decrease in photosynthesis due to lower temperatures and therefore, an overall
increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide.

● B. As temperatures rise in the summers, there is decreased fixation of carbon dioxide, causing a rise in atmospheric
carbon dioxide.

● C. The fluctuations are repeated every year, but the amplitude has been increasing due to the cumulative effects of
increasing carbon dioxide from the combustion of fossil fuels.

● D. Leaves and other detritus decay in winter months which releases carbon dioxide.

Difficulty: MEDIUM
B

Explanation‾Explanation:
As temperatures rise in the summers, more carbon dioxide is fixed, causing a decrease in atmospheric carbon dioxide. There is
more photosynthesis and more growth of vegetation. Overall, more carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere, causing a
seasonal decrease. Therefore Choice B is not a correct explanation of the fluctuations of carbon dioxide, so is the correct answer.

During the winter months, photosynthesis decreases due to lower temperatures, leading to a decrease in the removal of carbon
dioxide from the atmosphere which can contribute to increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. Therefore Choice A is a
correct explanation of fluctuating carbon dioxide levels, and so is not the correct answer choice. Fluctuations in carbon dioxide
levels are indeed repeated every year due to natural seasonal cycles, but the amplitude of these fluctuations has been increasing
due to the cumulative effects of human activities, particularly the combustion of fossil fuels, which releases additional carbon
dioxide into the atmosphere. Choice C is therefore a true statement about fluctuating carbon dioxide levels and so is not the correct
choice. The decay of leaves and detritus in the winter months can lead to the release of carbon dioxide as organic matter
decomposes, contributing to the observed increase in carbon dioxide levels. Choice D is therefore another true statement and so is
not the correct choice.

Question 22
CALCULATOR

Which of the following statements describe a chemoautotroph?

I. Bacteria and extremophiles living in hostile environments like hydrothermal vents

II. Organisms which obtain their energy from oxidation reactions and form organic molecules primarily
from carbon dioxide

III. Chemoautotrophs are dependent on the Sun for survival

● A. I only

● B. II and III only

● C. I and II only

● D. I, II and III

Difficulty: MEDIUM
C

Explanation‾Explanation:
Chemoautotrophs are organisms that obtain their energy by oxidising inorganic compounds, such as hydrogen sulfide or ammonia.
They use this energy to synthesise organic molecules primarily from carbon dioxide via reduction reactions, a process known as
autotrophy (Statement II). They live in extreme environments where sunlight is scarce (Statement I). They are important producers
in deep sea hydrothermal vents and form the base of the food chain. Therefore Choice C is correct.

Choice A is incorrect as it only includes Statement I.

Chemoautotrophs can make organic compounds without sunlight (Statement III), unlike green plants and algae which are called
photoautotrophs. Choices B and D are therefore incorrect.

Question 23
CALCULATOR
[Source: Webb, R. (2007, January 28). File: soil profile, Murieston Water - geograph.org.uk - 325135.JPG. Retrieved May 9, 2022,
from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: Soil_profile,_Murieston_Water_-_geograph.org.uk_-_325135.jpg Copyright under
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic]

What kind of fuels can be formed in conditions such as those shown in the picture above? The soil is anaerobic, acidic and
waterlogged.

● A. Peat

● B. Crude Oil

● C. Natural gas

● D. Tar sands

Difficulty: MEDIUM
A

Explanation‾Explanation:
When soil is waterlogged, anaerobic conditions can develop and the soil sometimes becomes acidic. In these conditions, partially
decomposed organic matter will form peat.

Crude oil is formed when organic matter buried deep in the earth is compressed by pressure and heat over millions of years.
(Choice B)

Natural gas (Choice C) is found in underground shale formations and sandstone beds. Tar sand is a mix of sand, clay, water and
bitumen (used for road surfacing) (Choice D).

Question 24
CALCULATOR

Which of the organisms in the food web below occupies a single trophic level?
[Source: Cmglee. (2003, October). File: Arctic Food Web.svg - Wikimedia Commons. Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved April 14,
2022, from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: Arctic_food_web.svg. Copyright under CC BY-SA 3.0]

● A. Arctic birds

● B. Carnivorous zooplankton

● C. Arctic cod

● D. Ringed seal

Difficulty: MEDIUM
B

Explanation‾Explanation:
Arctic birds (Choice A), arctic cod (Choice C), and ringed seals (Choice D) are all found at multiple trophic levels.

Question 25
CALCULATOR

The figure below shows the flow of energy per area per year in an ecosystem.
[© Revision Village 2022]

Aproximately what percentage of energy from the producers reaches the tertiary consumers?

● A. 100%

● B. 10%

● C. 1%

● D. 0.1%

Difficulty: MEDIUM
Question 26
CALCULATOR

The figure below shows the flow of energy per unit area per year in arbitrary units. Gross production is the total kJ obtained through
photosynthesis, and net production is the kJ remaining after respiration.
[© Revision Village 2022]

What percentage of net production (kJ after respiration) is lost to decomposers by primary consumers?

● A. 100%

● B. 75%

● C. 50%

● D. 25%

Difficulty: MEDIUM
B

Explanation‾Explanation:
The primary consumers lose 1200 kJ out of 1600 kJ to decomposers, which translates to 75%.

Question 27
CALCULATOR

[Maximum mark: 7]

The image below shows global sea levels from the years 1880 to 2020.
[Source: Adapted from Wikipedia, ( May 2023), “Sea Level Rise.” Retrieved 17 May 2023, from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_level_rise Copyright under CC0 3.0]

1. There is a trend line showing changes in sea level from 1920 to 1960 and another trend line showing changes in sea level
between 1980 and 2020. Describe the differences in sea level change between these two periods of time. [1]

2. Outline the reasons for linking atmospheric carbon dioxide levels to the rise in sea levels. [2]

Ecosystems growing in salt marshes are able to help reduce the effects of climate change by the sequestration (capture) of carbon.
Sea level rise (SLR) has affected these ecosystems by flooding and eroding coastal areas.

The results from a recent study modelling the effects of a one-metre sea level rise on carbon sequestration by salt marshes in New
York, United States, are shown in the graph below. The data shows the predicted effects by the year 2100.
[Source: Adapted from Tanner, Katherine, and Aaron L. Strong. ( Mar, 2023) Sustainability 2023, 15(6), 4733; “Assessing the
Impact of Future Sea Level Rise on Blue Carbon Ecosystem Services on Long Island, New York.” MDPI, Multidisciplinary Digital
Publishing Institute. Retrieved May 15, 2023, from doi.org/10.3390/su15064733, Copyright under CC0 4.0]

3. Suggest an explanation for the difference in carbon sequestration between no SLR and one meter SLR, shown in the
prediction graph. [1]

4. Draw a diagram of the carbon cycle for a terrestrial ecosystem, and include carbon sinks, and processes associated with
the cycle. [3]

Difficulty: MEDIUM
Question 28
CALCULATOR

[Maximum mark: 4]

The image below shows a hydrothermal vent deep in the oceans, where a diverse ecosystem is supported. A number of organisms
thrive in these areas of high pressure and darkness.

[Source: Adapted from US Department of Commerce, N. O. and A. A. (2008, February 1). What is an extremophile?. NOAA’s
National Ocean Service. https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/extremophile.html Copyright free CC BY 4.0]

1. State an example of a chemoautotroph that is likely to be found in the hydrothermal vent shown above. [1]

2. Compare and contrast photoautotrophs and chemoautotrophs.[3]

Difficulty: MEDIUM
Question 29
CALCULATOR
[Source: Sémhur, S. (2008). Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations as directly measured at Mauna Loa, Hawaii. Retrieved
April 27, 2022, from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: Mauna_Loa_Carbon_Dioxide-en.svg. Copyright under CC- SA 4.0]

Which of the following statements explains the annual fluctuations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?

● A. Decrease in the combustion of fossil fuels in the summer months.

● B. Carbon dioxide dissolves in the oceans more rapidly during the summer months.

● C. More carbon dioxide is fixed through photosynthesis in the northern hemisphere during the summer.

● D. More carbon dioxide is released in the summer in the northern hemisphere.

Difficulty: MEDIUM
C

Explanation‾Explanation:
In the summer months, the rate of photosynthesis increases in the northern hemisphere and more atmospheric carbon dioxide is
used to make organic compounds by photosynthesizing organisms such as green plants and trees.

There is no substantial decrease in the consumption of fossil fuels during the summer, which could explain the fluctuation of carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere (Choice A). Carbon dioxide dissolution in the oceans cannot account for the fluctuations either (Choice
B).

The rate of photosynthesis is on average greater than the rate of respiration in the northern hemisphere during the summer which
means more carbon dioxide is absorbed, not released at this time (Choice D).

Question 30
CALCULATOR

[Maximum mark: 10]

The diagram below shows the food web in a salt marsh, one of the most productive habitats on Earth.
[©Revision Village 2023]

The numbers on the arrows show the percentage of gross primary production that flows into different trophic levels or is used in
plant respiration.

1. Define gross and net primary production. [2]

2. Identify the herbivores shown in the system. [1]

3. If the energy available to consumers from producers in organic compounds is 300 g m

-2
yr
-1
(dry), calculate the amount of energy that is lost by export to the tide. [1]

2. The table below shows the NPP for three trophic levels in a food web. Draw a pyramid of energy from the
information in this table, labelling it appropriately with the trophic levels and corresponding NPP values (rounded
to 3 significant figures as in the table). [2]
4.

2. Outline a limitation of the ecological pyramid of energy. [1]

5. Explain how a food web provides a more accurate representation of an ecosystem’s feeding relationships than a food
chain. [3]

Difficulty: MEDIUM
Question 31
CALCULATOR

[Maximum mark: 7]

A student wanted to study how food chains in leaf litter can be affected by the mass of initial leaf litter added. The student placed an
increasing mass of leaf litter in three different tree holes and waited a few weeks. To collect data, the student collected all the leaf
litter and placed it in an apparatus, as shown below. The heat from the light bulb dried out the litter from above and the heat and
light drove the invertebrates through the wire mesh to the beaker below. The invertebrates were collected, the number of species
counted, the species were identified and then they were put into their respective trophic groups.

[© Revision Village 2023]

[© Revision Village 2023]

1. State the independent variable in the experiment. [1]

2. State the dependent variable in the experiment. [1]

2. Suggest how the dry biomass of the leaf litter can be obtained. [2]

3. Explain why using the dry biomass of leaf litter is advantageous to using the fresh biomass. [1]

[© Revision Village 2023]

4. From the two graphs provided, describe the results of the experiment. [2]

Difficulty: MEDIUM
Question 32
CALCULATOR

[Maximum mark: 7]

The African bush elephant, Loxodonta africana, pushes over trees, maintaining grasslands that provide essential resources such as
food for many other animals. Its dung also fertilises the soil and provides a habitat for many species of beetle and fungi. The
following diagram shows the flow of inorganic nutrients from elephants to herbivores within this ecosystem.

[© Revision Village 2023]

1. Define the term ecosystem. [1]

2. Identify one abiotic factor and one biotic factor, other than food availability, affected by the presence of African bush
elephants. [2]

3. The faeces buried by the dung beetle is broken down by decomposers. Outline how the action of decomposers increases
soil nutrient content. [3]
 4. Suggest one soil element, other than carbon, that would probably experience a reduction in concentration if dung beetles
were absent from the ecosystem. [1]

Difficulty: MEDIUM
Question 33
CALCULATOR

[Maximum mark: 6]

The image shows a food web in a salt marsh ecosystem.

[© Revision Village 2023]

1. Identify all the detritivores in the food web shown above.[1]

2. Define secondary productivity. [1]

3. Explain why energy is lost during the transfer from producers to herbivores. [1]

4. Describe a method a farmer could use to estimate the gross primary productivity per month of his wheat crop. [3]

Difficulty: MEDIUM
Question 34
CALCULATOR

[Maximum mark: 16]

1. Compare and contrast anaerobic and aerobic respiration in animal cells, in terms of substrates, products and yield of ATP.
[4]

2. Outline the process of negative feedback, referring to either temperature regulation or control of blood glucose
concentration, in humans as an example. [4]

3. Define an ecosystem, and explain how the flow of energy and recycling of nutrients make a terrestrial ecosystem
sustainable. [7]

Difficulty: MEDIUM
Question 35
CALCULATOR

[Maximum mark: 16]

1. Draw and label a trophic pyramid of energy showing four levels. [4]

2. Explain how the presence of a food web in an ecosystem makes it more stable than the presence of a single food chain.
[4]

3. The production and transfer efficiency of energy varies between ecosystems.

 Describe how energy flows in and out of terrestrial ecosystems. [7]

Difficulty: MEDIUM
Question 36
CALCULATOR

The graph below depicts the changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels measured in Hawaii over a 50 year period. The inset
shows an example of annual carbon dioxide changes.

[Source: Adapted from Robert A. Rohde (2006, July 2). File: Mauna Loa Carbon Dioxide.png - wikimedia commons. Wikimedia
commons. Retrieved September 21, 2023, from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: Mauna_Loa_Carbon_Dioxide.png
Copyright under CC BY 3.0]

What accounts for the majority of annual cycling observed in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels?

● A. Variations in combustion levels due to human energy and transportation needs

● B. Variations in respiration due to seasonal reproduction of animals

● C. Variations in photosynthesis and carbon storage by land plants

 ● D. Variations in surface-level gas exchange between the sea and atmosphere

Difficulty: MEDIUM
C

Explanation‾Explanation:
Plants account for the majority of seasonal changes observed in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. The Earth’s landmass is
concentrated in the northern hemisphere, as are its forests, so a large amount of photosynthesis and carbon uptake occurs in the
summer. As those plants die or become dormant in the fall and winter, their carbon is released back into the atmosphere, causing a
subsequent rise.

Although minor fluctuations in combustion (Choice A), respiration (Choice B), and gas exchange (Choice D) could be expected
over time, these do not account for the seasonal patterns observed in the graph.

Question 37
CALCULATOR

The following image is a graph obtained by plotting values for net primary productivity (x-axis) and the biomass of herbivores (y-
axis). The black dots represent one biome and the grey dots represent another biome.

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The x-axis shows the increasing net primary productivity of biomes, and the y-axis shows the increasing biomass of herbivores.
Which of the following choices correctly identifies the biomes represented in the graph above?

A. Taiga Desert

B. Rainforest Savanna

C. Savanna Tundra

D. Tundra Savanna

Difficulty: MEDIUM
D
Explanation‾Explanation:
The net primary productivities of the taiga, tundra and desert biomes are relatively lower than the rainforest and savanna biomes.
Lower net primary productivity leads to lower secondary productivity. The biomass of the herbivores is therefore lower in the taiga,
tundra and desert biomes compared to the savanna and rainforest biomes.

Choice D is the correct choice because the tundra has lower net primary productivity so therefore supports a lesser biomass of
herbivores. The savanna has vast dry grasslands and therefore more primary productivity overall so can support a larger biomass
of herbivores.

Deserts tend to have the lowest productivity of these biomes due to limited water availability, and rainforests have the highest
productivity due to their abundant rainfall and sunlight. Choices A and B are therefore incorrect. The other ecosystems fall in
between based on factors like climate, nutrient availability, and plant diversity. The next lowest net productivity tends to be seen in
the tundra, then the taiga. The savannah has a high net productivity, but it is lower than rainforests. Choice C is therefore incorrect.

Question 38
CALCULATOR

The diagram illustrates the carbon cycle in a swamp. What is represented by the letters?

[© Revision Village 2022]

X Y Z

A. Anaerobic respiration by Photosynthesis by producers Incomplete decomposition of organic

Archaeans matter

B. Cell respiration by autotrophs Cell respiration by Cell respiration by saprotrophs

saprotrophs

C. Anaerobic respiration by Cell respiration by autotrophs Incomplete decomposition of organic

Archaeans matter
 D. Cell respiration by autotrophs Photosynthesis by producers Cell respiration by saprotrophs

Difficulty: HARD
C

Explanation‾Explanation:
The letter “X” in the diagram represents the process through which methane is released from peat. Peat forms in acidic and/or
anaerobic conditions in marshes and other waterlogged areas. Methanogenic Archaeans present in peat use anaerobic respiration
to decompose organic compounds releasing methane to the atmosphere. So, the process represented by the letter X is anaerobic
respiration by Archaeans.

The letter “Y” in the diagram represents the process through which carbon dioxide is released to the atmosphere by marsh plants.
Plants are autotrophs, meaning they are organisms that produce their own food (sugar and other carbon-based molecules) from
inorganic carbon. Plants break down some of the sugar they produce through aerobic cellular respiration which releases carbon
dioxide as a byproduct. So, the process represented by the letter Y is cell respiration by autotrophs.

The letter “Z” in the diagram represents the formation of peat from organic carbon litter. Peat forms when organic material is not
fully decomposed in acidic and/or anaerobic wetlands. So, the process represented by the letter Z is the incomplete decomposition
of organic matter.

Question 39
CALCULATOR

The diagram shows the carbon stored in some of Earth’s carbon reservoirs, and the estimated annual carbon flux, in GT/yr,
between reservoirs.

[Source: Adapted from NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory (n.d.) Measuring & Analyzing Greenhouse Gases: Behind the Scenes.
Retrieved March 20, 2022, from https://gml.noaa.gov/outreach/behind_the_scenes/gases.html . Copyright under Public Domain]

Which is a net flux between two reservoirs in the carbon cycle?

● A. Vegetation/soil releases 1 GT of carbon to the atmosphere each year.

● B. Vegetation/soil absorbs 1 GT of carbon from the atmosphere each year.

● C. Marine biota gain 11 GT of carbon each year.

 ● D. Marine biota lose 11 GT of carbon each year.

Difficulty: HARD