Paper 1 - Section B - Ecosystems Overview

GCSE GEOGRAPHY Revision Questions Paper One Living with the Physical Environment SECTION B | The Living World

ECOSYSTEMS - OVERVIEW Note: questions get progressively more demanding as you move through.

Mark schemes for each question can be found at the back of the booklet.

Q1.

Give an example of a small-scale ecosystem. _______________________________________________________________________ (Total 1 mark)

Q2.

The following statements are about the distribution of three ecosystems: temperate deciduous forest, tropical rainforest and hot desert.

Write the correct ecosystem in the box next to each statement.

This ecosystem is found within 5 degrees north and south of the Equator.

This ecosystem is found along the tropics, mainly on the western side of continents.

This ecosystem is found on the eastern side of the USA and in European countries such as the UK and France.

The largest extent of this ecosystem is found in Amazonia.

(Total 4 marks)

Q3.

Study the figure below, a world map showing some large scale global ecosystems.

(a)

Using the map, which one of the following statements is correct?

Shade one circle only.

A

Most areas of tundra are found on the edges of land masses.

B

The largest polar area is found north of the equator.

C

There are no areas of tundra south of the equator.

D

There are no polar areas south of the Tropic of Capricorn.

(1)

(b)

Describe the distribution of hot deserts shown on the map. ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ (2) (Total 3 marks)

Q4.

Study Figure 1 which shows the parts of an ecosystem and some of the links between them.

Figure 1

(a)

Complete Figure 1 by: • circling the correct word in Box A; • drawing an arrow to show the correct link between soil and plants; • drawing an arrow to show the correct link between climate and soil.

(3)

(b)

Study Figure 2, which shows a food chain.

Figure 2

Outline the role of the decomposers. ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ (3)

(c)

Drought will have an impact on the ecosystem and the food chain.

Complete the following sentences to describe this impact.

Drought will mean that plants ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ Herbivores will be affected because ______________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ Carnivores will also be affected because __________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ The soil will not have as much water, so __________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ (4) (Total 10 marks)

Q5.

Study the figure below which shows part of a deciduous forest ecosystem.

There are different parts of an ecosystem.

Draw a line to link each of the statements to the correct part of the ecosystem.

Part of ecosystem

Statement

Producers

eat green plants

Herbivores

break down dead plants and animals

Carnivores

make their own food by photosynthesis

Decomposers

are the highest level in the food chain (Total 3 marks)

Q6.

Describe the global distribution of the tropical rainforest ecosystem. _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ (Total 3 marks)

Q7.

Deforestation is the cutting down of trees. Describe the effect of deforestation on soils. _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ (Total 4 marks)

Q8. (a)

What is the difference between a food chain and a food web? ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ (2)

(b)

Study the figure below, which shows a food web.

Describe how the food web shows that different parts of the ecosystem are linked to each other. ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ (3)

(c)

Outline the likely effects on the ecosystem of a reduction in the number of insects. ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ (2) (Total 7 marks)

Q9.

Study the figure below which shows part of a deciduous forest ecosystem.

(a)

Explain the importance of the tree in the food web. ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ (3)

(b)

Explain how nutrients in the tree are recycled in the deciduous forest ecosystem. ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ Extra space _________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ (4) (Total 7 marks)

Mark schemes Q1.

Any valid example such as hedgerow, pond.

AO1 – 1

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Q2.

4×1

This ecosystem is found within 5 degrees north and south of the Equator.

Tropical Rainforests

This ecosystem is found along the tropics, mainly on the western side of continents.

Hot Deserts

This ecosystem is found on the eastern side of the USA and European countries such as UK and France.

Temperate Deciduous Forest

The largest extent of this ecosystem is found in Amazonia.

Tropical Rainforest AO1 – 3 AO2 – 1

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Q3.

One mark for the correct answer: (a)

A Most areas of tundra are found on the edges of land masses.

No credit if two or more statements are shaded AO4 = 1

(b)

Credit statements about distribution of hot deserts using information on the map, eg • • • •

most of the world's hot deserts lie between 15° and 35° north and south of the equator (1) several deserts are found on the western side of continents, for example the deserts of South America and southern Africa (1) the largest desert (the Sahara) stretches across northern Africa into the Middle East (1) some hot deserts extend much closer to the equator, for instance the Atacama desert on the western side of South America (1).

No credit for simply listing continents or places where the deserts are found.

AO4 = 2

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Q4. (a)

Animals is correct word in box; a two-way link between soil and plants; a one- way link between climate and soil.

3×1 AO1 – 1 AO2 – 1 AO3 – 1 3

(b)

Decomposers are bacteria / fungi (1). They break down the remains of plants and animals (1) and these are then returned to the soil (1) to be used again by the vegetation / recycled (1).

AO1 – 2 AO3 – 1 3

(c)

Drought will mean that plants are short of water / will grow more slowly / may eventually die.

Herbivores will be affected because they eat the plants / will not have enough food / some may die / will have less fat / meat.

Carnivores will also be affected because they eat the herbivores / they will have less prey to find / some may struggle to stay alive and may even die.

The soil will not have as much water for the plants / there will be less water for the plants / less protection for the soil may be blown away / be eroded.

4×1 AO1 – 3 AO3 – 1 4

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Q5.

All 4 correct = 3; 2 correct = 2; 1 correct = 1.

AO1 – 3

[3]

Q6.

Tropical rainforests are found along the Equator and either side of it. There are three large areas – the largest is Amazonia in South America, the central part of Africa – the west (especially in the central area) but not the east has another large area, and the area of south east Asia and Indonesia is important. The north and eastern coastal areas of Australia contain smaller areas of tropical rainforest.

3×1 AO1 – 3

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Q7.

Two components should be identified here – soil erosion as a result of the protective cover of the forest being removed and the rain hitting the ground directly. The roots no longer being present mean that there is nothing to hold the soil in place. In addition, the removal of the trees takes away the source of nutrients, as there is no leaf fall.

Nutrients present are quickly leached downwards or washed out via throughflow leaving the soil infertile.

Level 1 (1-2 marks) Basic statements, possible listing, e.g. soil will be washed away, it will become infertile.

Level 2 (3-4 marks) Clear developed statements, aware of sequence of events, e.g. there is no protection from the leaves and no roots to hold the soil in place so it is washed away.

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Q8. (a)

A food chain shows a simple series of links in a line, e.g. insects eat plants, birds eat insects, whilst a food web is more complex showing many links between producers and consumers in an ecosystem.

AO1 – 2 2

(b)

Any valid point that relates to the links / interrelationships and reliance / interdependence. The leaves on the tree provide food for insects such as aphids (1). These in turn are eaten by other insects such as ladybird which are then eaten by birds – such as blue tits (1). The meat eaters consume the small animals that rely on food from the tree as the squirrel (1). The tree provides the habitat for animals such as the squirrel and insects (1).

AO1 – 2 AO3 – 1 3

(c)

If there was a reduction in the number of insects, the leaves on the tree would be eaten less, as would the bark (1). This would then thrive (1). However, the birds such as the blue tits and robins would have less food (1) and so their numbers would decrease (1). This would have a knock on effect on foxes for example as they eat robins as part of their diet (1).

2×1 AO2 – 1 AO3 – 1 2

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Q9. (a)

Any valid point that relates to the oak tree itself in contrast to other parts of the food chain, oak tree makes its own food (1) via photosynthesis/or explanation of this such as energy from sun (1) and so is a producer (1) whereas other insects, birds etc rely on the plants (1) either directly as eat them (1) – herbivores (1) or indirectly – as eat things that eat plants (1) – carnivores (1) These are consumers

(1). Recognition of how tree underpins food chain (1).

3×1 AO1 – 2 AO2 – 1 3

(b)

There is a clue in the figure to this answer – that decomposers are responsible for the breakdown of dead plants, insects, birds, animals. These include bacteria and fungi.

Nutrients contained in the decaying matter are released.

They go back into the soil where they are ultimately taken up by the roots of plants to go back into the food chain.

Leaf fall and animals dying will result in the cycle starting again. The cycle should be recognised.

Level 1 (Basic) (1 – 2 marks) Simple statements Sequence is partial – sections identified – basic cycle Level 2 (Clear) (3 – 4 marks) Begins to develop points and to link ideas.

There is recognition of the cycle that takes place and the sequence within it.

AO1 – 3 AO2 – 1 4

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