Ecosystems: Practice Questions

Which global ecosystem is typically found in high latitudes (above \(60^\circ\) North), characterized by permafrost and a lack of trees?

In an ecosystem, if the population of decomposers significantly decreases, what is the most likely impact on the nutrient cycle?

In a small-scale UK pond ecosystem, consider a scenario where agricultural runoff enters the water. Which sequence best describes the trophic disruption to the ecosystem's balance?

In the global distribution of ecosystems, which biome is typically located between 5° and 15° north and south of the Equator, characterized by distinct wet and dry seasons?

In a food web, if a secondary consumer is removed from a small-scale UK ecosystem, what is the most likely initial effect on the producers?

In a small-scale UK ecosystem, such as a woodland, define the term food chain and provide one simple sequence of organisms within it.

Outline the distribution of the Tundra biome globally and describe one physical characteristic that defines its climate.

Using a small-scale UK ecosystem as an example, describe how a change in one abiotic factor, such as light availability, could lead to a decrease in the biomass of secondary consumers.

Using a named example of a small-scale UK ecosystem, answer the following parts:

a) State the name of your chosen ecosystem and identify one biotic and one abiotic component within it.
b) Outline the role of decomposers in the nutrient cycle of this ecosystem.

Ecosystems rely on complex interrelationships between their various components.

a) Define nutrient cycling and explain how nutrients move from the litter store to the soil store in a temperate deciduous woodland.
b) Explain why the balance of a small-scale UK ecosystem might be disrupted if a significant number of decomposers were removed from the system. Use the concept of interdependence in your answer.