Answers to Biology for IGCSE Chapter 18

Chapter 18 Summary Questions page 234.

(Suggested marks are given in square brackets)

1 producer - an organism that makes its own organic nutrients, usually using energy
from sunlight by photosynthesis
primary consumer - an organism that gets its energy by feeding on producers
secondary consumer - an organism that gets its energy by feeding on primary
consumers
decomposer - an organism that gets its energy from dead or waste organic matter
carnivore - an animal that gets its energy by eating other animals
ecosystem - a unit containing all of the organisms and their environment, interacting
together, in a given area [6]

2 trophic level is the position of an organism in a, food chain / food web / pyramid of
biomass or numbers or energy [1]

3 e.g.
1 mark for arrows pointing in the right direction;
1 mark for organisms in correct sequence;

maximum of 4 marks for identifying correct trophic levels

maximum of 4 marks for describing the roles of each organism in the food
chain

grass grasshopper praying mantis lizard

producer primary consumer secondary tertiary consumer
consumer
e.g. converts e.g. consumes e.g. consumes e.g. consumes
light energy to plant material, primary consumers, secondary
chemical provides food for acts to check consumers, acts to
energy / fixes secondary increase in check increase in
carbon as consumers population of population of
organic primary consumers secondary
compounds, consumers
e.g.
carbohydrates

[10]

4 flow of energy in, food chains / food webs / ecosystems; loss of energy at each
trophic level; so not available to the next; about 10% transferred from, primary
consumer to secondary consumer / secondary consumer to tertiary consumer; little
energy available to (populations of), top carnivore / tertiary consumer / quaternary
consumer; populations of top carnivores are limited by energy available [3]

5 energy from sunlight is absorbed by producers; flows to consumers and

decomposers; lost as heat to the surroundings; in, respiration / movement; heat
energy is radiated to the atmosphere; producers cannot make use of heat energy
lost from other organisms in the ecosystem; so cannot be recycled / energy is on
one way flow; nutrients flow, from producers to consumers to decomposers /
through food chains; recycled by decomposers; that release simple substances, e.g.
 carbon dioxide (see carbon cycle), ammonia (see nitrogen cycle); these are reused
by producers; carbon dioxide in photosynthesis; ammonia converted to nitrate ions;
absorbed by producers; reused to make, amino acids / proteins [6]

6 A many small producers, e.g. grass plants in a, meadow / field for grazing
animals;
B one (or a small number) of large producers, e.g. an individual tree or several
trees in a wood [2]

7 copy of the carbon cycle in Figure 18.4.2 on page 230; this needs to show:

carbon dioxide in the air; carbon compounds in plants; carbon compounds in

animals; fossil fuels;

photosynthesis; carbon fixed by producers; convert carbon dioxide to complex

carbon compounds (carbohydrates / proteins / fats);
respiration; complex carbon compounds converted into carbon dioxide; released into
the atmosphere; feeding; burning; decomposition / decay [9]

8 respiration; not all energy in carbohydrates (and proteins and fats) is converted into
useful energy during respiration; some is lost as heat; also energy lost as animals
move; some parts of organisms are not eaten by consumers; broken down by
decomposers [3]

9 (a) amino acids combined together to form proteins [1]

(b) amino acids broken down; N-containing part becomes ammonia [2]
(c) breakdown of urea to ammonia [1]
(d) ammonia converted to nitrite; nitrite converted to nitrate
accept for one mark ammonia converted to nitrate [2]
(e) nitrate ions to nitrogen gas (N2) [1]
(f) nitrogen gas to ammonia [1]

Chapter 18 Exam-Style Questions page 234-235.

Multiple Choice Questions (1 mark each)

1 D
2 A
3 B

Short Answer Questions

4 (a) 480 0.9 = 479.1

479.1/480 x 100; 99.8% loss; [2]

(b) much biomass is used up by green plants; not available for primary consumers;
primary consumers / herbivores use much of the biomass; in their respiration; some
plant biomass not edible; some plant biomass not digestible; [3]
the figures do not indicate the quantity of biomass eaten by herbivores; herbivore
population may be small if much of the biomass is not edible
 (c) water content differs between organisms; some are very dry / some are mostly
water; water content of plants varies during the day / from season to season;
because of rates of transpiration; energy comes from carbon compounds
(carbohydrates, proteins and fats) not water; dry mass is better indication of energy
available; [3]

5 (a)(i) any two from e.g. starch, cellulose, protein, fats [2]
(ii) large surface area; palisade cells arranged close together; packed with chloroplasts;
much chlorophyll to absorb light; arrangement of leaves on the stem to maximise
absorption of light; [3]
(b)(i) e.g. growth of roots; absorption of ions by active transport; [2]
2
(ii) 10/100 x 400 000; 40 000 kJ per m ;
this assumes that all the light that strikes the plants is used in photosynthesis [2]
(c) respiration; [1]
(d) antelope eats plants; lots of indigestible material; e.g. lignin in xylem vessels;
antelope does not have any enzymes to digest this material; [2]
(e) cheetah is top carnivore; predator has not evolved that can outrun cheetahs; very
little energy would be available to a predator of cheetahs; energy is lost along the
food chain; e.g. respiration of antelopes; some predators may take young cheetahs
or sick cheetahs, but nothing is adapted to feed on them in the same way that
cheetahs are adapted to feed on herbivores, such as antelope; [4]

6 (a)(i) urea; [1]

(ii) nitrate ions; [1]
(iii) ammonia; [1]
(iv) amino acids; [1]
(v) nitrate ions; [1]
(b) nitrogen fixation; bacteria absorb nitrogen gas (N2); convert it to ammonia; many of
these bacteria are in root nodules; of legumes; pass N-containing substances to host;
when they die their N-containing compounds are released and recycled as nitrate
ions for absorption by plants; [4]
7 (a) 24 500/1 000 000 x 100; 2.45%; [2]
2
(b) 600 000 kJ per m per year cannot be absorbed by chloroplasts; some is reflected
from the surface (2400); some passes straight through the leaves (2400); some will
be wavelengths that cannot be absorbed by chlorophyll; of the 214 500 fixed by the
potato plants, most (190 000) is used in respiration; so only 24 500 for the next
trophic level;
fate of all the energy striking the leaves is not given in the table 185 500 is not
accounted for
(c) apply fertiliser; irrigate / drain, the soil; space the plants are optimum distance; so
dont shade each other; not too crowded; not too much competition; not too far apart
so light falls onto bare ground); use high yielding varieties; use varieties that are
harvested when prices are high; use best soil for potatoes;
[4]
(d) energy lost from first to second trophic level; animals use energy for, movement /
maintaining constant temperature / homeostasis; lose energy in respiration; food not,
digested / absorbed by, animals; not all energy goes towards growth of animals; [5]