Populations & Sustainability - exam practice

Deep sea vents on the ocean floor are surrounded by unusual organisms such as chemosynthetic bacteria and eyeless shrimp.

Which statement(s) about these ecosystems is/are true?

1 - the temperature of the vents influences the organisms that live there

2 - a predatory octopus would affect the balance of these organisms

3 - the number of eyeless shrimp found at each vent is constant

Two species of animal are found in the same area of forest and grassland. In the spring and summer they eat the same plant food. However, in the autumn and winter one eats nuts in the forest and the other eats roots on the grassland.

Both species are preyed upon by the same predator. Numbers of root-eating animals are reduced most by this, but they recover faster as they reproduce faster.

What can be concluded about these two species of animals?

1 - they are part of the same community

2 - they are at different trophic levels

3 - they occupy different habitats

4 - they have different niches

The Millennium Seed Bank has over two billion seeds in storage.

What describes the type of conservation carried out at the Millennium Seed Bank?

The sea marigold, Calendula maritima, is a rare species that is critically endangered and has been included in an ex situ conservation project.

What is a disadvantage of conserving the sea marigold ex situ?

Termites are insects that build large nests that contain millions of termites of the same species.

These nests are common in tropical savanna, which typically consists of grasses with widely spaced trees. Here, the termites feed on wood and other dead plant material.

Which statement is correct?

Which of the following statements about ecosystems is not true?

A teacher wrote:

“A garden pond is a dynamic environment that is home to a variety of organisms. The temperature of the pond varies depending on the weather and the time of year, and this affects the populations of the species that live there.”

Which term applies to the teacher’s description of the garden pond?

Ash trees are common throughout the UK. They often grow in dense woodland.

What is an abiotic factor that is likely to affect the growth of young ash trees?

What is CITES?

What is a challenge faced by botanical gardens in conservation?

What is one way that botanical gardens contribute to conservation?

What is a primary issue with storing seeds as a conservation strategy?

Why might seeds from the same species be collected from different sites for storage in a seed bank?

What is the importance of maintaining genetic diversity in species conservation?