AICE Environmental Management AS
Level BIOSPHERE & HYDROSPHERE
Questions and answers
List the levels of organisation in order. - correct answer-Species, Population, Community,
Ecosystem, Biomes
What are the most important factors in characterising a biome? - correct answer-annual
precipitation, temperature & soil type
What is the relationship between photosynthesis and the following factors: light intensity,
CO2, temperature. - correct answer-All affect the speed of photosynthesis. Increasing light
intensity speeds up photosynthesis if there is plenty of CO2 and temperature. However,
without sufficient CO2, the plant won't grow very fast, even if there is high light intensity.
Compare and contrast food webs and food chains. - correct answer-Food webs contain all
the food chains in an ecosystem linked together.
What do the arrows in food webs and chains represent? - correct answer-The direction in
which the energy is flowing.
Niche - correct answer-The role a species plays in the ecosystem
Habitat - correct answer-The environment in which a species lives
Trophic Level - correct answer-Each step in a food chain or web
Ecological pyramid - correct answer-A diagram that shows the relative amounts of energy or
matter contained within each trophic level in a food chain or web.
What three factors decrease as you move from one trophic level to the next? - correct
answer-Amount of energy, biomass and population size
How much energy is lost as you move from one trophic level to the next? - correct
answer-Only 10% of the amount of energy moves on and the rest is lost through metabolic
processes.
What is biodiversity and why is it important? - correct answer-Biodiversity is the variety of life
in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. This is important because it provides us
with food, wood, energy, medicine, etc. It also preserves the quality of air, water, maintaining
the fertility of topsoil, decomposing & recycling wastes, and controlling the population of
pests. Biodiversity also allows for ecosystems to adjust to disturbances like extreme fires
and floods. Genetic diversity prevents diseases and helps species adjust to changes in their
environments.
Level BIOSPHERE & HYDROSPHERE
Questions and answers
List the levels of organisation in order. - correct answer-Species, Population, Community,
Ecosystem, Biomes
What are the most important factors in characterising a biome? - correct answer-annual
precipitation, temperature & soil type
What is the relationship between photosynthesis and the following factors: light intensity,
CO2, temperature. - correct answer-All affect the speed of photosynthesis. Increasing light
intensity speeds up photosynthesis if there is plenty of CO2 and temperature. However,
without sufficient CO2, the plant won't grow very fast, even if there is high light intensity.
Compare and contrast food webs and food chains. - correct answer-Food webs contain all
the food chains in an ecosystem linked together.
What do the arrows in food webs and chains represent? - correct answer-The direction in
which the energy is flowing.
Niche - correct answer-The role a species plays in the ecosystem
Habitat - correct answer-The environment in which a species lives
Trophic Level - correct answer-Each step in a food chain or web
Ecological pyramid - correct answer-A diagram that shows the relative amounts of energy or
matter contained within each trophic level in a food chain or web.
What three factors decrease as you move from one trophic level to the next? - correct
answer-Amount of energy, biomass and population size
How much energy is lost as you move from one trophic level to the next? - correct
answer-Only 10% of the amount of energy moves on and the rest is lost through metabolic
processes.
What is biodiversity and why is it important? - correct answer-Biodiversity is the variety of life
in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. This is important because it provides us
with food, wood, energy, medicine, etc. It also preserves the quality of air, water, maintaining
the fertility of topsoil, decomposing & recycling wastes, and controlling the population of
pests. Biodiversity also allows for ecosystems to adjust to disturbances like extreme fires
and floods. Genetic diversity prevents diseases and helps species adjust to changes in their
environments.
