beta.ocr.org.uk · Web viewMultiple Choice Questions (MCQ) topic quiz. Ecosystems. Instructions...

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) topic quiz

Ecosystems

Instructions and answers for teachersThese instructions cover the learner activity section which can be found on page 16.

This Lesson Element supports OCR A Level Biology A (H420) and Biology B (Advancing Biology) (H422).

When distributing the activity section to the learners either as a printed copy or as a Word file you will need to remove the teacher instructions section.

The Activity This Lesson Element is a teaching and learning resource containing 20 multiple choice questions (MCQs) on the theme of ecosystems. Some questions might require synoptic thinking, using knowledge and ideas from various topics across the full A Level content.

This resource can be used to test and consolidate understanding at the end of a topic or to revisit and refresh knowledge at a later point in the course.

Introduction Multiple choice questions allow rapid coverage of a wide range of sub-topics.

Contrary to a widespread belief among students, multiple choice questions are not necessarily easy – they can be easy, moderate or difficult.

The questions are written so that the incorrect answers are plausible distractors based on common errors or misconceptions.

The questions in this quiz cover topics mainly from specification section:

Biology A 6.3 Ecosystems

Biology B (Advancing Biology)4.3 Photosynthesis, food production and populations.

Version 1 1 © OCR 2017

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) topic quiz - answers1 The table shows the results of a study into a food chain involving four species, R, S,

T and U, in an area of woodland.

species

number of individuals

biomass of one individual /

arbitrary units

energy value per unit mass /

arbitrary unitsR 10 000 0.100 1.0

S 5 10.000 2.0

T 500 0.002 1.8

U 5 300 000.000 0.5

What is the order of energy flow in this food chain?

A T R U S

B T S R U

C U R S T

D U S R T

Your answer

2 The ecological role (1) of hermit crabs (2) includes scavenging in rock pools (3).

What ecological terms are represented by the numbers 1, 2 and 3?

1 2 3

A niche community ecosystem

B trophic level species habitat

C niche species ecosystem

D trophic level community habitat

Your answer


C

C

3 What conversion is carried out by nitrifying bacteria as part of the nitrogen cycle?

A Ammonium compounds are converted to nitrites and nitrates.

B Atmospheric nitrogen is converted to nitrates.

C Nitrates are converted to atmospheric nitrogen.

D Nitrates are converted to ammonium compounds.

Your answer

4 The graph shows the changes in three quantities in a typical ecosystem as it goes through a succession to its climax.

What do the three lines represent?

gross primary production of

biomass

biomass leaving as respiratory loss

total biomass accumulated

A 1 2 3

B 1 3 2

C 2 3 1

D 3 1 2

Your answer


A

A

5 Limiting factors affect population size.

Which of these factors acts independently of the density of the population?

A air temperature

B disease

C food supply

D territory size

Your answer

6 The competitive exclusion principle is based on experimental evidence but aims to explain an observation about real ecosystems.

Which observation is explained by the competitive exclusion principle?

A Only one species can occupy a particular niche.

B Pioneer plants are not found in an established community.

C The diversity of a habitat increases as succession proceeds.

D Similar ecosystems develop under similar environmental conditions.

Your answer


A

A

7 An experimental pond was set up by placing water containing a little plant fertilizer in a tank and leaving it outside. Various organisms, X, Y and Z, were subsequently found in the tank and their inter-relationships were observed.

The graph shows how their populations changed over time.

Which line of the table identifies the trophic levels of X, Y and Z?

X Y Z

A predator prey primary consumer

B prey predator primary producer

C primary consumer primary producer prey

D primary producer primary consumer predator

Your answer


D

8 The table compares how three animals use the energy in their food.

animalpercentage of energy in food

that is absorbed

percentage of energy absorbed that is respired

percentage of energy absorbed that is

incorporated into new tissue

grasshopper 50 47 3

rabbit 37 24 13

trout 86 56 30

What can be concluded from this data?

A The rabbit uses more energy in respiration.

B The trout uses a lower proportion of its absorbed energy in respiration than the other animals.

C The grasshopper is inefficient because it is an ectotherm.

D The trout has the potential to grow the fastest.

Your answer


D

9 The Haber process fixes atmospheric nitrogen to make nitrate fertiliser. The graph shows the effect of adding inorganic nitrate fertiliser on the yield of maize.

What conclusion can be drawn from the graph?

A Nitrate fertiliser may be supplemented by the action of nitrogen fixing bacteria.

B Beyond 130 kg ha-1 it is uneconomic to add nitrate fertiliser.

C Environmental damage can result from the overuse of nitrate fertiliser.

D Yield is directly proportional to the mass of nitrate fertiliser added.

Your answer


B

10 Two animal species, L and M, are found in the same area of mixed moorland and forest.

In the spring and summer L and M eat the same plant food.

In the winter, species L eats nuts in the forest while species M eats heather roots on the moorland.

Species L and M are preyed upon by the same predator.

Although M’s numbers are initially reduced more by this predation, M’s population recovers because M breeds faster than L.

Using this information, what can be concluded about species L and M?

A They occupy entirely different communities, niches and ecosystems.

B They are part of the same community but occupy different niches.

C They occupy the same habitat but are at different trophic levels.

D They are in the same community but are unrelated in the ecosystem.

Your answer

11 A forestry company aims to increase the output of wood, energy and biochemicals from its woodlands without compromising woodland biodiversity, health and resilience.

What principles are informing the company’s aims?

Principle 1: preservation

Principle 2: conservation

Principle 3: sustainable development

A 1, 2 and 3

B Only 1 and 2

C Only 2 and 3

D Only 1

Your answer


C

B

12 The table shows the number of breeding pairs of two species of wading birds on a Scottish island at the start and end of a seventeen year period.

wading bird speciesnumber of breeding pairs of wader birds

1983 2000

lapwing 1104 1364

redshank 486 733

What is the percentage change in the number of breeding pairs of lapwings?

A 19 %

B 23 %

C 33 %

D 51 %

Your answer

13 A water meadow contained cuckoo flower, an important food plant for the caterpillar of the orange tip butterfly. A student wishes to estimate the abundance of these species in the meadow, and also the number of predatory beetles that might eat the caterpillars.

Which line of the table identifies appropriate methods for estimating the abundance of these organisms in the meadow?

cuckoo flower orange tip caterpillar predatory beetle

A random quadrats light trap light trap

B systematic quadrats pitfall trap pitfall trap

C random quadrats random quadrats pitfall trap

D systematic quadrats systematic quadrats light trap

Your answer


B

C

14 A study was made of a rock pool for a period of four hours from the time it was exposed by the morning tide going out. A pH probe showed that the pH of the water in the rock pool increased during this time.

What could explain the change in pH?

Statement 1: Animals in the rock pool became more active and produced more carbon dioxide.

Statement 2: Seaweeds in the rock pool increased their rate of photosynthesis

Statement 3: Temperature increased, reducing the volume of carbon dioxide dissolved in the water.

A 1, 2 and 3

B Only 1 and 2

C Only 2 and 3

D Only 1

Your answer

15 Human activity can cause these changes to occur in natural ecosystems:

Change 1: the destruction of ancient communities

Change 2: the replacement of indigenous communities by new animal and plant associations

Change 3: reduction in biodiversity.

Which changes occur when a bog is drained to provide agricultural land?

A 1, 2 and 3

B Only 1 and 2

C Only 2 and 3

D Only 1

Your answer


A

C

16 The table compares the plant biomass required to produce 1kg of meat or fish for human consumption in the form of beef, chicken or salmon.

meat or fish for human consumption

plant biomass required to produce 1 kg of meat or fish (kg)

beef 8.7

chicken 1.9

salmon 1.6

Which statements are supported by the data?

Statement 1: Salmon farming uses finite resources more efficiently than beef farming.

Statement 2: Food security would be enhanced if chicken farms replaced a proportion of beef farms.

Statement 3: The feed conversion ratio of mass of biomass supplied to mass of product is higher for fish than for chicken.

A 1, 2 and 3

B Only 1 and 2

C Only 2 and 3

D Only 1

Your answer


B

17 The bar chart shows the relative number of sightings of three species of mammal in two areas of Ireland.

Red squirrels are indigenous to Ireland.

Grey squirrels are an introduced species with similar habitat and food requirements to red squirrels.

Pine martens are an indigenous predator of squirrels.

Which statements are supported by this data and information?

Statement 1: Pine martens reduce squirrel abundance.

Statement 2: Red and grey squirrels show interspecific competition.

Statement 3: Pine martens prey preferentially on grey squirrels.

A 1, 2 and 3

B Only 1 and 2

C Only 2 and 3

D Only 1

Your answer


A

18 Which land management practices maintain a deflected succession?

Practice 1: Grazing sheep on Snowdonia.

Practice 2: Burning patches of heather on lowland heaths.

Practice 3: Rotational coppicing of hazel trees.

A 1, 2 and 3

B Only 1 and 2

C Only 2 and 3

D Only 1

Your answer


A

19 The Galapagos Islands are an environmentally sensitive location. The graph shows how the number of human residents and tourists on the Galapagos Islands has changed over a period of sixty years. Human activity threatens some animal and plant populations on the Galapagos.

Which statements concerning the Galapagos Islands are true?

Statement 1: Exponential growth in the number of residents stopped in 2000.

Statement 2: Residents outnumbered tourists in 1990.

Statement 3: Conservation efforts should focus on reducing the number of tourists by 90% in the next ten years.

A 1, 2 and 3

B Only 1 and 2

C Only 2 and 3

D Only 1

Your answer


D

20 The flow diagram shows the main events of the carbon cycle.

Which line of the table correctly identifies processes 1, 2, 3 and 4?

1 2 3 4

A combustion breathing photosynthesis reproduction

B respiration death respiration death

C combustion respiration photosynthesis death

D respiration metabolism respiration reproduction

Your answer


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Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) topic quiz

Exchange surfaces

Learner Activity

1 The table shows the results of a study into a food chain involving four species, R, S, T and U, in an area of woodland.

species

number of individuals

biomass of one individual /

arbitrary units

energy value per unit mass /

arbitrary units

R 10 000 0.100 1.0S 5 10.000 2.0T 500 0.002 1.8U 5 300 000.000 0.5

What is the order of energy flow in this food chain?

A T R U S

B T S R U

C U R S T

D U S R T

Your answer

2 The ecological role (1) of hermit crabs (2) includes scavenging in rock pools (3).

What ecological terms are represented by the numbers 1, 2 and 3?

1 2 3

A niche community ecosystem

B trophic level species habitat

C niche species ecosystem

D trophic level community habitat

Your answer


3 What conversion is carried out by nitrifying bacteria as part of the nitrogen cycle?

A Ammonium compounds are converted to nitrites and nitrates.

B Atmospheric nitrogen is converted to nitrates.

C Nitrates are converted to atmospheric nitrogen.

D Nitrates are converted to ammonium compounds.

Your answer

4 The graph shows the changes in three quantities in a typical ecosystem as it goes through a succession to its climax.

What do the three lines represent?

gross primary production of

biomass

biomass leaving as respiratory loss

total biomass accumulated

A 1 2 3

B 1 3 2

C 2 3 1

D 3 1 2

Your answer


5 Limiting factors affect population size.

Which of these factors acts independently of the density of the population?

A air temperature

B disease

C food supply

D territory size

Your answer

6 The competitive exclusion principle is based on experimental evidence but aims to explain an observation about real ecosystems.

What observation is explained by the competitive exclusion principle?

A Only one species can occupy a particular niche.

B Pioneer plants are not found in an established community.

C The diversity of a habitat increases as succession proceeds.

D Similar ecosystems develop under similar environmental conditions.

Your answer


7 An experimental pond was set up by placing water containing a little plant fertilizer in a tank and leaving it outside. Various organisms, X, Y and Z, were subsequently found in the tank and their inter-relationships were observed.

The graph shows how their populations changed over time.

Which line of the table identifies the trophic levels of X, Y and Z?

X Y Z

A predator prey primary consumer

B prey predator primary producer

C primary consumer primary producer prey

D primary producer primary consumer predator

Your answer


8 The table compares how three animals use the energy in their food.

animalpercentage of energy in food

that is absorbed

percentage of energy absorbed that is respired

percentage of energy absorbed that is

incorporated into new tissue

grasshopper 50 47 3

rabbit 37 24 13

trout 86 56 30

What can be concluded from this data?

A The rabbit uses more energy in respiration.

B The trout uses a lower proportion of its absorbed energy in respiration than the other animals.

C The grasshopper is inefficient because it is an ectotherm.

D The trout has the potential to grow the fastest.

Your answer


9 The Haber process fixes atmospheric nitrogen to make nitrate fertiliser. The graph shows the effect of adding inorganic nitrate fertiliser on the yield of maize.

What conclusion can be drawn from the graph?

A Nitrate fertiliser may be supplemented by the action of nitrogen fixing bacteria.

B Beyond 130 kg ha-1 it is uneconomic to add nitrate fertiliser.

C Environmental damage can result from the overuse of nitrate fertiliser.

D Yield is directly proportional to the mass of nitrate fertiliser added.

Your answer


10 Two animal species, L and M, are found in the same area of mixed moorland and forest.

In the spring and summer L and M eat the same plant food.

In the winter, species L eats nuts in the forest while species M eats heather roots on the moorland.

Species L and M are preyed upon by the same predator.

Although M’s numbers are initially reduced more by this predation, M’s population recovers because M breeds faster than L.

Using this information, what can be concluded about species L and M?

A They occupy entirely different communities, niches and ecosystems.

B They are part of the same community but occupy different niches.

C They occupy the same habitat but are at different trophic levels.

D They are in the same community but are unrelated in the ecosystem.

Your answer

11 A forestry company aims to increase the output of wood, energy and biochemicals from its woodlands without compromising woodland biodiversity, health and resilience.

What principles are informing the company’s aims?

Principle 1: preservation

Principle 2: conservation

Principle 3: sustainable development

A 1, 2 and 3

B Only 1 and 2

C Only 2 and 3

D Only 1

Your answer


12 The table shows the number of breeding pairs of two species of wading birds on a Scottish island at the start and end of a seventeen year period.

wading bird speciesnumber of breeding pairs of wader birds

1983 2000

lapwing 1104 1364

redshank 486 733

What is the percentage change in the number of breeding pairs of lapwings?

A 19 %

B 23 %

C 33 %

D 51 %

Your answer

13 A water meadow contained cuckoo flower, an important food plant for the caterpillar of the orange tip butterfly. A student wishes to estimate the abundance of these species in the meadow, and also the number of predatory beetles that might eat the caterpillars.

Which line of the table identifies appropriate methods for estimating the abundance of these organisms in the meadow?

cuckoo flower orange tip caterpillar predatory beetle

A random quadrats light trap light trap

B systematic quadrats pitfall trap pitfall trap

C random quadrats random quadrats pitfall trap

D systematic quadrats systematic quadrats light trap

Your answer


14 A study was made of a rock pool for a period of four hours from the time it was exposed by the morning tide going out. A pH probe showed that the pH of the water in the rock pool increased during this time.

What could explain the change in pH?

Statement 1: Animals in the rock pool became more active and produced more carbon dioxide.

Statement 2: Seaweeds in the rock pool increased their rate of photosynthesis

Statement 3: Temperature increased, reducing the volume of carbon dioxide dissolved in the water.

A 1, 2 and 3

B Only 1 and 2

C Only 2 and 3

D Only 1

Your answer

15 Human activity can cause these changes to occur in natural ecosystems:

Change 1: the destruction of ancient communities

Change 2: the replacement of indigenous communities by new animal and plant associations

Change 3: reduction in biodiversity.

Which changes occur when a bog is drained to provide agricultural land?

A 1, 2 and 3

B Only 1 and 2

C Only 2 and 3

D Only 1

Your answer


16 The table compares the plant biomass required to produce 1kg of meat or fish for human consumption in the form of beef, chicken or salmon.

meat or fish for human consumption

plant biomass required to produce 1 kg of meat or fish (kg)

beef 8.7

chicken 1.9

salmon 1.6

Which statements are supported by the data?

Statement 1: Salmon farming uses finite resources more efficiently than beef farming.

Statement 2: Food security would be enhanced if chicken farms replaced a proportion of beef farms.

Statement 3: The feed conversion ratio of mass of biomass supplied to mass of product is higher for fish than for chicken.

A 1, 2 and 3

B Only 1 and 2

C Only 2 and 3

D Only 1

Your answer


17 The bar chart shows the relative number of sightings of three species of mammal in two areas of Ireland.

Red squirrels are indigenous to Ireland.

Grey squirrels are an introduced species with similar habitat and food requirements to red squirrels.

Pine martens are an indigenous predator of squirrels.

Which statements are supported by this data and information?

Statement 1: Pine martens reduce squirrel abundance.

Statement 2: Red and grey squirrels show interspecific competition.

Statement 3: Pine martens prey preferentially on grey squirrels.

A 1, 2 and 3

B Only 1 and 2

C Only 2 and 3

D Only 1

Your answer


18 Which land management practices maintain a deflected succession?

Practice 1: Grazing sheep on Snowdonia.

Practice 2: Burning patches of heather on lowland heaths.

Practice 3: Rotational coppicing of hazel trees.

A 1, 2 and 3

B Only 1 and 2

C Only 2 and 3

D Only 1

Your answer


19 The Galapagos Islands are an environmentally sensitive location. The graph shows how the number of human residents and tourists on the Galapagos Islands has changed over a period of sixty years. Human activity threatens some animal and plant populations on the Galapagos.

Which statements concerning the Galapagos Islands are true?

Statement 1: Exponential growth in the number of residents stopped in 2000.

Statement 2: Residents outnumbered tourists in 1990.

Statement 3: Conservation efforts should focus on reducing the number of tourists by 90% in the next ten years.

A 1, 2 and 3

B Only 1 and 2

C Only 2 and 3

D Only 1

Your answer


20 The flow diagram shows the main events of the carbon cycle.

Which line of the table correctly identifies processes 1, 2, 3 and 4?

1 2 3 4

A combustion breathing photosynthesis reproduction

B respiration death respiration death

C combustion respiration photosynthesis death

Drespiration metabolism respiration reproduction

Your answer


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