MAY 2014 YEAR 11 PRE-DIPLOMA BIOLOGY

Ecological Pyramids
Answer the following qestions !" writing the #nswers #fter the qestions$
1$
#% &h#t 'in( of e)ologi)#l *"r#+i( is (e*i)te( in the #!o,e (i#gr#+-
A *"r#+i( of n+!er$
!% Des)ri!e the sh#*e of this e)ologi)#l *"r#+i($ &h" (oesn.t this *"r#+i( )oll#*se e,en thogh
there #re fewer org#nis+s #t the first tro*hi) le,el th#n #t the se)on( tro*hi) le,el-
/he *"r#+i( in(i)#tes the rel#ti,e n+!ers of org#nis+ #t (ifferent tro*hi) le,els$ /he *"r#+i( of
n+!ers (oes not t#'e into #))ont the si0e of the org#nis+$ /herefore1 the !otto+ *#rt is s+#ller
th#n the other tro*hi) le,els #!o,e$ /he *"r#+i( (oes not )oll#*se !e)#se the si0e of one o#' tree
)#n s**ort 2000 )#ter*ill#rs1 whi)h #re s+#ller org#nis+s$
)% &h#t h#**ens to the energ" store( in e#)h tro*hi) le,el #s one +o,es * throgh the le,els in the
*"r#+i(- /he energ" (e)re#ses sin)e it h#s !een se( !" other org#nis+ in the lower tro*hi) le,els$
2$
1
MAY 2014 YEAR 11 PRE-DIPLOMA BIOLOGY
#%
2i% &h#t 'in( of e)ologi)#l *"r#+i( is (e*i)te( in the #!o,e (i#gr#+-
A *"r#+i( of !io+#ss$
2ii% Pro,i(e #n e3*l#n#tion to 4stif" "or #nswer to 2i% #!o,e$
&e 'now it is # *"r#+i( of !io+#ss !e)#se the (ifferent tro*hi) le,els #re +e#sre( in g5+
2

/his *"r#+i( t#'es into )onsi(er#tion #lso (r" +#ss1 whi)h eli+in#tes the *ro!le+ with the *"r#+i(
of n+!ers$
!% Des)ri!e two )o+*li)#tions th#t )#n #rise when !iologists se # *"r#+i( of !io+#ss$
/he *"r#+i( of !io+#ss ses s#+*les fro+ *o*l#tions #t # *#rti)l#r ti+e of the "e#r$ /herefore1
+e#sre+ents #re not #))r#te #n( s!4e)t to )h#nge (e*en(ing of the ti+e of the "e#r$
6$ A gr#ssl#n( e)os"ste+ in Al!ert# re)ei,es 1700 '8 of snlight$ One foo( )h#in in this )o++nit"
is (e*i)te( #s follows9
gr#ss gr#ssho**ers !l#)'!ir(s h#w's
#% Dr#w #n e)ologi)#l *"r#+i( th#t illstr#tes the tr#nsfer of energ" in this )o++nit"$ :sing the
rle of 101 (eter+ine the #+ont of energ" th#t is store( #t e#)h tro*hi) le,el$ In)l(e #ll rele,#nt
l#!els$
!% A f#r+er sets * # !ff#lo f#r+ in this e)os"ste+$ O,er ti+e1 the !ff#lo gre#tl" re()e the gr#ss
!io+#ss in the )o++nit"$ E3*l#in how the intro()tion of this new s*e)ies )ol( #ffe)t the #+ont
of energ" tr#nsferre( within the foo( )h#in th#t is shown #!o,e$
/he energ" th#t is tr#nsfer fro+ the gr#ss to the ne3t tro*hi) le,el h#s to !e se( not onl" !" the
gr#ssho**ers !t #lso !" the !ff#lo$ /herefore1 the foo( )h#in is going to )oll#*se !e)#se the
!ff#lo is re()ing signifi)#ntl" the !io+#ss of the gr#ss in the )o++nit" #n( there is not enogh
for the gr#ssho**ers to li,e in th#t e)os"ste+ too$ /he intro()tion of new s*e)ies +e#ns th#t there
is #nother org#nis+ t#'ing energ" too$
2
;#w's 1$7'4
Bl#)'!ir(s 17'4
Gr#ssho**ers 170'4
Gr#ss 1700'4