Section B

• What is an ecosystem?


  An ecosystem is a community of living organisms interacting with their nonliving environment.
• What are biotic components? Provide examples.


  Biotic components are living or once-living organisms, such as animals and plants.
• What are abiotic components?


  Abiotic components are nonliving elements of an ecosystem, such as water, soil, and sunlight.
• How do biotic and abiotic components interact in an ecosystem?


  They interact through processes such as nutrient cycling and energy flow.
• What is a producer? Provide an example.


  A producer is an organism that converts energy from the environment into food, such as an oak tree.
• What is a primary consumer? Provide an example.


  A primary consumer is an organism that eats producers, such as a caterpillar.
• What are decomposers? Provide an example.


  Decomposers are organisms that break down dead organic matter, such as fungi and earthworms.
• What is a food chain?


  A food chain shows the direct links between producers and consumers in a simple line.
• What is a food web?


  A food web shows the connections between multiple producers and consumers in a more complex way.
• How do producers convert energy from the environment?


  Producers convert energy mainly from sunlight into food, such as glucose.
• What happens to energy when a primary consumer eats a producer?


  The energy from the producer is transferred to the primary consumer when consumed.
• What role do decomposers play in an ecosystem?


  Decomposers break down plant and animal matter and return nutrients to the soil.
• What are herbivores classified as in terms of consumers?

  Herbivores are classified as primary consumers.
• What are carnivores classified as in terms of consumers?

  Carnivores are classified as secondary consumers and onwards.
• What is nutrient cycling?

  Nutrient cycling is the process where nutrients are recycled in the ecosystem through decomposers.
• What is a keystone species? Provide an example.


  A keystone species is a plant or animal that plays a unique and crucial role in the ecosystem, such as the Yellowstone wolves.
• What is a scavenger? Provide an example.


  A scavenger is an animal that feeds on dead animals, such as a crow.
• What happens when plants and animals die in an ecosystem?


  Decomposers return nutrients back to the soil, allowing more plants to grow.
• What are the four types of decomposers mentioned?


  The four types of decomposers are earthworms, slime mould, fungi, and bacteria.
• What do decomposers do besides breaking down organic matter?


  Decomposers also release nutrients back into the ecosystem.
• Why do leaves turn brown and die in autumn?

  Leaves turn brown and die because trees stop making chlorophyll due to less sunlight.
• What is the energy loss at each trophic level?


  About 90% of energy is lost at each trophic level due to respiration and excretion.
• Why does nothing eat tertiary consumers?


  Nothing eats tertiary consumers because they are at the top of the food chain.
• Where is Epping Forest located?

  Epping Forest is located in North-east London, Essex, UK.
• How big is Epping Forest?


  Epping Forest is approximately 2,500 hectares, 19 km long and 4 km wide.
• What type of ecosystem is Epping Forest?


  Epping Forest is a deciduous woodland ecosystem.
• What percentage of Epping Forest is deciduous woodland?


  70% of Epping Forest is deciduous woodland.
• What percentage of Epping Forest is grassland and marshes?


  30% of Epping Forest is grassland and marshes.
• What is the biodiversity like in Epping Forest?


  Biodiversity in Epping Forest is naturally high due to careful management.
• What are some examples of large scale natural global ecosystems?

  Examples include tundra, tropical rainforest, grassland, and hot desert.
• What is the climate like in a tropical rainforest?


  The climate in a tropical rainforest is warm and wet all year round.
• What is the soil type found in tropical rainforests?


  The soil type in tropical rainforests is called latosols, which are rich in iron and look red.
• What is interdependence in an ecosystem?


  Interdependence is when two or more components in an ecosystem depend on each other.
• Provide an example of interdependence in a tropical rainforest.


  Animals eat plants, digest them, and excrete nutrients back into the soil.
• How are monkeys adapted to their environment in the tropical rainforest?


  Monkeys have mobile shoulders to navigate the canopy and find food.
• What adaptations do chameleons have for survival?


  Chameleons use camouflage to avoid predators and find food.
• What adaptations do sloths have for their lifestyle?


  Sloths have long arms and curved claws for grasping tree limbs and a slow lifestyle that allows algae to grow on their fur for camouflage.
• What challenges do plants face in the tropical rainforest?


  Plants face challenges such as high rainfall, competition for sunlight, and lack of available nutrients.
• What are "tree-extension" adaptations in tropical rainforest plants?


  "Tree-extension" adaptations allow plants like strangler figs to grow on other trees to access sunlight.
• What are symbiotic relationships in ecosystems?


  Symbiotic relationships are close interactions between different species living together, such as fungi and trees.