1.

In a study examining the ecological role of keystone species, the sea star, Pisaster, was removed
from a study area. The sea star is a top carnivore. After an extended period of time, researchers
returned to analyse changes in the species diversity in the study area. The bar chart shows the
species diversity before and after the removal from the habitat.

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2. The model depicted represents the effect of temperature and precipitation on the flow of
nutrients within different types of ecosystems. The thickness of the arrow represents the rate of
nutrient flow.

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3. The graph shows the relationship between island area and reptilian diversity in the West Indies.

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4. Answer the following:

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5. Evaluate the methods used to estimate the size of commercial fish stocks. (6 marks)

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6. In South Korea, flocks of birds of the tit family (Paridae) forage together on trees for food.
Researchers observed four species of Paridae to determine whether they shared the same
habitat in the trees and whether their position on the tree depended on their size. The leafy part
of the tree (crown) was divided into nine sections, three according to height from the ground
and three according to the distance from the tree trunk. Observations were also made of birds
foraging in the bushes surrounding the trunk and on the ground below the tree. The chart shows
the relative use of each section of the habitat by the birds.

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7. Discuss, using three examples, how alien species have impacted ecosystems. (6 marks)

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8. During the 1980s, a tiny invasive crustacean Bythotrephes cederstroemii entered the eastern
Great Lakes from Europe (probably via freshwater or mud in the ballast water of merchant
ships) and eventually colonized Lake Michigan. Bythotrephes reproduces very quickly and eats
common zooplankton, disrupting the food web by directly competing with small juvenile
resident fish. Bythotrephes avoids predation by larger fish through the timing of its activities
which have been investigated in offshore waters of Lake Michigan at various depths during the
day and night.

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9. Answer the following:

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10. The Simpson diversity index and the biotic indices of water pollution are widely used in
ecological research and environmental monitoring. Explain the use of such indices. (6 marks)

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11. The filamentous green alga (Cladophora) forms mats along the shore of certain fresh water
lakes. When the mats become stranded on beaches, they produce a bad odour from the action
of decomposers. A study was undertaken on the abundance and persistence of fecal indicator
bacterium Escherichia coli in the mats and in the water at three beach sites on one lake. The
number of colonies (colony-forming unit or CFU) that grew from bacteria in a 100 gram sample
of mat or water collected on day 0 at the three sites was measured on four days over an eight
day period to test the survival of E. coli.

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12. Solve the following:

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13. Describe a named method for determining the size of fish populations and the challenges in
conserving world fish stocks. (6 marks)

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14. The little auk (Alle alle) is one of the most abundant predatory birds of the Arctic marine
environment. It feeds mainly on copepod zooplankton (Calanus) that live in the surface waters
of the Arctic seas. The feeding patterns of the little auks were studied at two different sites. One
was off the coast of Greenland, subject to a cold water current coming south from the Arctic
(0°C). The other was off the island of Spitzbergen, subject to a warmer water current coming
from the Atlantic Ocean (+ 5 °C).

The pie charts show the composition of the meals brought back from the sea by the parents to
their chicks. Of the Calanus species eaten C. hyperboreus has three times the energy content of
C. glacialis and 25 times more energy than C. finmarchicus.

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15. Answer the following:

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16. Discuss the impacts of alien species on ecosystems using a named example. (6 marks)

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17. Indigenous human populations living along riverbanks in the Amazon basin often rely heavily on
fish as a major part of their diet. The data shown below come from a study that was carried out
to investigate levels of mercury contamination in the Rio Negro basin in Brazil. Mercury
concentration was measured in fish belonging to four different trophic levels and is shown in
parts per billion (ppb).

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18. Answer the following:

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19. Discuss how international efforts can contribute to the conservation of fish stocks. (6 marks)

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20. In 2009, the town council of Dumfries in Scotland tested a project to prevent lesser black-backed
gulls (Larus fuscus) from nesting in the town where they were causing problems. They released
trained falcons into the town centre for 10 hours each day during a 10-week period when the
gulls normally lay their eggs. Although the falcons are predators of the gulls, they did not kill the
gulls during the study. The behaviour of the gulls was observed and the percentage time spent
on three activities was recorded. The results were compared to a control group not exposed to
falcons in another part of town.

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21. Answer the following:

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22. Explain the causes and consequences of biomagnification with reference to a named example.
(6 marks)

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23. Reproduction in fish is called spawning. The males and females in a population that are mature
enough to reproduce are the spawning stock. In order to provide better fisheries management
and conservation decisions, there is a need to investigate the relationship between spawning
stock and environmental conditions. The graph shows the North Sea cod spawning biomass and
sea surface temperatures.

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24. Eight sub-species of tigers existed in 1950, but three of these former sub-species have now
become extinct. Discuss the role of active management techniques to prevent the extinction of
the remaining tiger species. (6 marks)

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