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Junior Cycle Science Quiz: Ecosystems & Interdependence
Score: 0

1. Interdependence of Organisms
  • All organisms depend on each other and their environment to survive. This relationship is called interdependence.
  • Ecosystem: A community of living organisms interacting with each other and their non-living environment.
  • Biotic Factors: Living components (e.g., plants, animals, bacteria).
  • Abiotic Factors: Non-living components (e.g., sunlight, water, soil, temperature).

2. Energy Flow in an Ecosystem
  • Energy Source: The Sun is the primary source of energy for most ecosystems.
  • Producers (Autotrophs):
    • Organisms like plants and algae that produce their own food through photosynthesis.
    • Convert solar energy into chemical energy (glucose).
  • Consumers (Heterotrophs):
    • Organisms that eat other organisms to obtain energy.
    • Classified into:
      • Primary Consumers: Herbivores that eat plants (e.g., rabbits, caterpillars).
      • Secondary Consumers: Carnivores that eat herbivores (e.g., foxes, frogs).
      • Tertiary Consumers: Top predators that eat secondary consumers (e.g., hawks, lions).
  • Decomposers:
    • Organisms like fungi and bacteria that break down dead material, returning nutrients to the soil.

3. Food Chains and Food Webs
  • Food Chain:
    • A linear sequence showing how energy flows through an ecosystem.
    • Example: Grass → Rabbit → Fox.
  • Food Web:
    • A network of interconnected food chains, showing how organisms have multiple feeding relationships.
    • More realistic than a food chain.

4. Energy Loss
  • Energy is lost at each trophic level:
    • Only about 10% of the energy is transferred to the next level.
    • Most energy is lost as heat or used for life processes (e.g., movement, reproduction).
  • This limits the number of trophic levels in an ecosystem.

5. Cycles of Matter
  • Matter (e.g., water, carbon, nitrogen) cycles through ecosystems, ensuring resources are reused.
Water Cycle:
  1. Evaporation: Water from oceans, lakes, and rivers turns into vapour.
  2. Condensation: Water vapour cools and forms clouds.
  3. Precipitation: Water falls as rain, snow, or sleet.
  4. Collection: Water returns to oceans, rivers, or underground reservoirs.
Carbon Cycle:
  • Carbon moves between the atmosphere, organisms, and Earth.
  1. Photosynthesis: Plants absorb CO₂ and convert it into glucose.
  2. Respiration: Organisms release CO₂ back into the atmosphere.
  3. Decomposition: Decomposers break down dead organisms, releasing CO₂.
  4. Combustion: Burning fossil fuels releases stored carbon into the atmosphere.
Nitrogen Cycle:
  • Nitrogen is essential for proteins and DNA in organisms.
  1. Nitrogen Fixation: Bacteria convert nitrogen gas (N₂) into forms plants can absorb.
  2. Assimilation: Plants take up nitrogen compounds through their roots.
  3. Decomposition: Dead organisms and waste return nitrogen to the soil.
  4. Denitrification: Bacteria convert nitrogen compounds back to N₂ gas.

6. Examples of Interdependence
  • Pollination: Bees depend on flowers for nectar, and flowers depend on bees to spread pollen.
  • Predator-Prey Relationships: Wolves control deer populations, preventing overgrazing.
  • Symbiosis:
    • Mutualism: Both species benefit (e.g., clownfish and sea anemones).
    • Commensalism: One species benefits, the other is unaffected (e.g., barnacles on whales).
    • Parasitism: One species benefits at the expense of the other (e.g., fleas on dogs).

7. Importance of Biodiversity
  • Biodiversity ensures the stability of ecosystems by:
    • Supporting food webs.
    • Providing resources like food, medicine, and materials.
    • Helping ecosystems recover from disturbances (e.g., natural disasters).

Summary
  • Organisms rely on each other and their environment in complex relationships.
  • Energy flows through ecosystems via food chains and webs, with energy loss at each level.
  • Matter cycles (e.g., water, carbon, nitrogen) ensure the availability of essential elements.
  • Biodiversity and interdependence are critical for ecosystem stability and resilience.

Questions:

Q1: What is an ecosystem?
A: An ecosystem is a community of living organisms interacting with each other and their non-living environment.
Q2: What is interdependence in an ecosystem?
A: Interdependence refers to how organisms in an ecosystem rely on each other and their environment for survival.
Q3: What is the primary source of energy for most ecosystems?
A: The Sun is the primary source of energy.
Q4: What are producers in an ecosystem?
A: Producers are organisms, like plants and algae, that make their own food through photosynthesis.
Q5: What are the three types of consumers in a food chain?
A:
  • Primary consumers: Herbivores that eat plants.
  • Secondary consumers: Carnivores that eat herbivores.
  • Tertiary consumers: Top predators that eat secondary consumers.
Q6: What is the role of decomposers?
A: Decomposers, like fungi and bacteria, break down dead material and return nutrients to the soil.
Q7: What is the difference between a food chain and a food web?
A:
  • A food chain shows a linear flow of energy through an ecosystem.
  • A food web is a network of interconnected food chains, showing multiple feeding relationships.
Q8: Why is energy lost at each trophic level?
A: Most energy is lost as heat or used for life processes, with only about 10% passed to the next level.
Q9: Name the three main cycles of matter in an ecosystem.
A: The water cycle, carbon cycle, and nitrogen cycle.
Q10: How does the water cycle work?
A:
  1. Evaporation: Water turns into vapour.
  2. Condensation: Vapour cools and forms clouds.
  3. Precipitation: Water falls as rain, snow, or sleet.
  4. Collection: Water returns to rivers, oceans, or underground.
Q11: What is the role of photosynthesis in the carbon cycle?
A: Plants absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂) and convert it into glucose, reducing atmospheric CO₂ levels.
Q12: How do humans impact the nitrogen cycle?
A: Overuse of fertilisers adds excess nitrogen to the soil, which can lead to water pollution and affect ecosystems.
Q13: What is biodiversity, and why is it important?
A: Biodiversity is the variety of life in an ecosystem. It helps maintain stability, provides resources, and supports recovery from disturbances.
Q14: Give an example of interdependence in an ecosystem.
A: Bees depend on flowers for nectar, and flowers depend on bees for pollination.
Q15: What is mutualism?
A: Mutualism is a relationship where both species benefit, like clownfish living in sea anemones.
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