1.

A river is an ecosystem which is influenced by the biotic and abiotic factors that are present
within the river itself. The water in a river drains into it from its catchment area.
Factors within the catchment area also have an effect on the rivers ecosystem.
In a river, there are two sources of plant material that contribute towards the net primary
production. The first source is the living plants which grow within the river itself. Most of these
are algae forming a surface covering on rocks near the surface or suspended in the upper layers
of water. The second source is dead plant material, such as leaves, that is brought in from the
surrounding land. This forms most of the layer of decomposing organic material (detritus) found
on the bed of the river.
The relative quantities of these two types of plant material can determine the types of consumers
in the dependent food chains. The grazing invertebrates that feed on algae tend to form the main
food source for trout and other carnivorous river fish. Invertebrates that feed in the detritus
layers are not easily seen and do not form a major part of the diet of most of these fish.
In New Zealand, the Wangapeka River and the Motupiko River meet to form the Motueka River
which flows into the sea. A study of the Motueka River was carried out to estimate the influence
of dead plant material from the catchment area on the ecosystem. Nine sampling sites between
the sources of the rivers and the sea were selected. The three rivers and the sampling sites in the
catchment area of the study are shown in Figure 1.
At each of the sampling sites, gross primary production (GPP) of algae was estimated by
measuring the production of oxygen in the water over a 24 hour period. As oxygen is released, a
proportion of it will be used during respiration of all organisms in the river community. This
uptake of oxygen, which was also estimated, is known as community respiration (CR). The
estimates were made during winter and summer. These results are shown in Figure 2 and
Figure 3.
[Data adapted from Cawthron Research News September 2002]

Al-NAjah Private School

Figure 1 The Wangapeka, Motupiko and Motueka river system.

SEA
M O TU EK A
R IV E R

N o rth

D ire c tio n o f
w a te r f o w

= S a m p lin g s ite

WA N G A PEK A
R IV E R

M O T U P IK O
R IV E R

Al-NAjah Private School

Figure 2 Gross primary production in the Motueka River catchment area.

= Sum m er

14

= W in te r

G ro s s p rim a ry p ro d u c tio n / g O 2 m

day

16

12
10
8
6
4
2
0
0

25

50

75

100

125

150

D is ta n c e fro m th e s o u rc e / k m

C o m m u n ity re s p ira tio n / g O 2 m

day

Figure 3 Community respiration in the Motueka River catchment area.

30
= Sum m er

25

= W in te r

20
15
10
5
0

25

50

75

100

125

150

D is ta n c e fro m th e s o u rc e / k m

Al-NAjah Private School

(a)

(i)

Explain what is meant by the term gross primary production.

........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
(2)

(ii)

State two abiotic factors that can affect gross primary production in this
river system.
1 .....................................................................................................................
...
2 .....................................................................................................................
...
(2)

(b)

(i)

With reference to Figure 3, compare the trend in community respiration in

winter with that in summer for, the Motueka River catchment area.
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
(2)

(ii)

Suggest why community respiration shows this trend.

Al-NAjah Private School

........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
(2)

Al-NAjah Private School

(c)

(i)

The numbers of carnivorous fish, such as trout, are higher in the Motueka
River than in the other two rivers. With reference to Figure 2, suggest
reasons for this.
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
(3)

(ii)

With reference to Figure 3, suggest how the population of these

carnivorous fish might change in the winter.
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...

Al-NAjah Private School

........................................................................................................................
...
(3)
(Total 14 marks)

Al-NAjah Private School

2.

(a)

Explain what is meant by the term gross primary production (GPP).

.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
(2)

(b)

The table below shows the flow of energy in a tropical rainforest.

Trophic level

180.0 10

Primary consumers

5.0 10

Secondary consumers

4.5 10

Tertiary consumers

3.4 10

Decomposers

28.4 10

Producers

(i)

Energy entering trophic level/kJ m

year

Energy is transferred between trophic levels. If the producers lose 145

3
2
1
10 kJ m year in respiration, calculate the percentage of net primary
production (NPP) which is passed to the primary consumers. Show your
working.

Al-NAjah Private School

Answer ................................ %
(3)

Al-NAjah Private School

(ii)

Explain the role of decomposers in a food chain.

........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
(2)

(iii)

The productivity of a temperate forest in Europe is much lower than that of

a tropical rainforest. Suggest reasons for this difference.
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
(2)
(Total 9 marks)

Al-NAjah Private School

10

3.

Sunflower seedlings were planted and kept under controlled conditions for 20 days.
The gross primary productivity (GPP) and the net primary productivity (NPP) were
measured each day. The results are shown in the graph below.
P rim a ry
p ro d u c tiv ity /
a rb itra ry u n its

35
30
25

G PP

20
15

N PP

10
5
0
0

10

15

20

25

T im e s in c e p la n tin g / d a y s

(a)

(i)

Compare the changes in GPP and NPP during the time period shown on
the graph.
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
(2)

(ii)

Suggest an explanation for the changes you have described in (a)(i).

........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
(2)

Al-NAjah Private School

11

(b)

Explain the relationship between GPP, NPP and respiration.

.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
(2)
(Total 6 marks)

4.

A group of students carried out an investigation to determine the energy flow in a

rainforest food chain. They collected invertebrate animals from trees, identified them
and placed them in the appropriate trophic level.
For each trophic level the animals were counted, weighed and the energy content
determined. Using their data and other sources of information the students produced a
diagram to show the energy flow along the food chain. The diagram is shown in Figure
1.
Figure 1
S u n lig h t
200 10

kJ m

P ro d u c e rs
7000

kJ m

140 10

kJ m

R e s p ira tio n

P rim a ry c o n s u m e rs
700

kJ m

S e co n d ary c o n su m ers
70

kJ m

24 10

kJ m

D e c o m p o se rs

T e rtia ry c o n s u m e rs
Some farmers clear plots of rainforest to use for crops. The trees are felled and then
burnt. This practice is called slash and burn. The soil is left covered in ash, which is rich in

Al-NAjah Private School

12

nutrients. However, the nutrients are soon used up by the growing crops. Within two or three
years the plot is abandoned and the farmer moves on to a new plot.

Al-NAjah Private School

13

The abandoned plot is colonised by tree species and eventually the land is covered by
secondary rainforest. The sequence of events is shown in Figure 2. This figure also
shows that the total biomass of the rainforest trees is made up of leaves, stems and
branches, roots and leaf litter. These components of the biomass change as the
rainforest is cleared, farmed and then abandoned.
Figure 2
P rim a ry
ra in fo re s t

S e c o n d ary
ra in fo re s t

F a rm in g
S la s h
a n d b u rn

P lo t
abandoned

1 0 y e a rs

2 5 y e a rs

B io m a s s
com ponent
L eaves

50

10

50

50

L e a f litte r

400

50

200

300

B ra n ch es

50

10

50

50

200

50

50

75

R o o ts

The biomass components are shown in million tonnes per hectare.

(a)

Define the term net primary production (NPP).

.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
(2)

Al-NAjah Private School

14

(b)

(i)

Explain why only a small percentage of the light energy falling onto a leaf is
converted into chemical energy.
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
(2)

(ii)

Explain why only 10% of the energy locked up in the secondary consumers
is transferred to the tertiary consumers.
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
(3)

(c)

The energy shown entering the decomposers in Figure 1, is much greater than
that entering all of the consumers. Suggest an explanation for this difference.

Al-NAjah Private School

15

.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
(1)

Al-NAjah Private School

16

(d)

(i)

Using Figure 2, compare the components of the biomass of the primary

rainforest with those of the secondary rainforest after 25 years.
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
(3)

(ii)

Using all of the information provided, suggest why slash and burn farming
is considered to be unsustainable.
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...

Al-NAjah Private School

17

(3)

Al-NAjah Private School

18

(e)

Suggest how the biodiversity of the surrounding rainforest could be changed by

the practice of slash and burn. Give reasons for your answer.
.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
(4)
(Total 18 marks)

5.

A transect can be used to study trends in the abundance and distribution of organisms.
(a)

Describe one method you could use to estimate the abundance of an organism
at intervals along a transect line.
.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....

Al-NAjah Private School

19

.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
.................................................................................................................................
....
(3)

Al-NAjah Private School

20

(b)

State one biotic factor that could be measured at each interval.

.................................................................................................................................
....
(1)

(c)

(i)

State one abiotic factor of soil that could determine the distribution of
plants.
........................................................................................................................
...
(1)

(ii)

Describe how you could measure this soil factor.

........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
........................................................................................................................
...
(2)
(Total 7 marks)

Al-NAjah Private School

21