Parliament Hill School

B7 Ecology Food questions

Q1. The figures below show how the yield of a wheat crop is affected by adding nitrogen
fertiliser.

Nitrogen fertiliser Yield

added (kg/hectare) (tonnes/hectare)

0 26
50 28
75 31
100 34
125 40
150 43
175 44
200 44

(a) Display these results on the graph paper in the most suitable way.

(4)

(b) What conclusions can you draw from the graph?

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(3)
(Total 7 marks)
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Q2. Scientists have discovered that curry spices affect sheep and cattle. Curry spices can
reduce the amount of methane that grazing animals give off.

‘Bad’ bacteria in the animal’s stomach produce methane. About 12% of the animal’s food
is changed into methane.

The curry spice coriander works like an antibiotic. Adding coriander to animal food
reduces methane production by about 40%.

(a) (i) Why does adding coriander to an animal’s food reduce methane production?

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(1)

(ii) Explain one advantage to a farmer of adding coriander to the animal’s food.

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(2)

(b) Farm animals give off large amounts of methane.

Explain the effects of adding large amounts of methane to the atmosphere.

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(3)
(Total 6 marks)

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Q3. In South Asia, forests are being cleared to grow palm oil trees. The palm oil is mainly used
to produce fuel for motor vehicles.

The graph shows the production of palm oil in one South Asian country.

(a) Calculate the mean increase in palm oil production per year for the five year period
2000 to 2005.

Show clearly how you work out your answer.

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Mean increase = .............................. millions of tonnes per year

(2)

(b) Clearing forests and replacing the forests with palm oil trees to produce fuel for
motor vehicles will affect the composition of the atmosphere.

Explain how.

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(5)
(Total 7 marks)

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Q4.The diagram shows a fermenter. This fermenter is used for growing the fungus
Fusarium. Fusarium is used to make mycoprotein.

(a) Bubbles of air enter the fermenter at A.

Give two functions of the air bubbles.

1......................................................................................................................

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2......................................................................................................................

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(2)

(b) Why is glucose added to the fermenter?

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(1)

(c) The fermenter is prevented from overheating by the cold water flowing in through
the heat exchanger coils at C.

Name the process that causes the fermenter to heat up.

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(1)

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(d) It is important to prevent microorganisms other than Fusarium growing in the

fermenter.

(i) Why is this important?

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

(ii) Suggest one way in which contamination of the fermenter by microorganisms

could be prevented.

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(1)

(e) Human cells cannot make some of the amino acids which we need. We must obtain
these amino acids from our diet.

The table shows the amounts of four of these amino acids present in mycoprotein, in
beef and in wheat.

Amount of amino acid per 100 g Daily amount

in mg
Name of
needed by a
amino acid
70 kg human
Mycoprotein Beef Wheat
in mg

Lysine 910 1600 300 840

Methionine 230 500 220 910

Phenylalanine 540 760 680 980

Threonine 610 840 370 490

A diet book states that mycoprotein is the best source of amino acids for the human
diet.

Evaluate this statement.

Remember to include a conclusion in your evaluation.

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(4)
(Total 10 marks)
Q5 The information in the table compares two farms.
Both are the same size, on similar land, close to one another and both are equally well managed.
Name of Activity Energy value of Number of people whose
farm food for humans energy requirements
produced in can be met by
one year this food

Greenbank Grows food for 3285 million kJ 720

Farm humans

Oaktree Grows food for 365 million kJ 80

Farm animals on the
farm which become
food for humans

(a) Use this information to work out the average daily human energy requirement in
kilojoules (kJ) per day.

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Energy requirement = ................................. kJ/day

(2)

(b) The figures show that farms like Greenbank Farm can be nine times more efficient
at meeting human food energy requirements than farms such as Oaktree Farm.

(i) The food chain for Greenbank Farm is:

vegetation → humans

What is the food chain for Oaktree Farm?

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(1)

(ii) Explain why Greenbank Farm is much more efficient at meeting human food
energy requirements.

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(3)

(c) The human population has been increasing rapidly throughout this century. It is now
about 6 billion and is still growing. What does the information in this question
suggest about likely changes in the human diet which may need to occur during the
coming century? Explain your answer.

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(4)
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(Total 10 marks)

Q6. The diagram shows the amounts of energy that are transferred, over a period of time,
through some living things in a grassland habitat.

(a) Calculate the amount of energy transferred from the grass to the cows.

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Amount of energy = ..................................................... kJ

(1)

(b) X is a process in plants.

(i) Calculate the amount of energy usefully transferred by process X.

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Amount of energy = ..................................................... kJ

(1)

(ii) Name process X.

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(1)

(c) Give two ways in which energy is ‘lost’ from the cows at Y.

1 ......................................................................................................................

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2 ......................................................................................................................

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(2)

(d) Describe how hormones can be used to improve the efficiency of producing food
from plants.

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(2)
(Total 7 marks)

Q7. The figures below show the levels of carbon dioxide in air from 150 000 years ago.

TIME CARBON DIOXIDE CONCENTRATION

1500 years ago 270 parts per million

1800 AD 290 parts per million

1957 315 parts per million

1983 340 parts per million

(a) Explain why carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are changing.

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(3)

(b) It is suggested that the increased level of carbon dioxide in the air is causing the
atmosphere to warm up (the “Greenhouse Effect”).

Describe, as fully as you can, two major effects of global warming and how these
may affect the human population.

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(6)
(Total 9 marks)

Q8.Food security is when a population has enough food to stay healthy.

Lack of food security is a global problem.

One way to maintain food security is to increase the efficiency of food production.

The diagram below shows how some pigs are farmed using intensive methods.

© Ingram Publishing/Thinkstock

(a) Some people think the farming methods shown in the diagram above are unethical.

Suggest two other possible disadvantages of intensive farming methods.

1 .....................................................................................................................

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2 .....................................................................................................................

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(2)

(b) Explain how the intensive farming of pigs increases the efficiency of food
production.

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(4)

(c) A newspaper reported that:

‘Food security is a serious problem in remote communities in Canada.

This is because Aboriginal communities are eating fewer traditional foods.’

One traditional food eaten by Aboriginal communities in Canada is seal.

Look at the table below

Number of seals
Year caught in
thousands

2004 362

2005 316

2006 348

2007 224

2008 215

2009 91

2010 67

Calculate the percentage (%) decrease in the number of seals caught from 2004 to
2010.

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Decrease in seals = ............................................. %

(2)

(d) The conclusion in the newspaper might not be correct.

Suggest two reasons why.

1 .....................................................................................................................

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2 .....................................................................................................................

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(2)
(Total 10 marks)

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Q9.

The graph shows the variations in the North Sea herring population between 1952 and
1974. These fish were formerly caught in large numbers by fleets of trawlers but fishing
has been restricted since 1974 as a conservation measure. Herrings lay about 20 000
eggs per year but do not reproduce until they are about 3–5 years old, when they are
about 25cm long. It takes 11 years for a herring to reach its mature adult length.

The following measures have been suggested to prevent overfishing:

• limiting mesh size of nets,

• specifying maximum catch by each boat per year.

• prohibiting fishing in herring breeding grounds.

• prohibiting fishing at certain times of the year.

Evaluate their probable effects on both fish stocks and the fishermen, using the
information given above.
(Total 9 marks)

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M1

(a) both axes labelled

both axes appropriate scale
plotting 7 correct
good attempt at line graph
each for 1 mark
4

(b) more fertiliser added more yield increased

gains 1 mark

but
yield increases with fertiliser up to maximum
gains 2 marks

yield increase slows down above 125/150 kg/ha

either for 1 further mark

(do not allow yield falls)

maximum yield with 175 kg/ha
3
[7]

M2. (a) (i) kills / gets rid of / reduces methane bacteria

allow kills / gets rid of / reduces bad bacteria
ignore acts like antibiotic
1

(ii) less food converted to methane

allow can keep more cattle without further environmental
damage
ignore energy
1

more growth / meat / muscle / milk produced / more profit / fatter animals
ignore references to bacteria and disease
1

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(b) absorbs energy / heat radiated by Earth
allow absorbs / traps energy / heat / from Earth
do not allow absorbs energy / heat from Sun
1

some energy / heat reradiated

ignore reflected
do not allow reradiates energy / heat from Sun
1

leading to global warming / enhanced greenhouse effect

accept effects of global warming eg melting ice caps
accept methane is a greenhouse gas
ignore references to ozone
1
[6]

M3. (a) 860

correct answer gains 2 marks
if answer incorrect evidence of (6100 - 1800) ÷ 5
or 4300 ÷ 5
or (900 + 600 + 1000 + 700 + 1100) ÷ 5 gains 1 mark
allow ecf from 1 incorrect graph reading
2

(b) ignore references to oxygen / sulfur dioxide / nitrogen oxides / acid

rain ignore global warming

Effects of deforestation

deforestation increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

award this point only if linked to deforestation
1

any two from:

• due to less photosynthesis or less carbon dioxide taken in

or carbon dioxide not locked up in (forest) trees

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• due to burning of forest / from machinery

• due to activity of microorganisms / decay

2

Effects of growing palm for fuel

carbon dioxide released when palm oil used as fuel

1

(eventually) CO intake and output might balance out or burning palm

2

oil carbon neutral

accept less carbon dioxide than from burning fossil fuels
1
[7]

M4.(a) circulating / mixing / described or temperature maintenance

1

supply oxygen
or for aerobic conditions
or for faster respiration
do not allow oxygen for anaerobic respiration
1

(b) energy supply / fuel / use in respiration

do not allow just food / growth
ignore reference to aerobic / anaerobic

or material for growth / to make mycoprotein

1

(c) respiration
allow exothermic reaction
allow catabolism
ignore metabolism
ignore aerobic / anaerobic
1

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(d) (i) any one from:

• compete (with Fusarium) for food / oxygen or reduce yield of

Fusarium

• make toxic waste products or they might cause disease /

pathogenic or harmful to people / to Fusarium
do not allow harmful unqualified
1

(ii) steam / heat treat / sterilise fermenter (before use)

not just clean

or
steam / heat treat / steriliseglucose / minerals / nutrients / water (before
use)
or
filter / sterilise air intake
or
check there are no leaks
allow sterilisation unqualified not just use pure glucose
1

(e) any three from:

• beef is best or beef is better than mycoprotein

• mycoprotein mainly better than wheat

• more phenylalanine in wheat than in mycoprotein

allow equivalent numerical statements

• but no information given on other amino acids / costs / foods

3

overall conclusion:

statement is incorrect because

either
it would be the best source for vegetarians
or
for given amino acids, beef is the best source
or
three foods provide insufficient data to draw a valid conclusion
1
[10]

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M5. (a) 12 500

incorrect numerical answer but clear evidence of correct
working e.g. 365 million ÷ 365 ÷ 80 or 3285 million ÷ 365
÷720 credit with (1)
2

(b) (i) vegetation

→ (farm) animals → humans
accept any correct variation on this theme
e.g. grass → lambs → humans
1

(ii) any three linked points from

* less links in the food chain

or only one link in the food chain

* energy ‘wasted’ or ‘lost’ or

‘used’ at each link
* energy ‘wasted’ or ‘lost’ in (the
process of) respiration
* energy ‘used’ to maintain body
temperature
* energy ‘used’ by the animals in
movement
3

(c) people will eat more/greater proportion

of food from plants
accept people will eat less/smaller proportion of food from
animals
do not credit ‘everyone will stop eating meat’
1

any three linked points from

these marks are independent of the ‘prediction’ mark
do not credit ‘food from plants will become less expensive’

* meat will become more expensive

* only a limited area of land
available on the planet (for food
production or otherwise)

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* more people means less land
available for food production
because some used for housing etc.
* land will become more expensive
* land will have to be used more
efficiently
or more people will go hungry
or people will (each) eat less

* livestock farmers will try to improve efficiency

* (leading to) growth of ‘factory farming’
* demand for food will rise (total)
3
[10]

M6. (a) 3060 (kJ)

1

(b) (i) 22060 (kJ)

1

(ii) photosynthesis
1

(c) faeces / undigested food

reference to movement and respiration are neutral

urine / urea
2
accept excretion / waste / droppings if
both of the mark points are not gained

(d) any two from

• control ripening
• herbicides
• prevent over ripening in transport
• stimulate root growth
other growth references are not neutral
• use in tissue culture to produce large numbers of plantlets
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2
[7]

M7. (a) idea:

more (fossil) fuel burned (do not credit simply more people/cars/industry)
deforestation = less photosynthesis
deforestation = more respiration/burning
each for 1 mark
3

(b) idea:
climate change
for 1 mark

warmer/colder/drier/wetter
food production affected/starvation
mayor ecosystems destroyed/damaged
any two for 1 mark each
6

sea level rise

for 1 mark

low land flooded

less food grown/starvation
homes/factories flooded
any two for 1 mark each

Allow
polar ice caps melt
sea water expands
[9]

M8.(a) any two from:

• diseases spread more rapidly
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• antibiotics can build up in the food chain
or
over use of antibiotics
• increased use of fossil fuels (to heat the barn)
2

(b) Level 2 (3–4 marks):

Clear statements made identifying the farming methods which are linked to relevant
explanations of how this increases the efficiency of food production.

Level 1 (1–2 marks):

Simple statements made identifying the farming methods used, but no attempt to
link to explanations of how this increases the efficiency of food production.

0 marks:
No relevant content.

Indicative content

statements:
• kept inside or in a temperature controlled environment
• kept enclosed or in a restricted environment

explanations:
• less energy / heat is lost in controlling body temperature
• less energy required for movement
• so more energy is available for growth
• less energy / heat is transferred to the environment
4

(c) (362 − 67 = 295) / 362 × 100

1

81 / 81.49 / 81.5
allow 81 / 81.49 / 81.5 with no working shown for 2 marks
1

(d) aboriginal people can eat other foods (so they may not be in food insecurity)
1

we do not know if other (traditional) food sources have declined

1
[10]

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M9. ideas that:

large mesh
allows small fish to escape so they live long enough/grow big enough to breed
maintains stocks

close season
maintains stocks
unless catch more in rest of time
especially important in breeding season

closed areas
maintains stocks
especially important for breeding grounds
but can’t make fish stay inside area

quotas
maintains stocks
plus difficulty of enforcement of any/all of above
any 7 for 1 mark each

fisherman (effect of controls on)

reduced catches/less income controls
harder to catch fish
but will ensure their future
any 3 for 1 mark each
to max. of 9
(credit other good but unanticipated reasons)
[9]

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