Effects of Humans on Ecosystems (Cambridge O Level Biology)

Exam Questions

1 hour19 questions
1
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4 marks

Fig. 1 is part of a newspaper article about pollution.

screenshot-2022-10-13-15-46-52Fig. 1

State four sources of water pollution other than raw sewage. 

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1a
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4 marks

Deforestation can cause an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

(i)

State two other undesirable effects of deforestation.

[2]

(ii)

State two uses for land that has been cleared of trees.

[2]
1b
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5 marks
The forests in Brazil contain many endangered species.

Table 1 shows the area of forest that was removed in Brazil each year between 2006–2010.

Table 1

year area of forest removed / km2
2006 14 286
2007 12 651
2008 11 911
2009 7 464
2010 7 000

(i)
Calculate the average area of forest removed per year from 2006 to 2010.

Give your answer in km2. Show your working.

[2]

(ii)

Describe the trend in the data shown in Table 1.

[1]
(iii)

Suggest two reasons for the trend you have described in part (ii).

[2]

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2a
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4 marks

Some animals are farmed intensively.

Describe the negative impacts to an ecosystem of intensive livestock production.

2b
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3 marks

State why fertilisers, herbicides and insecticides are used in farming.

2c
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2 marks

Fertilisers, herbicides and insecticides can all pollute water.

List two other sources of water pollution.

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3a
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4 marks

Fig. 1 shows a photograph of an area where the trees have been cut down.

screenshot-2022-10-05-16-51-50

Fig. 1

(i)

State the name of the type of habitat destruction shown in Fig. 1.

[1]

(ii)
List three undesirable effects of habitat destruction.
[3]
3b
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3 marks

State three human activities, other than cutting down large areas of trees, that can cause habitat destruction.

3c
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3 marks

Human activity can cause pollution of the environment.

Table 1 shows some pollutants, the environment they pollute and some of the effects.

Complete Table 1.

Table 1

pollutant environment effect of pollutant on the environment
methane air  
herbicides   kills non-targeted plants
  water increased growth of water plants

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44 marks

A farmer has not used any insecticides or artificial fertilisers on a crop. 

Explain ways in which this may help the local environment.

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55 marks

Many scientists predict that, as the world’s human population increases, there will be a shortage of food.

Suggest and explain why an increase in human population is predicted to lead to a global human food shortage.

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1a
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3 marks

Fig.1 shows a river and the location of a fertiliser factory. The arrows indicate the direction of the flow of the river.

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Fig. 1

A scientist recorded the nitrate concentrations of the water at site A and site B

Table 1 shows the results of this investigation.

Table 1

site nitrate concentration / mg dm-3
sample 1 sample 2 sample 3 mean
A 16 23 21 20
B 52 71 66 63

Calculate the percentage difference in the mean nitrate concentration between site A and B.

Show your working and state the nature of the difference.

1b
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4 marks

Scientists observed algae and dead fish at site B.

Suggest an explanation for these observations.

1c
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3 marks

Explain the importance of using chemical fertiliser in modern farming practices.

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2a
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1 mark

The graph in Fig. 1 shows the area of forest land lost in Ecuador in the years 2014 - 2019 inclusive. 

ecuador-deforestation-1

Fig. 1

Calculate the total area of land lost to deforestation in Ecuador from the beginning of 2014 to the end of 2019. 

2b
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2 marks

Identify in Table 1 below the possible reasons for the change in the area of forest lost per year between 2014 and 2017.

Place a tick () in the boxes below that apply.

Table 1

The local people stop growing maize  
Less new house-building is needed for the population  
The local people decided to farm sheep and goats  
More trees have been planted  
A company starts growing sugar cane for the production of biofuel  



2c
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2 marks

Suggest two explanations for the reductions in loss of forest land in Ecuador in the years 2018 and 2019.

2d
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2 marks

Conservationists looking at the data in Fig. 1 would not be fully satisfied with the 2018 - 2019 trend shown in the data.

Explain why. 

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