MODULE: Ecosystems

Hour Intervention Session

Teaching Guide
Introduction

This 1 hour intervention has been designed for students to practice answering
TIMSS style assessment items that assess the key ideas that compose the
Ecosystem component of the TIMSS framework. It also helps them to practice
explaining the key concepts and apply their understanding.

The key ideas are listed below. Firstly give students time to answer questions 1 -11,
and then go through the answers and explanations where appropriate.

Question 12 is designed to finally test their understanding of all the key concepts.

Please note: It is really important that you spend time to explain the answers to the
assessment items when you go through them with the students.

Key ideas

 Plants are producers. They trap the energy from the Sun and use it to synthesise
sugar from carbon dioxide and water through the process of photosynthesis that
also produces oxygen
 Animals are consumers because they consume plants or animals
 Decomposers break down dead and decaying plants and animals
 A food chain starts with a plant (producer) and then has the animal (consumer)
that eats the plan, a herbivore,, followed by the animal (consumer)that eats the
herbivore, a carnivore. Arrows are drawn from the plant to the herbivore, from the
plant to the carnivore, and so on to show the direction that the energy flows. The
energy that originally came from the Sun and was trapped by the plant
 The energy in the form of food is transferred along the food chain or food chains
of a food web by consumers eating plants or other consumers
 The sugars in the food are used to release energy in the process of respiration
that requires oxygen. The oxygen is produced by plants during the process of
photosynthesis
 Respiration produces carbon dioxide as well as energy and water. Plants use
carbon dioxide in photosynthesis. Hence oxygen and carbon dioxide cycle
through the processes of photosynthesis and respiration
 It must be noted that plants respire as well as photosynthesise
 The energy produced by respiration is used to carry out all the processes of life
 Only the energy used in the building of cells and stored is transferred when an
organism is eaten.
 If numbers of producers decrease there will be a decrease in the numbers of
animals (consumers) that eat them and the animals that eat those animals, all the
way up the food chain
 If the numbers of a consumer at the top of the food chain decrease the numbers
of the animals they eat will increase but this would also lead to a decrease in the
numbers of animals this animal eats
 If a consumer in the middle of the food chain decrease this could cause a
decrease in the numbers of animals that eat them and an increase in the animals
or plants the decreasing consumers eat
 Numbers could suddenly decrease as a result of disease, natural disaster or
human activity (hunting, fishing, pollution)
 Introducing a new organism into an ecosystem could lead to numbers of other
consumers decreasing as a result of competition for food or as a result of the
introduced organism eating others. The effect would depend on their position in
the food chain
Assessment item answers

1. Which of the following statements is true about organisms that are consumers?

A They use energy from the sun to make food

B They absorb energy from a host animal

C They get energy from eating living things

D They get energy by breaking down dead plants and animals

2. Which of the following statements is true about organisms that are producers?

A They use energy from the sun to make food

B They absorb energy from a host animal

C They get energy from eating living things

D They get energy by breaking down dead plants and animals

3. Which of the following statements is true about organisms that are decomposers?

A They use energy from the sun to make food

B They absorb energy from a host animal

C They get energy from eating living things

D They get energy by breaking down dead plants and animals

 4. An incomplete food web has been drawn for you. Complete it by filling in each of
the empty circles with the number of the correct animal or plant from the list.
Remember that the arrows represent energy flow and go from the provider to the
user.

1 Caterpillar

2 Corn

3 Hawk

4 Snake

Mouse

Sunlight

Robin
Oak
Tree
5. Fill in each circle in this food web with the number of the correct plant or animal from the
list. Remember that the arrows point from the energy provider to the energy user.

1 Owl

2 Rose

3 Grass

4 Rabbit

Red
Fox

Skunk

Honey
bee
Sunlight
6. A forest contains trees, birds, monkeys, vines, frogs and has sunshine.

Explain why each of the following is important in maintaining the ecosystem in the
rainforest.

A The Tree

Trees produce oxygen and/or use carbon dioxide

Examples: Trees produce oxygen

Trees are important because the ecosystem needs the oxygen they give off

The tree helps the forest by turning the carbon dioxide into oxygen

The tree recycles carbon dioxide which animals give out

Other: The tree provides food or energy

Example: Food energy for animals

Animals eat the tree leaves or fruits

The tree provides energy for the ecosystem

Other: The tree provides shade or cover or home for animals

B The Sun

The sun is needed for photosynthesis (by plants)

Example: The sun provides light energy for plants so they can grow using
photosynthesis

The sun gives energy to chlorophyll in plants to make photosynthesis

Sun is needed for chlorophyll in plants to produce food

Sun gives energy

Other: The sun heats the forest

7. An aquarium has a light and contains two fish, a snail, plants, and a rock

Explain why each of the following is important in maintaining the ecosystem in the aquarium.

A The plants

Plants produce oxygen and/or use carbon dioxide

Examples: Plants produce oxygen

Plants are important because the ecosystem needs the oxygen they give off

The plants help the aquarium by turning the carbon dioxide into oxygen

The plants recycle carbon dioxide which animals give out

Other: Plants provide food or energy

Example: Food energy for snails

Snails eat the plants

Plants provide energy for the ecosystem

B The light

The light is needed for photosynthesis (by plants)

Example: The light provides light energy for plants so they can grow using
photosynthesis

The light gives energy to chlorophyll in plants to make photosynthesis

Light is needed for chlorophyll in plants to produce food

Light gives energy

Other: The light heats the aquarium

8. What could be the unwanted consequences of introducing a new species to a certain
area? Give an example.

Mention competition with native species (e.g. overpopulation, eating the limited food supply)

Example: They could eat all of the plants the other animals need to survive

The species could over breed

Mention new species could carry diseases (bacteria, viruses, parasites)

Example: The new species could carry viruses which kill off other species

Mention effects of predation (new species killing off species or visa-versa)

Example: A new species could kill off a species in the ecosystem

Mention the new species cannot survive in the new ecosystem (extinction due to
inhospitable habitat)

Example: They could have trouble adapting and die out

Mention upsetting food web or ecological balance

Example: The species could damage the food web. It could alter the environment

Mention mating with existing species

Example: Could give rise to a new species

9. The Galapagos Islands, a group of volcanic islands, were first inhabited by organisms
(plants and animals). When people came to live on the islands they brought with them a
number of new animals such as cats and goats.

Write down one effect the introduction of cats and goats could have on the plants and
animals living on the islands.

A. One effect of cats

Refer to cats as preying upon other organisms, or similar (resulting in a reduction in

population)

Examples They will eat the birds and other animals

The cats will help them by eating the rats and mice

The prey could become extinct

Other correct

Examples They might pass on diseases to other animals

B. One effect of Goats

Refers only to the goats eating plants (resulting in a reduction of the amount of plant life on
the island)

Example: The goats will eat all the grass on the island

It could lead to erosion if the goats clear the land by eating all the plants

Large pieces of grass will disappear as the goats eat it

Other: Refers to an effect of the goat on other animals (e.g. competition for food/habitat, as a
food source for predators etc.)

Examples: The animals that eat goats would have more food

They might become a source of food

The goats will eat up the plants and the populations that depend on plants will
decrease

C. Advice to conservationists

They should stop locals from introducing domestic animals such as cats and goats onto the
islands. The cats will prey animals possibly leading to reduction in their numbers and
possible extinction, they could also compete for prey with predators leading to a decrease in
their numbers. The goats could compete with herbivores for food leading to a decrease in
their numbers, and even extinction. There goats could increase in numbers to such a level
that they could cause the extinction of some species of plants. We would suggest capturing
the goats and cats and moving them to the mainland areas, or even culling them if this is not
possible. They should make it illegal to bring domestic animals and plants onto the islands to
prevent the consequences explained.
 10. Here is part of a food web for a lake.

A new species of fish is introduced. It eats water fleas and shrimp. It is smaller than
the perch and reproduces more quickly.

Explain two possible effects of introducing the alewife.

The number of the new fish will grow/The numbers of the perch will fall/ the number of water
fleas and shrimps will drop/the amount of algae will increase.
The numbers of the perch will fall because of because there will be less food/energy
available to the perch, OR The number of water fleas and shrimps will drop because there
will be more fish eating them, OR The amounts of algae will grow because there will be fewer
water fleas and shrimps to eat it.

Do Give credit for 2 part answers giving one effect + subsequent food chain implication e.g.
“The no. of alewife will grow more than the perch, and so they will eat most of the the
fleas/shrimps.”
OR “If there are less water fleas and shrimp (EFFECT) then the perch could start eating the
alewife” (IMPLICATION).
Do NOT give L6 credit for just two immediate effects without reasons given

2 marks for reasons based on energy AND food chains, AND a clear link between: the
number of the new fish will grow, because it reproduces faster, OR The numbers of the
perch will fall because of competition from the new species, will leave less
food/biomass/energy available to the perch.

Do NOT give marks for answers that just refer to numbers increasing/dropping.
 11. Here is a food chain in an ecosystem.

a) i) Name the producer.

Plant

ii) Explain why it is called a producer

It is called a producer because it uses the energy of the Sun to produce sugar from
Carbon Dioxide and Water.

ii) Explain why frogs are called consumers.

Because they don’t make their own food/because they eat plants/other animals
Do give credit for answers that demonstrate understanding of ‘consume’ e.g. ‘they consume
another animal or ‘mention energy e.g. ‘they consume the energy from the plants.’

b) i) If the plants die during a summer drought, the cricket population would
most likely:

Tick one box

Decrease
 Increase Remain the same

Explain your answer

The crickets eat the plants. Thus if the plant die the crickets would lose their food source and
their numbers would decrease.

ii) If the number of frogs increases, the snake population would most likely:

Tick one box

Decrease Increase
 Remain the same

Explain your answer

The snakes eat frogs if the frog population increases there would be more food
available for the snakes that could lead to an increase in their population.

12. Study the food web and then answer the questions below.

Tuna

Shark

Herring

Zooplankton

Whale

bee
Phytoplankton

a. Which organisms in this food we are producers?

Phytoplankton

b. Which organisms in this food web are consumers?

Zooplankton, Whales, Herring, Tuna and Shark

c. Where does the energy for this ecosystem come from?

Sun

d. Which organisms in this food web trap this energy?

Phytoplankton
e. i) How do they trap the energy?

The green pigment, chlorophyll traps the energy

ii) What is the process?

Photosynthesis

iii) Describe the process?

The energy of the Sun is used to combine water and carbon dioxide to
produce sugar. Oxygen is also produced

f. How is the energy transferred through this food web?

The zooplankton eat the phytoplankton thus some of the energy in the form of
starch and sugars is transferred to the zooplankton. The zooplankton are
eaten by the herring and whales and energy is transferred through that
consumption in the same way. Energy is transferred to tuna and then to
sharks as they eat herring and the sharks eat the tuna.

g. What is the energy used for?

The sugars are used in the process of respiration to release energy that is
used to carry out the processes of life in the organisms. Some of the sugars
are used for building cells and some are stored.

h. Is all the energy transferred? Explain your answer.

No. Only the energy used to build the cells of the organism and the stored
energy is transferred.

i. What would happen to the shark population if the tuna were over fished?
Explain your answer.

The shark eat the tuna. Thus if tuna stocks decrease the shark population
would decrease as there would be less food to sustain the population of
shark.

j. What would be the effect on the food web of over fishing of herring?

The tuna and shark populations would decrease as there would be less food
for the tuna and their population would decrease leading to a consequent
decrease in the population of the shark. The zooplankton numbers could
increase as not as many would be eaten by the herring, leading to an
increase of the whale population due an increase in its food. The increasing
zooplankton population would eat more phytoplankton thus deceasing the
phytoplankton population. Thus all organisms in the food chain wood be
affected.

k. What would be your advice to fisheries officers and fisherman fishing in the
waters of this food web? Give reasons for your advice.

They should ensure that herring and tuna populations are maintained at a
constant level by using quotas for fishermen for the reasons outlined above.

l. i) What gas is produced by the phytoplankton during day light?

Explain your answer.

They produce oxygen through the process of photosynthesis.

ii) How do the herring use this gas?

Explain your answer.

The herring use oxygen in the process of respiration to release energy that is
used to carry out all the processes of life.

iii) What gas do herring release?

Carbon dioxide that is also produced during respiration. The plants use this
gas in photosynthesis.

iv) What gas do phytoplankton produce at night? Explain your answer.

The phytoplankton produce carbon dioxide at night through the process of

respiration.

m) What happens to the organisms in the food web when they die?

They are eaten or decomposed by decomposers on the ocean floor.