IGCSE Biology – Comprehensive Review Worksheet

Lessons Covered: CORMS | Ecosystem I | Ecosystem II

TOPIC 1: Experimental Design (CORMS)

1.2 Variables
 Define independent variable (IV).
 Define dependent variable (DV).
 Define controlled variable.
 Explain why changing a control variable invalidates results.
 On a graph, which axis shows the IV? Which shows the DV?
 Identify IV, DV and controls in the investigation: 'Does fertiliser concentration affect plant
height?'

1.3 CORMS Framework

 Explain what each letter in CORMS stands for.
 Explain how reliability is improved using repeats and averaging.
 Explain what M1 and M2 marks represent in measurement.
 Describe at least three variables that must be standardised in a photosynthesis experiment.

1.4 Extended Practice

 Design a full 6-mark experiment to investigate the effect of temperature on enzyme activity
using CORMS.
 Design an experiment to test how carbon dioxide concentration affects photosynthesis rate.
 Identify possible sources of error in biological investigations.

TOPIC 2: Ecosystem I

2.1 Key Ecological Definitions

 Define ecosystem.
 Define habitat.
 Define population.
 Define community.
 Define niche.
 Give two examples of abiotic factors.
 Give two examples of biotic factors.

2.2 Components of Ecosystems

 Define producer.
 Define consumer.
 Define decomposer.
 Explain how decomposers contribute to nutrient cycling.
 Define autotroph and explain how they obtain energy.
 Define heterotroph.
  Distinguish between herbivore, carnivore, omnivore and detrivore.

2.3 Seasons and Abiotic Changes

 Explain how Earth's tilt causes seasonal changes.
 Describe abiotic changes during spring.
 Describe abiotic changes during summer.
 Describe abiotic changes during autumn.
 Describe abiotic changes during winter.
 Explain how seasonal changes affect plant photosynthesis.
 Explain how seasonal changes affect animal behaviour.
 Explain seasonal effects on aquatic ecosystems (phytoplankton, oxygen levels).

2.4 Feeding Relationships

 Define food chain.
 Explain why arrows point in the direction of energy flow.
 Construct two different food chains from a grassland ecosystem.
 Explain why feeding relationships affect population size and distribution.

TOPIC 3: Ecosystem II

3.1 Trophic Levels

 Define trophic level.
 List trophic levels from producer to quaternary consumer.
 Explain why organisms may belong to more than one trophic level in a food web.

3.2 Food Webs

 Explain why food webs are more realistic than food chains.
 Identify producers and consumers in a complex food web.
 Explain what would happen if one species were removed from a food web.

3.3 Energy Transfer

 State the percentage of energy transferred between trophic levels.
 Explain why most energy is lost as heat.
 List other ways energy is lost between trophic levels.
 Calculate energy available at each level if producers have 5000 kcal.
 Explain why shorter food chains are more energy efficient.
 Explain why herbivorous diets are more energy efficient than carnivorous diets.

3.4 Ecological Pyramids

 Define pyramid of numbers.
 Define pyramid of biomass.
 Compare pyramids of numbers and biomass.
 Explain why pyramids of energy are always upright.
 TOPIC 4: The Carbon Cycle

4.1 Carbon Cycle Processes

 Define the carbon cycle.
 Describe the role of photosynthesis in carbon fixation.
 Describe the role of respiration (plants, animals and decomposers).
 Describe fossilisation and how fossil fuels are formed.
 Explain how combustion returns carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.
 Explain the role of death and decomposition in the carbon cycle.

4.2 Application and Analysis

 Describe the carbon cycle as a continuous system.
 Explain how burning fossil fuels influences global atmospheric carbon levels.
Grade 10 Biology

C.O.R.M.S.

How are the marks allocated? CORMMSS…..

What is being Changed? This is the Independent Variable.

C
Presence/absence (e.g. light v. dark) or range of values (range of light intensity)

What Organism will you use?

O
(same species/gender/age/mass)

R Repeat experiments for Reliable Results (How often?)

Measurements taken – the Dependent Variable. A change in mass/height/ number. Something

measurable in numbers- you should also identify your measuring tool. (M1)
M(X2)
There should also be reference to some sort of Measured timescale seconds/minutes/ hours/
days. (M2)

S(X2) Variables that should be kept the Same to ensure a fair test. These are the control variables.
Grade 10 Biology

Ecosystems I Name_______________________Date____________Class__________

Answer the following questions below:

1. There are 3 main components of an ecosystem. Briefly describe each.

Producers: ___________________________________________________________________

Consumers: __________________________________________________________________

Decomposers: _________________________________________________________________

2. What is a habitat?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

3. The living components of an ecosystem are called ________________ components and the non-living

components of an ecosystem are called ________________ components.

4. What is the difference between population and community?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

5. Give 5 examples of biotic components in an ecosystem.

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

6. Give 5 examples of abiotic components in an ecosystem.

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________
7. List and describe the 3 feeding types.

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________
Grade 10 Biology

Ecosystems I Name_______________________Date____________Class__________

ANSWERS
1. There are 3 main components of an ecosystem? Briefly describe each.
 Producers: Plants using photosynthesis to produce food.
 Consumers: Animals that eat plants and other animals.
 Decomposers: Organisms that break down dead material and help recycle nutrients.

2. What is a habitat?
 A habitat is the kind of natural environment in which a particular species of organism lives.
 It is characterized by both physical and biological features. A species' habitat is those places where it can find
food, shelter, protection and mates for reproduction.

3. The living components of an ecosystem are called biotic components and the non-living components
of an ecosystem are called abiotic components.

4. What is the difference between population and community?

 Population: All the organisms of a particular species found in an ecosystem at a certain time.
 Community: The populations of ALL species found found in an ecosystem at a particular time.

5. Give 5 examples of biotic components in an ecosystem.

 Trees, fish, mold, mushrooms, birds, animals, flowers, insects, etc…

6. Give 5 examples of abiotic components in an ecosystem.

 Water, air, soil, temperature, pH, rocks, humidity, etc…

7. What are the 3 feeding types and describe each one.

 Autotrophs (producers): Self feeders, produce their own food through photosynthesis
 Heterotrophs: Depend on other organisms for their food
 Decomposers: Break down and absorb nutrients from dead, decaying organisms

8. What is symbiosis?
 Symbiosis is a close, permanent relationship between organisms.

9. What are the 3 types of symbiosis? Give a definition for each and give at least one example.
 Commensalism: one organism benefits and the and the other is not affected. Remora/Shark
 Mutualism: Both organisms benefit from the relationship. Bee/Flower
 Parisitism: One organism benefits and the other is harmed. Mosquito/Human

10. What is biodiversity?

 All the variety of life that can be found on Earth (plants, animals, fungi and micro-organisms) as well as to the
communities that they form and the habitats in which they live.

11. Why is biodiversity important in an ecosystem?

 A healthy ecosystem has a large biodiversity, a large degree of interdependence between species and provides
stability for all inhabitants. Within an ecosystem species help maintain the external physical environment and
depend on each other for shelter and food.
Grade 10 Biology

Ecosystems II Name_______________________Date____________Class__________

Answer the following questions below:

1. What is the difference between a food chain and a food web?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

2. What is a trophic level in a food chain?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

3. Why are energy pyramids important when studying ecosystems?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

4. On average, how much energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next trophic level?

____________________________________________________________________________
5. What is the difference between a pyramid of numbers and a pyramid of biomass?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

6. The carbon cycle is important in ecology. Explain why it is important.

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________
Grade 10 Biology

Ecosystems I

ANSWERS
1. What is the difference between a food chain and a food web?
 Food Chain - sequence of transfers of matter and energy in the form of food from organism to organism. A food
chain is a succession of organisms that eat other organisms and may, in turn, be eaten themselves.
 Food Web - more complicated and more realistic than a food chain. Shows more than one possible food source
for each organism.

2. What is a trophic level in a food chain?

 The position it occupies in a food web. The trophic level of an organism is the number of steps it is from the start
of the chain.

3. Why are energy pyramids important when studying ecosystems?

 Energy pyramids show the distribution of energy among trophic levels.

4. On average, how much energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next trophic level?
 10 %

5. What is the difference between an pyramid of numbers and a pyramid of biomass?

 Pyramids of Numbers: the number of organisms in each trophic level in a food chain.
 Pyramids of Biomass: total mass of the organisms in each trophic level in a food chain.

6. The carbon cycle is important in ecology. Explain why it is important.

 The carbon cycle is important in ecosystems because it moves carbon, a life-sustaining element, from the
atmosphere and oceans into organisms and back again to the atmosphere and oceans.