Cambridge Lower Secondary Science
Year 8
Ecosystems.
Teacher: Mr. Bermúdez
UNIT 7. Revision
1. In the late 1950s, scientists recorded a high number of dead seed-eating birds like pheasants
and partridges.
They also recorded deaths of lots of apex predators such as falcons and foxes.
High levels of a pesticide called dieldrin was found in bodies of the organisms.
Before seeds were sown to produce new crops, they were dipped into dieldrin to stop pests eating
them.
Write a paragraph to explain why you think seed-eating birds and apex predators died.
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2. Match the words with their correct meanings. (Write the correct letter in each box)
3. Use the following food chains to make a food web diagram.
4. In the food web diagram from question 3, label all the trophic levels.
5. How many omnivores are in the food web diagram from question 3?
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5. Tropical rainforests are very complex ecosystems. Many different species live in a tropical
rainforest.
a. Use the photographs to describe two habitats in the tropical rainforest ecosystem.
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b. Suggest the advantages to bromeliads of growing in their particular habitat.
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c. Suggest the advantages to the frog of living in their particular habitat.
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d. Explain the difference between an ecosystem and a habitat.
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6. Coral reefs are formed by tiny animals called coral polyps. Their hard skeletons provide many
different habitats where other species can live.
One of these species is a single-celled alga that makes a toxic substance called ciguatoxin.
Herbivorous fish eat the alga. Carnivorous fish eat the herbivorous fish. Humans often eat the
carnivorous fish.
a. Thousands of different species live on coral reefs Use the information to suggest why so many
species can live there.
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b. What is meant by 'a toxic substance'?
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c. Use the information shown above to construct a food chain.
7. Look at the food web diagram. Which of the organisms would be killed by a herbicide? (Tick 1
correct answer)
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8. Toxic chemicals can build up in organisms in a food chain. This is known as ...
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9. Saguaro cacti are found only in the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, USA. They can live to be 200
years old. Saguaro cacti grow in dry places, where it rains only occasionally. Their roots spread out
widely, just below the soil surface. This means that they can capture a lot of water when it rains.
They do not have leaves, because water would evaporate from them. The plant would dry out.
Instead, the cactus uses its green stems to make food by photosynthesis. Saguaro cacti cannot
grow in places where the temperature falls below 0°C. Their cells are killed if they freeze. There are
sharp spines on the cactus stems, which protect them from being eaten by animals.
a. Describe the habitat of the saguaro cactus.
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b. Describe two ways in which the saguaro cactus is adapted to live in this habitat.
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c. It is much colder on the mountains than in the desert. Explain why saguaro cacti cannot grow on
the high mountain
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10. Define the terms “herbivore”, “carnivore” and “omnivore”.
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11. Complete the sentences. Use each of these words once only.
12. Beavers are mammals that live in streams and rivers in North America. They have thick, soft,
waterproof fur. Beavers make dams in rivers. The dams slow down the river water and form deep,
wide pools. Beavers use their sharp teeth to cut down trees to build their dams.
a. What is the habitat of beavers?
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b. Describe how beavers change the habitat that they live in.
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In 1946, some beavers were taken to Tierra del Fuego in South America, to breed for their fur.
Today, no beavers are used for fur. But the beavers still live in Tierra del Fuego. The numbers of
beavers have increased. Their dams have caused a lot of damage to local ecosystems.
In North America, beavers are killed and eaten by brown bears. Some people have suggested
introducing brown bears to Tierra del Fuego, to control the beavers.
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c. Explain why this is not a good idea.
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13. Microplastics cannot be broken down by living things. They show bioaccumulation.
a. Explain what is meant by bioaccumulation.
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b. Seals eat fish. Explain why the concentration of microplastics in a seal’s body may be greater
than the concentration in a fish’s body.
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14. Write down, in order, the levels of organization. Start from ‘atom’ and finish with ‘ecosystem’.
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15.
a.
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b.
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c.
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d.
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e. In Figure 1: draw the decomposers. Show the flow of energy as well.
f. Define the term “decomposer”.
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16.
a. Why numbers may decrease.
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b. Why numbers may increase.
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