HKDSE/BIO/ECOSYSTEM/EX/1
Biotic interaction
[HKALE2001 I]
2. The following table shows different types of interspecific interactions. The effect
of each interaction on the population size of the species concerned is represented
by the following symbols:
'+' = increase '-' = decrease '0' = unaffected
Effect of interaction on the species
Type of interspecific interaction
Species 1 Species 2
Neutralism 0 0
Predation + -
M + -
N + +
Commensalism P Q
Competition R S
(a) What type of interspecific interaction does each of M and N represent ? (2
marks)
(b) What effect do 'commensalism' and 'competition' have on the population size
of each species ? Using the appropriate symbols, write the answers for
(i) P and Q (ii) R and S
HKDSE/BIO/ECOSYSTEM/EX/2
HKDSE 2017
HKDSE/BIO/ECOSYSTEM/EX/3
HKDSE/BIO/ECOSYSTEM/EX/4
HKDSE 2019
HKDSE/BIO/ECOSYSTEM/EX/5
HKDSE 2021
HKDSE/BIO/ECOSYSTEM/EX/6
HKDSE/BIO/ECOSYSTEM/EX/7
Food chain, food web and food pyramids
[HKDSE 2012]
HKDSE/BIO/ECOSYSTEM/EX/8
[HKCEE2010]
The diagram below shows the energy flow in a food chain.
(a) Explain the difference between the energy stored in biomass and the energy
gained at each trophic level. ( 2marks)
(b) Suggest two reasons to explain why in each trophic level the energy gained is
always less than the energy that can be provided by the previous trophic level.
(2 marks)
(c) Below is the comparison of the average mass of individual organisms in a food
chain:
Average mass of individual organisms (arbitrary
unit)
Producer 100000
Primary consumer 1
Secondary consumer 100
Sketch a pyramid of numbers relating the three trophic levels. ( 3 marks)
HKDSE/BIO/ECOSYSTEM/EX/9
[HKDSE 2015]
HKDSE/BIO/ECOSYSTEM/EX/10
HKDSE 2020
HKDSE/BIO/ECOSYSTEM/EX/11
HKCEE 1999
4. (c) Answer the questions below with reference to the following paragraphs which
are extracted from a newspaper article:
Large marine fish usually feed on small fish, which in turn feed on microscopic
algae. Explain why the risk of poisoning is much higher when people eat large marine
fish. (4 marks)
HKDSE/BIO/ECOSYSTEM/EX/12
Material cycling
[HKALE 2007 I]
1. The following flowchart shows part of the nitrogen cycle in the aquatic ecosystem.
(a) In each of the boxes below, state a compound which contains nitrogen.
(3 marks)
(b) In the flow chart, circle the process that incorporates inorganic nitrogen into
the living system. (1 mark)
dissolved nitrogen in aquatic environment
nitrogen fixation
(i)
feeding
organic nitrogen in animal tissues
decomposition
(ii)
nitrification
(iii)
denitrification
nitrogen
HKDSE/BIO/ECOSYSTEM/EX/13
HKCEE 2009
The following diagram shows the freshwater aquarium set up by Cindy.
All the fish died after one week. She learnt from the internet that a high level of
ammonia in water is harmful to the fish. She suspected that this caused their death.
(a) Account for the presence of ammonia in the aquarium. ( 2 marks)
(b) After searching on the internet, she found that the ammonium concentration in
water can be lowered by installing a biological filter seeded with bacteria. To
set up the aquarium again, she purchased a biological filter and noted the
following instructions:
I. Leave the tap water in the aquarium for at least one night before
installing the filter.
II. Allow the filter to operate for four weeks before putting fish in the
aquarium.
(i) What kind of bacteria is seeded in the biological filter? Explain how this
kind of bacteria can lower the ammonia concentration in the aquarium.
(2 marks)
(ii) With reference to the process of water treatment in Hong Kong, explain
why instruction I is necessary. (2 marks)
(iii) Why is it necessary to leave the filter operating for four weeks before
putting fish in the aquarium? (1 mark)
(c) Cindy is advised to grow some water plants in the aquarium. What is the role of
the water plants in the cycling of materials in the aquarium? (2 marks)
HKDSE/BIO/ECOSYSTEM/EX/14
HKDSE2013
HKDSE/BIO/ECOSYSTEM/EX/15
HKDSE2020
HKDSE/BIO/ECOSYSTEM/EX/16
HKDSE/BIO/ECOSYSTEM/EX/17
Energy flow & Material cycling
[HKCEE 2005]
4. Some vegetarians eat plant foods only.
(b) Most plant foods have a low protein content. Suggest a plant food that can
provide a lot of protein to the vegetarians. (1 mark)
(c) A piece of agricultural land can be used for growing crops, or for growing
grass to raise cattle for meat. Explain why crop-growing can provide more
food for human consumption than cattle-raising. (4 marks)
[HKCEE 2007]
8. (a) The photograph below shows an ecosphere︰
The ecosphere is a self-sustaining ecosystem sealed in a glass container.
It contains bacteria, microscopic algae, shrimps and branches of dead coral in filtered
seawater.
(i) Why is it essential to put the algae into the ecosphere to make it self-sustaining? (4 marks)
(ii) How can the activity of the bacteria contribute to the growth of algae? (2 marks)
(ii) This ecosphere can only support two tropic levels. Suggest a possible explanation for this.
(2marks)
HKDSE/BIO/ECOSYSTEM/EX/18
[HKCEE 2004]
4. (b) Some industries produce mercury-containing wastes which may be discharged
into the sea. The table below shows the mercury levels in the seawater and the marine
organisms around the area of discharge:
Mercury level (ppb)
Normal seawater 0.1
Seawater containing industrial wastes 2
Squid 400
Shrimp 50
Tuna fish 12000
Microscopic algae 8
(i) With reference to the mercury level in various marine organisms, construct a
probable food chain using these organisms. (1 mark)
(ii) Explain why tuna fish contains a much higher mercury level than shrimp. (3 marks)
(iii) After consuming seafood harvested in this area for years, people may develop the
symptom of shaky hands. This is a sign of mercury poisoning. Suggest which
body system is likely to have been affected. (1 mark)
(iii) Describe how the nitrogen in the shrimp can be made available to the
microscopic algae after the death of the shrimp. (4 marks)
HKDSE/BIO/ECOSYSTEM/EX/19
Succession
[PP-1B-8]
HKDSE/BIO/ECOSYSTEM/EX/20
[HKDSE 2014]
HKDSE/BIO/ECOSYSTEM/EX/21
HKDSE 2019
HKDSE/BIO/ECOSYSTEM/EX/22
Miscellaneous
HKDSE Practice Paper
HKDSE/BIO/ECOSYSTEM/EX/23
[HKDSE 2013]