National 5 Biology
Life on Earth
Homework
a)Biodiversity & the Distribution of Life
Holy Cross High School
Page 1
Homework 1 (17 marks)
1. Match the following terms with their correct definition:
Habitat
The role an organism plays in the community
Population
A non-living factor which can affect an ecosystem
Ecosystem
The variety of all living things on Earth
Community
Living factors which can affect an ecosystem
Niche
All the living organisms together
Abiotic
Place where an organism lives in an ecosystem
Biotic
Natural biological unit made up of living organisms and their
non-living environment
Biodiversity
All the members of one species in an ecosystem
Loss of land to desert as a result of human activities
Competition
General term for the contamination of the environment
Deforestation
Struggle for existence between members of a community
for essential resources
Desertification
Clearing of natural forests and failure to renew them
Pollution
(11)
2. Insert the following words below under the correct column heading in the table:
Food
Wind
pH
predation
Biotic Factor
slope
moisture
temperature
disease
grazing
light intensity
Abiotic Factor
(5)
Holy Cross High School
Page 2
Homework 2 (8 marks)
1. The small burrowing invertebrate, Corophium, is found in the mud of Scottish estuaries.
Corophium is the major prey of many species of migratory wading birds.
These birds are present in large numbers from August to April.
The graph below shows the results of a one year survey on the numbers of Corophium taken
on the first day of each month.
a)
Describe the changes in the numbers of Corophium from January to December.
b)
How many times greater are the numbers of Corophium on 1st June compared
to 1st April?
(1)
Using all the information given, explain why there are high numbers of Corophium
on 1st August
(1)
c)
(2)
d)
Predict what would happen to the biodiversity of this estuary if the wading birds stayed
all year. Explain your answer.
(1)
2.
The Treecreeper is a bird which feeds on small insects on the bark of trees during the
day. What is the correct description of the Treecreeper’s niche?
A
B
C
D
3.
The place where it lives
The insects on which it feeds
The plants and animals in the woodland environment
Its role within the woodland ecosystem
(1)
What is the difference between an organism’s community and niche?
(2)
Holy Cross High School
Page 3