1. What does secondary productivity in an ecosystem indicate?

List any two factors by which

productivity is limited in aquatic systems.

Answer:

 Secondary productivity is the rate at which consumers (herbivores, carnivores,

decomposers) convert the organic material (food) into their own biomass.

 Factors limiting aquatic productivity:

1. Availability of sunlight (intensity and depth penetration).

2. Nutrient concentration (e.g., nitrogen and phosphorus).

2. State the differences between the first trophic levels of the detritus food chain and grazing food
chain.

Answer:

Aspect Detritus Food Chain Grazing Food Chain

First Trophic Level Decomposers (fungi, bacteria) Producers (plants, algae)

Energy Source Dead organic matter Solar energy

3. Name the pioneer species on a bare rock. How do they help in establishing the next type of
vegetation? Mention the type of climax community that will ultimately get established.

Answer:

 Pioneer species: Lichens.

 Role: Lichens secrete acids that break down rocks into soil particles, enabling mosses and
later plants to grow.

 Climax community: A forest (in most cases, depending on climatic conditions).

4. Construct an ideal pyramid of energy when 1,000,000 joules of sunlight is available. Label all the
trophic levels.

Answer:

Trophic Level Energy (J)

Producers 10,000 J

Primary Consumers 1,000 J

Secondary Consumers 100 J

Tertiary Consumers 10 J
  Energy decreases by 90% at each successive trophic level due to heat loss and metabolic
activity.

5. Name the pioneer and climax species in a water body. Mention the changes observed in the
biomass and biodiversity of the successive serial communities developing in a water body.

Answer:

 Pioneer species: Phytoplankton.

 Climax species: Trees (in terrestrial ecosystems).

 Changes observed:

o Increase in biomass as succession progresses.

o Biodiversity increases with the development of larger, more stable ecosystems.

6. Construct a pyramid of biomass starting with phytoplankton. Label the trophic levels. Is the
pyramid upright or inverted? Why?

Answer:

 In an aquatic ecosystem, the pyramid of biomass is inverted.

 Reason: The biomass of producers (phytoplankton) is smaller than the biomass of primary
consumers (zooplankton) since phytoplankton have a high turnover rate.

Trophic Level Biomass

Tertiary Consumers Small fish, least biomass

Secondary Consumers Carnivorous zooplankton

Primary Consumers Herbivorous zooplankton

Producers Phytoplankton, lowest biomass

7. What is primary productivity? Give the range of primary productivity in different ecosystems of
the world.

Answer:

 Primary productivity is the rate at which energy is fixed by producers (autotrophs) through
photosynthesis or chemosynthesis.

 Range of primary productivity:

o Tropical rainforests: 2,000–3,000 g/m²/year (highest).

o Grasslands: 600–1,500 g/m²/year.

o Oceans: 50–500 g/m²/year (lowest in open oceans).

8. Name the type of food chains responsible for the flow of larger fractions of energy in an aquatic
and a terrestrial ecosystem respectively. Mention one difference between the two food chains.

Answer:

 Aquatic ecosystem: Grazing food chain (starts with phytoplankton).

 Terrestrial ecosystem: Detritus food chain (starts with decomposed organic matter).

 Difference:

o Grazing food chains are driven by producers, while detritus food chains rely on dead
organic matter.

9. Why are herbivores considered similar to predators in the ecological context? Explain.

Answer:

 Herbivores and predators both control population dynamics by consuming their food
sources.

 Herbivores feed on plants, reducing plant biomass, while predators feed on prey species,
controlling their population size.

10. List the features that make a stable biological community.

Answer:

 Diversity: High species richness and evenness.

 Resilience: Ability to recover after disturbances.

 Energy flow: Efficient and balanced energy transfer.

 Nutrient cycling: Closed and efficient cycles.

11. Explain the function of "reservoir" in a nutrient cycle. List two types of nutrient cycles in
nature.

Answer:

 Function of reservoir: Acts as a storage site for nutrients and helps maintain nutrient balance
in an ecosystem.

 Types of nutrient cycles:

1. Gaseous cycles (e.g., carbon, nitrogen cycles).

2. Sedimentary cycles (e.g., phosphorus, sulfur cycles).

12. Explain with the help of two examples how the pyramid of numbers and pyramid of biomass
can look inverted.

Answer:

1. Pyramid of Numbers (Inverted): In a tree ecosystem, one large producer (tree) supports
many herbivores (e.g., insects).

2. Pyramid of Biomass (Inverted): In an aquatic ecosystem, small biomass of phytoplankton

supports larger biomass of zooplankton and fish.

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS

13. Describe the process of decomposition of detritus under the following heads: Fragmentation,
leaching, catabolism, humification, and mineralization.

Answer:

 Fragmentation: Detritus is broken down into smaller particles by detritivores (e.g.,

earthworms).

 Leaching: Water-soluble nutrients from detritus are leached into soil.

 Catabolism: Microbes secrete enzymes that break down complex organic matter.

 Humification: Formation of humus, a partially decomposed organic substance.

 Mineralization: Microbes release inorganic nutrients (e.g., nitrates, phosphates).

14. Trace the succession of plants on a dry bare rock.

Answer:

 Stages of Succession:

1. Pioneer stage: Lichens and mosses colonize bare rock.

2. Intermediate stage: Grasses, herbs, and shrubs grow as soil develops.

3. Climax stage: Trees establish, forming a stable forest ecosystem.

15. How does phosphorus cycle differ from carbon cycle?

Answer:

 Phosphorus cycle:

o No atmospheric component.

o Cycles through soil, water, and organisms.

o Sedimentary rocks are the main reservoir.

 Carbon cycle:
 o Involves the atmosphere (as CO₂).

o Cycles through living organisms, oceans, and fossil fuels.

16. Explain primary productivity and the factors that influence it.

Answer:

 Primary productivity is the rate at which energy is fixed by producers.

 Factors influencing productivity:

1. Availability of sunlight.

2. Temperature.

3. Nutrient availability.

4. Water availability.

17. Why are herbivores considered the base of wide ranges of ecosystem services? Justify.

Answer:
Herbivores serve as the link between producers and higher trophic levels, facilitating energy flow,
maintaining vegetation dynamics, and promoting biodiversity.

18. Explain the differences and similarities between hydrarch and xerarch succession of plants.

Answer:

Aspect Hydrarch Succession Xerarch Succession

Starting Habitat Aquatic (e.g., ponds, lakes). Dry (e.g., bare rocks, deserts).

Climax Community Forest/grassland. Forest/grassland.

Moisture Gradient From wet to dry conditions. From dry to wet conditions.

19. Explain the significance of ecological pyramids with an example.

 Significance: Ecological pyramids represent energy flow, biomass, or number at each trophic
level.

 Example: Pyramid of energy in a forest shows that energy decreases from producers to
tertiary consumers.

20. What is primary productivity? Why does it vary in different ecosystems?

Answer:
  Explained in Question 7. Variations occur due to differences in sunlight, temperature, water,
and nutrient availability.

21. Apart from being part of the food chain, predators play other important roles. Mention any
two such roles.

Answer:

1. Control prey populations, preventing overgrazing.

2. Promote biodiversity by eliminating weak or diseased prey.

22. How is "stratification" represented in a forest ecosystem?

Answer:
Stratification in a forest refers to the vertical distribution of vegetation into layers:

1. Canopy: Tall trees.

2. Understory: Shrubs.

3. Herb layer: Grasses.

4. Forest floor: Mosses and decomposers.