5.1.11

Trophic Levels

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Food Chains and Trophic Levels

Food chains show feeding relationships and energy flows within a biological community. An organism’s trophic level describes where it fits into a food chain. Trophic levels are given numbers:

Food chain: level 1

Food chain: level 1

At the base of all food chains, there are green plants and algae.
These are called producers and use light energy from the Sun to synthesise (make) their own food.

Food chain: level 2

Food chain: level 2

Herbivores that eat green plants and/or algae are called primary consumers.

Food chain: level 3

Food chain: level 3

Carnivores that eat herbivores are called secondary consumers.

Food chain: level 4

Food chain: level 4

Carnivores that eat other carnivores are called tertiary consumers.

1

The Nature & Variety of Living Organisms

1.1

Characteristics of Living Organisms

1.1.1MRS GRENC 1.1.2M.R.S.1.1.3G.R.E.N.C.

1.2

Variety of Living Organisms

1.2.1Types of Cells 1.2.2Properties of Prokaryotes 1.2.3Structure of Eukaryotic Cells 1.2.4Organisms: Animals & Plants 1.2.5Other Kingdoms 1.2.6Pathogens 1.2.7Viruses

2

Structure & Functions in Living Organisms

2.1

Organisation Structure

2.2

Biological Molecules

2.2.1Chemical Elements 2.2.2Larger Molecules 2.2.3Required Practical - Food Testing 2.2.4Enzymes 2.2.5Rate of Enzyme Action 2.2.6Investigating Effect of pH on Amylase 2.2.7Grade 9 - Enzymes

2.3

Nutrition

3

Organism Functions

3.1

Respiration

3.1.1Respiration 3.1.2Aerobic and Anaerobic 3.1.3Investigating Respiration 3.1.4End of Topic Test - Respiration

3.2

Gas Exchange

3.2.1Guard Cells & Stomata 3.2.2States of Stomata 3.2.3Plant Gas Exchange 3.2.4Human Thorax 3.2.5Breathing Process 3.2.6Gas Exchange in Lungs 3.2.7Exchange Surfaces 3.2.8Alveoli 3.2.9Breath Composition 3.2.10Exercise and Breathing 3.2.11Smoking

3.3

Transport

3.4

Excretion

3.4.1Excretion 3.4.2Kidneys 3.4.3Urine Production 3.4.4Urinary System 3.4.5Nephron 3.4.6Water in Urine

3.5

Coordination & Response

4

Reproduction & Inheritance

4.1

Reproduction

4.1.1Asexual Reproduction 4.1.2Sexual Reproduction 4.1.3Gamete vs Zygote 4.1.4Plant Reproduction 4.1.5Flower Anatomy 4.1.6Germination 4.1.7Pollination 4.1.8Pollination Methods 4.1.9Male Reproductive System 4.1.10Female Reproductive System 4.1.11Pregnancy 4.1.12Exam-Style Questions - Sexual Reproduction

4.2

Genetics

4.2.1Cell Division 4.2.2Meiosis 4.2.3Genome 4.2.4Genome Diagram 4.2.5DNA 4.2.6RNA 4.2.7Protein Synthesis 4.2.8Synthesis Process 4.2.9End of Topic Test - Reproduction & Genetics

4.3

Variation

4.3.1Alleles 4.3.2Phenotype 4.3.3Monohybrid Inheritance 4.3.4Punnett Square 4.3.5Sex Determination 4.3.6Codominance 4.3.7Cystic Fibrosis Punnett Square 4.3.8Cystic Fibrosis Pedigree Diagram 4.3.9Variation 4.3.10Mutations 4.3.11Natural Selection 4.3.12Evolution 4.3.13Resistant Bacteria 4.3.14End of Topic Test - Variation 4.3.15Grade 9 - Evolution 4.3.16Exam-Style Questions - Cystic Fibrosis

5

Ecology

6

Biological Resources

6.1

Food Production

6.1.1Intensive Farming - Crop Yield 6.1.2Intensive Farming - Ion Deficiency 6.1.3Intensive Farming - Pest Control 6.1.4Intensive Farming - Fish Farming 6.1.5Microorganisms in Food 6.1.6Factors Affecting Microorganism Growth 6.1.7Industrial Fermentation 6.1.8Selective Breeding 6.1.9Selective Breeding Process 6.1.10Uses of Selective Breeding 6.1.11Exam-Style Questions - Selective Breeding

6.2

Genetic Engineering

6.2.1Genetic Engineering 6.2.2Uses of Genetic Engineering 6.2.3Producing Human Proteins in Bacteria 6.2.4Tissue Culture 6.2.5Uses of Tissue Culture 6.2.6Artificial Animal Cloning 6.2.7Exam-Style Questions - Mitosis & Cloning

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1

The Nature & Variety of Living Organisms

1.1

Characteristics of Living Organisms

1.1.1MRS GRENC 1.1.2M.R.S.1.1.3G.R.E.N.C.

1.2

Variety of Living Organisms

1.2.1Types of Cells 1.2.2Properties of Prokaryotes 1.2.3Structure of Eukaryotic Cells 1.2.4Organisms: Animals & Plants 1.2.5Other Kingdoms 1.2.6Pathogens 1.2.7Viruses

2

Structure & Functions in Living Organisms

2.1

Organisation Structure

2.2

Biological Molecules

2.2.1Chemical Elements 2.2.2Larger Molecules 2.2.3Required Practical - Food Testing 2.2.4Enzymes 2.2.5Rate of Enzyme Action 2.2.6Investigating Effect of pH on Amylase 2.2.7Grade 9 - Enzymes

2.3

Nutrition

3

Organism Functions

3.1

Respiration

3.1.1Respiration 3.1.2Aerobic and Anaerobic 3.1.3Investigating Respiration 3.1.4End of Topic Test - Respiration

3.2

Gas Exchange

3.2.1Guard Cells & Stomata 3.2.2States of Stomata 3.2.3Plant Gas Exchange 3.2.4Human Thorax 3.2.5Breathing Process 3.2.6Gas Exchange in Lungs 3.2.7Exchange Surfaces 3.2.8Alveoli 3.2.9Breath Composition 3.2.10Exercise and Breathing 3.2.11Smoking

3.3

Transport

3.4

Excretion

3.4.1Excretion 3.4.2Kidneys 3.4.3Urine Production 3.4.4Urinary System 3.4.5Nephron 3.4.6Water in Urine

3.5

Coordination & Response

4

Reproduction & Inheritance

4.1

Reproduction

4.1.1Asexual Reproduction 4.1.2Sexual Reproduction 4.1.3Gamete vs Zygote 4.1.4Plant Reproduction 4.1.5Flower Anatomy 4.1.6Germination 4.1.7Pollination 4.1.8Pollination Methods 4.1.9Male Reproductive System 4.1.10Female Reproductive System 4.1.11Pregnancy 4.1.12Exam-Style Questions - Sexual Reproduction

4.2

Genetics

4.2.1Cell Division 4.2.2Meiosis 4.2.3Genome 4.2.4Genome Diagram 4.2.5DNA 4.2.6RNA 4.2.7Protein Synthesis 4.2.8Synthesis Process 4.2.9End of Topic Test - Reproduction & Genetics

4.3

Variation

4.3.1Alleles 4.3.2Phenotype 4.3.3Monohybrid Inheritance 4.3.4Punnett Square 4.3.5Sex Determination 4.3.6Codominance 4.3.7Cystic Fibrosis Punnett Square 4.3.8Cystic Fibrosis Pedigree Diagram 4.3.9Variation 4.3.10Mutations 4.3.11Natural Selection 4.3.12Evolution 4.3.13Resistant Bacteria 4.3.14End of Topic Test - Variation 4.3.15Grade 9 - Evolution 4.3.16Exam-Style Questions - Cystic Fibrosis

5

Ecology

6

Biological Resources

6.1

Food Production

6.1.1Intensive Farming - Crop Yield 6.1.2Intensive Farming - Ion Deficiency 6.1.3Intensive Farming - Pest Control 6.1.4Intensive Farming - Fish Farming 6.1.5Microorganisms in Food 6.1.6Factors Affecting Microorganism Growth 6.1.7Industrial Fermentation 6.1.8Selective Breeding 6.1.9Selective Breeding Process 6.1.10Uses of Selective Breeding 6.1.11Exam-Style Questions - Selective Breeding

6.2

Genetic Engineering

6.2.1Genetic Engineering 6.2.2Uses of Genetic Engineering 6.2.3Producing Human Proteins in Bacteria 6.2.4Tissue Culture 6.2.5Uses of Tissue Culture 6.2.6Artificial Animal Cloning 6.2.7Exam-Style Questions - Mitosis & Cloning

Practice questions on Trophic Levels

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1
What comes at the base of all food chains?Multiple choice
2
Which of the following best describes the role of producers in a food chain?Multiple choice
3
Name three examples of organisms typically found at the top of a food chain:Fill in the list

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Food Chains

Decomposers