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WalesBiology

Unit 1: Plants and ecosystems

6 dot points across 6 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How does energy and food pass through an ecosystem, and why are food chains short?

Feeding relationships in ecosystems, food chains and food webs, pyramids of number and biomass, the transfer of energy along a food chain and why energy is lost at each trophic level.
A focused answer to the WJEC GCSE Biology section 1.6 topic on feeding relationships, covering food chains and food webs, pyramids of number and biomass, the transfer of energy along a food chain, why energy is lost at each trophic level, and the implications for food production.
9 min answer →

How do humans damage ecosystems, and how can we protect biodiversity?

The effect of human activities on the environment, including pollution, eutrophication, global warming and deforestation, the meaning and importance of biodiversity, and methods of conservation.
A focused answer to the WJEC GCSE Biology section 1.6 topic on human impact, covering pollution and eutrophication, global warming and deforestation, the meaning and importance of biodiversity, the causes of its loss, and methods of conservation and sustainable use of resources.
10 min answer →

How is a leaf built for photosynthesis, and how do xylem and phloem transport substances around a plant?

The structure of a leaf and how it is adapted for photosynthesis, and the structure and function of the xylem and phloem in transporting water, minerals and sugars.
A focused answer to the WJEC GCSE Biology section 1.5 topic on leaf structure and plant transport, covering the structure of a leaf and its adaptations for photosynthesis, the structure and function of xylem and phloem, and the uptake of water by root hair cells.
9 min answer →

How do plants make food by photosynthesis, and what limits how fast they can do it?

Photosynthesis as the process that makes glucose using light energy, its word and symbol equations, the limiting factors of light, carbon dioxide and temperature, and the required practicals.
A focused answer to the WJEC GCSE Biology section 1.5 topic on photosynthesis, covering photosynthesis as the process that uses light energy to make glucose, its word and symbol equations, the limiting factors of light intensity, carbon dioxide and temperature, and the required practicals on starch production and rate.
10 min answer →

How are carbon and nitrogen recycled through ecosystems, and what role do decomposers play?

The carbon cycle and the nitrogen cycle, the roles of photosynthesis, respiration, combustion and decomposition, the types of bacteria in the nitrogen cycle, and the conditions affecting decay.
A focused answer to the WJEC GCSE Biology section 1.6 topic on nutrient cycles, covering the carbon cycle and the roles of photosynthesis, respiration, combustion and decomposition, the nitrogen cycle and its bacteria, the role of decomposers, and the conditions that affect the rate of decay.
10 min answer →

What is transpiration, and what makes a plant lose water faster or slower?

Transpiration as the loss of water vapour from a plant, the transpiration stream, the factors that affect the rate of transpiration, and the role of stomata and guard cells.
A focused answer to the WJEC GCSE Biology section 1.5 topic on transpiration, covering transpiration as the loss of water vapour from a plant, the transpiration stream, the factors affecting its rate, and the role of stomata and guard cells in controlling water loss.
9 min answer →