Question 1: Define a food web and explain its importance in maintaining ecological balance within a sports-related ecosystem.

Answer: A food web is a complex network of interlinked food chains showing how different species obtain energy and nutrients. It is important in sports ecosystems because it ensures stability, supports biodiversity, and maintains the resources necessary for athletes and sports industries dependent on natural environments.

Question 2: List three key species involved in a typical grassland food web that might be relevant to sports science environments such as stadium turf management.

Answer: Grass (plants), insects (e.g., grasshoppers), small mammals (e.g., mice).

Question 3: Explain how energy transfer occurs within a food web, specifically in a sports field ecosystem.

Answer: Energy transfer occurs when one organism consumes another, for example, insects feeding on grass, and birds feeding on insects. In sports fields, this process helps maintain healthy turf by supporting species that control pests or contribute to soil health.

Question 4: What role do decomposers play in a food web, particularly in maintaining the quality of soil for sports turf?

Answer: Decomposers break down dead organic matter, recycling nutrients back into the soil, which helps maintain soil fertility and supports healthy turf growth for sports fields.

Question 1: If a grass plant produces 5000 Joules of energy through photosynthesis, and only 10% of this energy is passed to herbivorous insects, how much energy is transferred to the insects?

Answer: 500 Joules

Question 2: Calculate the energy remaining in a food chain if a predator consumes prey with 200 Joules of energy, considering an energy transfer efficiency of 15%. Show your working.

Answer: Energy transferred = 200 Joules × 0.15 = 30 Joules

Question 1: Design a simple experiment to investigate the impact of pest species on a sports turf's health. Outline the key variables, controls, and safety precautions.

Answer: The experiment involves setting up plots of turf with and without pest control measures. Variables include pest presence (independent) and turf health (dependent). Controls include similar soil and grass type. Safety precautions involve wearing gloves when handling chemicals and ensuring proper disposal of pest control substances.

Question 2: Identify two variables that could affect the accuracy of a food web study in a sports ecosystem and suggest ways to control them.

Answer: Variable 1: Variability in species populations; control by standardising sampling times. Variable 2: External environmental factors like weather; control by conducting experiments under similar conditions.

Question 1: A sports stadium's turf is affected by an increase in insect populations that feed on the grass. Explain how this change could impact the overall food web and the health of the turf.

Answer: An increase in insect populations may lead to overfeeding on grass, reducing turf health. It could also attract predators, altering predator-prey relationships and potentially disrupting the stability of the local food web, which can affect the quality of the playing surface.

Question 2: In a scenario where a key predator in a sports ecosystem is removed, analyse the potential consequences for the food web stability and turf health.

Answer: Removing a key predator can lead to prey population explosion, which may result in overconsumption of the grass or other plants. This imbalance can cause turf deterioration, reduce biodiversity, and destabilise the ecosystem, ultimately affecting the sustainability of the sports environment.