Lesson 3.1.6.6

3.1.6.6 Local ecosystems Quiz: AQA Geography, Unit 1

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 3.1.6.6, Local ecosystems: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA Geography (7037), Unit 1: Physical geography, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Heathland is typically found on:

    • Acidic, nutrient-poor, free-draining soils, often in lowland areas of Britain
    • Waterlogged alluvial soils in river floodplains that are flooded regularly and rich in nutrients
    • Permanently frozen ground in mountain summits, where snow lies for most of the year
    • Deep, fertile chalk soils that are rich in nutrients and support a wide range of herbs and grasses

  2. Which adaptation helps heathland plants survive nutrient-poor soils?

    • Efficient nutrient uptake and tough, often evergreen or waxy leaves to reduce water loss
    • Large, soft leaves that lose water rapidly, which allows the plant to take up nutrients more quickly
    • Deep roots that only reach waterlogged layers, so that the plant can draw water from the saturated ground
    • Floating leaves that rest on the water surface, which allow the plant to absorb nutrients from the pond

  3. A pond ecosystem is most likely to show which local factor affecting its development?

    • Tidal inundation from the sea every day, which mixes the pond water with salt and changes its chemistry
    • Input of nutrients from nearby agriculture, which can cause eutrophication
    • Permanent freezing of the water surface, which prevents any aquatic life from surviving the winter
    • Volcanic ash deposition from distant eruptions, which buries the pond bed and changes its depth

  4. Eutrophication refers to:

    • Loss of all plant species from a lake after a long period of drought that dries the bed completely
    • The formation of new sediments on a sea floor through the accumulation of shells and skeletons
    • The drying out of a pond through evaporation over the summer, which reduces the water to a muddy hollow
    • Enrichment of water with nutrients, often leading to algal blooms and oxygen depletion

  5. Sand dune systems are typically characterised by:

    • Dense tropical canopy with no sunlight reaching the ground, which shades the sand throughout the day
    • Permanently frozen permafrost soils that prevent any plant growth during the whole of the year
    • Permanent waterlogged soils dominated by reed beds that grow in standing water along the margin
    • Shifting sand, strong winds and plants adapted to salt spray and drought

  6. Which local factor is most likely to change a managed parkland ecosystem?

    • Volcanic eruptions in the region, which bury the parkland under ash and change the soils completely
    • Global changes in ocean salinity, which affect the parkland soils through groundwater movement from the sea
    • Continental drift that moves the parkland to a new region over the course of a single decade
    • Changes in land management, such as mowing, planting or urban development nearby

  7. Which conservation strategy is most likely to protect a local heathland?

    • Introducing fast-growing non-native species to stabilise soils and quickly cover bare ground
    • Removing all dead heather to speed up the growth of trees that will shade out the open heath
    • Draining the heath to create farmland for growing crops that can be sold in local markets
    • Controlled grazing and periodic cutting to prevent scrub and tree encroachment

  8. The planned or unplanned introduction of new species can:

    • Alter local ecosystems by competing with or preying on native species
    • Stop all succession immediately, since new species prevent any other plants from growing on the site
    • Have no effect on the food web of the site, because introduced species rarely establish themselves
    • Always increase the native biodiversity of a site, since more species always means more diversity overall

  9. Which of these is an example of an ecological response to soil moisture in a local ecosystem?

    • Plants on dune slacks adapted to periodic flooding and waterlogging
    • Trees that drop all leaves permanently every year and never regrow foliage in the following season
    • Coral polyps growing in a warm lagoon, which depend on salt water and sunlight for their growth
    • Animals that hibernate underwater in a river, sheltering in the mud until the spring floods arrive

  10. Which of these is a management measure to reduce the impacts of change in a local ecosystem?

    • Introducing toxic chemicals to control weeds, which kill the target plants and many other organisms too
    • Designating a site as a nature reserve with restricted access and monitored wildlife
    • Converting the site entirely to a car park, which provides parking for visitors but removes all wildlife
    • Removing all native vegetation to stabilise soils, which is then replaced by a single fast-growing species

  11. Which statement about local ecosystems and urban change is most accurate?

    • Urban expansion can fragment habitats, reducing their size and connectivity for wildlife
    • Urban expansion has no effect on local ecosystems, since wildlife adapts easily to built environments
    • Urban expansion always creates new heath, as the new open spaces are quickly colonised by heather
    • Urban expansion always increases habitat connectivity, since roads and gardens link wildlife across the landscape

  12. Which conservation approach is most useful for a small, isolated pond ecosystem?

    • Stocking the pond with a non-native fish species to increase its productivity and food supply
    • Draining the pond to increase land area, which can then be used for housing or agriculture
    • Limiting nutrient inputs from nearby land and protecting the surrounding habitat
    • Adding large amounts of fertiliser to boost plant growth, which increases the yield of the pond

  13. A local dune system is being eroded by trampling. Which measure would best reduce this impact?

    • Removing all vegetation so that the dunes can reform, since plants are the cause of the instability
    • Installing boardwalks and fencing to restrict access to vulnerable areas
    • Encouraging more visitors to walk across the dunes, which spreads the damage over a wider area
    • Introducing heavy machinery to level the surface, which creates a flat area that is easier for visitors to cross

  14. Which statement best evaluates the effect of agriculture on local ecosystems?

    • Agriculture has no effect on any local ecosystem, since farming is confined to fields that do not border habitats
    • Agriculture always destroys all habitats permanently, leaving no opportunity for wildlife to recover on the land
    • Agriculture always increases biodiversity by a large amount, since crops provide food for most local species
    • Agriculture can create habitat diversity but may also reduce biodiversity through fertilisers, drainage and removal of hedgerows

  15. Which local factor is most likely to affect the ecological development of a woodland edge?

    • Light, wind and microclimate changes produced by the adjacent open land
    • Movement of tectonic plates under the woodland, which shifts the soil and changes the drainage of the area
    • Eruption of a distant volcano, which deposits ash on the leaves and changes the chemistry of the soil
    • Ocean salinity levels hundreds of kilometres away, which affect the groundwater beneath the woodland

  16. Which feature best describes a distinctive local ecosystem with high conservation value?

    • Widespread generalist species that tolerate all conditions and can be found in almost any habitat
    • A habitat dominated by a single non-native plant that covers the ground and excludes all other species
    • Rare species and habitats that depend on specific soil, water or management conditions
    • A habitat with no species present at all, which is valued for its lack of disturbance by people

  17. Which factor best explains why a local ecosystem can change even without climate change?

    • Changes in land use, such as farming or building, alter habitats and species
    • Only tectonic movement can change ecosystems, since the land itself must move before the vegetation changes
    • Ecosystems only change through volcanic activity, which is the sole source of disturbance in local areas
    • Ecosystems never change without a global event, since local conditions are highly stable over time

  18. Which measure is most important in managing the impacts of change on a local heathland?

    • Burning the heath every week to maintain it, since frequent fires are the only way to keep heather growing
    • Ignoring the heath and allowing unmanaged change, since natural processes will always restore the balance
    • Monitoring species and habitat condition to guide management decisions
    • Replacing the heath with plantation forest, which is the most reliable way to conserve local wildlife

  19. A managed parkland loses its large old trees over several decades. Which impact is most likely for the local wildlife?

    • Loss of nesting and feeding habitat for species that depend on old trees
    • Immediate formation of a coral reef on the site, since the parkland soils are rich in calcium carbonate
    • No change because trees have no wildlife value and are not used by any animals in the local area
    • Increased habitat for all species because the trees are removed and the open ground is available for wildlife

  20. A local ecosystem study finds that native species decline after a new road is built through it. Which explanation is most likely?

    • The road has no effect on wildlife, since animals quickly learn to avoid all roads and their traffic
    • The road adds nutrients that boost all native populations, as the runoff from the surface acts as a fertiliser
    • The road fragments habitat and increases disturbance and mortality for wildlife
    • The road increases the diversity of native habitats by providing new edge conditions for many species

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