Food Webs
What is a food web? Give a one-sentence definition.
A network of feeding relationships showing how energy and nutrients move between organisms.
What is palm oil and name one common product that contains it.
Vegetable oil from oil palm fruit; found in snacks, baked goods, soap, cosmetics.
Are orangutans herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores? Give a short reason.
Omnivores (mostly fruit, some leaves/insects); diet mainly plant-based but opportunistic.
What does the word "sustainability" mean in an environmental context (one sentence)?
Meeting present needs without harming future generations' ability to meet their needs.
Define "abiotic factor" and give one example.
Abiotic = non-living environmental factor (e.g., temperature, rainfall, soil).
In a simple food web, who are producers and why are they important?
Producers (plants) make food via photosynthesis and support all other levels.
Identify one country or region where palm oil plantations are widespread.
Indonesia, Malaysia, parts of West/Central Africa, and Latin America.
Name one way that palm oil expansion threatens orangutan populations.
Loss of habitat from forest clearing, increased human-wildlife conflict, illegal hunting/poaching.
Give one example of a sustainable practice individuals can do at home.
educe/reuse/recycle, energy conservation, buy certified sustainable products.
Define "biotic factor" and give one example.
Biotic = living factor (e.g., plants, animals, fungi, microbes).
Draw (describe in words) a short food chain relevant to a tropical forest that includes a plant, an insect, and a larger animal.
Example chain: Fruit tree → caterpillar → small bird (or lizard).
Describe one environmental impact of converting rainforest to palm oil plantations.
Deforestation, habitat loss, carbon emissions, soil erosion
Describe one behavior or trait of orangutans that makes them vulnerable when forests are cut down.
They need large trees for nesting and travel; slow reproduction rates make recovery slow.
Explain how sustainable agriculture differs from conventional agriculture (two differences).
Sustainable agriculture emphasizes soil health, diversified crops, less chemical use, longer-term yields vs. short-term high-input monocultures.
Describe how an abiotic factor (like rainfall) can affect a biotic factor (like plant growth) in a tropical forest.
Rainfall affects soil moisture → plant growth → food available for herbivores → affects whole food web.
Explain how removing a top predator from a food web could change the populations of other organisms (give a clear example).
Removing a top predator (e.g., large cat) can increase herbivore populations → overgrazing → plant decline → reduced biodiversity.
Explain one social or economic benefit and one environmental cost of palm oil farming.
jobs, income, economic development; Cost — biodiversity loss, displacement of communities, greenhouse gas release.
Explain how conserving habitat for orangutans can also help other species and people (give two connected reasons).
Conserving forest protects many species (habitat preservation) and maintains ecosystem services (water, carbon) for people.
Describe a metric or idea used to measure whether a product is sustainable (for example: lifecycle, certification). Explain briefly.
product life-cycle analysis, carbon footprint, RSPO certification; these track environmental impacts or responsible practices.
Choose a single species and list two abiotic and two biotic factors that influence its survival.
Example species: a frog — abiotic: temperature, moisture; biotic: prey insects, predators like snakes.
Describe how habitat loss from palm oil plantations might simplify a forest food web and explain one ecological consequence.
Removing a top predator (e.g., large cat) can increase herbivore populations → overgrazing → plant decline → reduced biodiversity.
Suggest two farming or policy changes that could reduce the negative environmental effects of palm oil production.
enforce no-deforestation policies, support smallholder certification, improve yield on existing land, use traceable supply chains.
Propose a realistic community-based solution that could help protect orangutans while supporting local livelihoods.
Community ecotourism, sustainable agroforestry, payment for ecosystem services, alternative livelihoods like fruit agroforests
Design a short plan (3 steps) a palm oil company could take to move toward more sustainable practices while keeping jobs.
commit to no-deforestation and traceable supply chains; 2) invest in smallholder training for higher yields on existing land; 3) fund restoration and community programs.
Food Webs
Lower soil nutrients → fewer nutrient-demanding plants → favors tolerant species → shifts in herbivores and predators over time.