Observation

This question was fairly popular among the candidates and the performance of the candidates who attempted the question was above average.

Quite a good percentage of the candidates who answered the question were able to define the ecosystem as the relationship and interaction among the living and non-living things within an environment.

The ways in which the biotic and abiotic components of the ecosystem depend on each other include:
-           Autotrophs utilize sunlight, water and carbon dioxide during photosynthesis to produce their food
-           Carbon dioxide, water, sunlight and nitrogen provide nutrients and energy for the growth of plants
-           The primary consumers feed on the food produced by autotrophs from organic components
-           The various activities of man are carried out on the soil
-           The oxygen and carbon dioxide components of air are made constant through photosynthesis and respiration by living organisms
-           The decomposers break down the remains of other biotic components to form soils
-           Raw materials in the form of water, gases, and inorganic materials vital to the survival of the biotic components come from the physical environment
-           Plants depend on soil for support
-           Plants depend on soil for humus
-           Fish depends on water for survival
-           Plants depend on soil for supply of water and minerals
-           Soil depend on plants and animals for humus
-           Soils depend on plants and animals for weathering of parent rocks
-           Soil depends on plants for cover and shelter
-           Some animals depend on soil for their food e.g. earth worm

The benefits of the carbon cycle are:

-           Plants depend on carbon dioxide for photosynthesis
-           Plants absorb carbon dioxide and releases oxygen
-           Animals take in oxygen and releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere
-           Animals depend on plants directly or indirectly for their food produced during photosynthesis
-           Carbon dioxide influences atmospheric temperature
-           Carbon cycle provides Carbon dioxide which is an important gas in the atmosphere.