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Subjects · Leaving Cert Biology

Leaving Cert Biology: Ecology

How often Ecology comes up on the Biology papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.

HL Asked on 10 of the last 10 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2026. banker

OL Asked on 10 of the last 10 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2026. banker

June 2027 is the first exam on the new Biology course. These come from the 2016–2026 papers, so read them as a guide.

Ecology, Higher Level(6 marks)

Quick ones on Ecology.

(a)The place where an organism lives?
  1. Niche
  2. Habitat
  3. Population
(b)Functional role of an organism in its ecosystem?
  1. Community
  2. Habitat
  3. Niche
(c)Organism that makes its own food in a food chain?
  1. Producer
  2. Decomposer
  3. Primary consumer
Show the answers

(a) Habitat

(b) Niche

(c) Producer

Your turn: Higher Level questions on Ecology.

Higher Level

Asked on 10 of the last 10 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2026. banker

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2026Q6, Q12
2025Q8, Q15
2024Q12
2023Q6, Q8, Q11
2022Q2, Q12
2021Q2, Q11
2019Q10
2018Q2, Q10
2017Q2, Q7, Q10
2016Q1, Q10

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Ecology questions

Ecology, 2 marks

Rough share of energy passed to the next trophic level?

  1. 50%
  2. 90%
  3. 10%
Show the answer

10%

Around 90% is lost at each level, mostly as heat from respiration and in waste. That's why food chains are short and top predators are few.

Ecology, 2 marks

Organisms that break down dead matter and recycle nutrients?

  1. Herbivores
  2. Decomposers
  3. Producers
Show the answer

Decomposers

Bacteria and fungi break down dead organisms and wastes, releasing minerals such as nitrogen back into the soil for plants to reuse.

Ecology, 2 marks

Any harmful addition to the environment?

  1. Pollution
  2. Conservation
  3. Eutrophication
Show the answer

Pollution

E.g. slurry in rivers or CO2 from burning fossil fuels. Pollution can be controlled by reducing, reusing and recycling waste.

Ordinary Level

Asked on 10 of the last 10 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2026. banker

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2026Q5, Q11
2025Q2, Q3, Q11
2024Q11
2023Q11
2022Q11
2021Q11
2019Q5, Q10
2018Q10
2017Q11
2016Q1, Q11

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Ecology questions

Ecology, 2 marks

An organism that makes its own food is called?

  1. A consumer
  2. A decomposer
  3. A producer
Show the answer

A producer

Producers are green plants: they produce food by photosynthesis and start every food chain.

Ecology, 2 marks

An organism that breaks down dead plants and animals is called?

  1. A herbivore
  2. A decomposer
  3. A producer
Show the answer

A decomposer

Decomposers such as bacteria and fungi recycle nutrients back into the soil. Without them dead material would pile up.

Ecology, 2 marks

An animal that eats only plants is called?

  1. A herbivore
  2. A carnivore
  3. An omnivore
Show the answer

A herbivore

Herbivore eats plants, carnivore eats meat, omnivore eats both. A rabbit is a herbivore, a fox is a carnivore.

Other Biology topics

All of Leaving Cert Biology