Name: ________________________
7 Ecology higher (import)
Class: ________________________
Date: ________________________
Time: 51 minutes
Marks: 51 marks
Comments:
Q1.
Some students investigated the distribution of some of the plants growing in and
around a shallow stream. They sampled along a transect line.
The diagram shows their results.
(a) (i) Name the one species that grew only in the driest conditions.
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(1)
(ii) Only one species grew in the marsh, the swamp and in the aquatic zones.
Which species?
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(1)
(iii) Duckweed grows floating in water. What evidence is there for this in the
students’ results?
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(1)
(b) In this question you will be assessed on using good English, organising information
clearly and using specialist terms where appropriate.
Describe how you would use a -metre × -metre quadrat frame and a 30-metre
tape measure to obtain data similar to the data shown in the diagram.
You should include details of how you would make sure that you would obtain valid
results.
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(6)
(Total 9 marks)
Q2.
Energy is stored in the materials that make up organisms. These materials are called
biomass.
Organisms in
food chain
Rose plant → Greenfly → Ladybird → Blackbird
Biomass in g/m2
600 50 10 1
(a) Complete the pyramid of biomass for this food chain. The rose plant has been done
for you. You should draw the rest of the pyramid to the same scale. (5 small squares
=
50 g/m2.)
(3)
(b) What proportion of the energy in a rose plant is transferred to greenfly?
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Proportion = ___________________
(2)
(Total 5 marks)
Q3.
Animals in a habitat compete with each other.
(a) Give two factors for which animals may compete.
1. _________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________
(2)
(b) The photographs show a mule deer and a white-tailed deer.
Mule deer by Dcrjsr (Own work) [CC-BY-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons. White-tailed deer by
Clay Heaton (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Mule deer and white-tailed deer live together in the same national park in the USA.
The graph shows changes in the populations of the two deer species between 1983
and 1999.
(i) Describe the changes in the population of white-tailed deer between 1991 and
1995.
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(2)
(ii) Use information from the graph to suggest an explanation for changes in the
population of white-tailed deer between 1991 and 1995.
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(2)
(Total 6 marks)
Q4.
In this question you will be assessed on using good English, organising information
clearly and using specialist terms where appropriate.
The diagram shows part of the carbon cycle.
Describe how living things are involved in the constant cycling of carbon.
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(Total 6 marks)
Q5.
Read the passage.
Glutton up a gum tree
Along the banks of the Cygnet River on Kangaroo Island, the branches of the dying gum
trees stretch out like accusing fingers. They have no leaves. Birds search in vain for nectar-
bearing flowers.
The scene, repeated mile upon mile, is an ecological nightmare. But, for once, the culprit is
not human. Instead, it is one of the most appealing mammals on the planet – the koala. If the
trees are to survive and provide a food source for the wildlife such as koalas that depend on
them, more than 2000 koalas must die. If they are not removed the island’s entire koala
population will vanish.
Illegal killing has already started. Worried about soil erosion on the island, some farmers
have gone for their guns. Why not catch 2000 koalas and take them to the mainland?
“Almost impossible,” says farmer Andrew Kelly. “Four rangers tried to catch some and in two
days they got just six, and these fought, bit and scratched like fury.”
The diagram shows the flow of energy through a koala.
The numbers show units of energy.
(i) Calculate the percentage of the food intake which is converted into new tissues for
growth. Show your working.
____________ %
(2)
(ii) Give three different ways in which the koala uses the energy released in
respiration.
1. _________________________________________________________________
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2. _________________________________________________________________
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3. _________________________________________________________________
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(3)
(Total 5 marks)
Q6.
The photograph shows a sand gazelle.
The sand gazelle lives in the Arabian Desert where temperatures often reach 45 °C.
(a) The sand gazelle feeds only at dawn and at dusk. At other times it stays in the
shade.
Suggest how this helps the animal to conserve water.
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(2)
(b) During the dry season, the sand gazelle’s liver and heart shrink in size. This reduces
the amount of oxygen that the body needs.
Suggest how needing less oxygen helps the animal to conserve water.
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(2)
(Total 4 marks)
Q7.
Squirrels live in woodland.
Table 1 shows:
• the total area of England, Scotland and Wales
• the area of different types of woodland in these countries.
Table 1
Area of woodland in thousands of km2
Total area of
Country country in
Coniferous Broadleaf
thousands of km2 Total
woodland woodland
England 130 3.6 7.8 11.4
Scotland 79 10.4 3.0 13.4
Wales 21 1.9 0.9 2.8
(a) Look at the data for the three countries. Estimate which country has the greatest
proportion of its area suitable as a habitat for squirrels.
Support your answer with relevant figures.
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(2)
(b) The maps show the distribution of grey squirrels and red squirrels in England,
Scotland and Wales.
Image under Crown Copyright and courtesy of Pepper & Patterson, 2001.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v1.0
Scientists suggested that the distribution of grey squirrels and red squirrels is linked
to the type of trees in woodlands.
(i) The information for England and Scotland supports this suggestion.
How?
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(1)
(ii) Give one piece of evidence that contradicts this suggestion.
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(1)
(c) Red squirrels are native to the UK.
Grey squirrels were introduced to the UK from the USA over 100 years ago.
Table 2 gives information about the two types of squirrel.
Table 2
Grey squirrel Red squirrel
Population in UK 2.5 million 140 000
Seeds, nuts, tree bark, Cones from coniferous trees,
Main food types
birds' eggs, young birds nuts, tree bark, berries
Can become immune to Cannot become immune to
Health
parapox virus parapox virus
Reproduction Up to 9 young, twice a year Up to 6 young, twice a year
Survival rate of young in
41 % 14 %
mixed populations
Length of life 2 – 4 years Up to 7 years
In most parts of the UK the population of grey squirrels is increasing, but the
population of red squirrels is decreasing.
Suggest why.
Use information from Table 2.
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(3)
(Total 7 marks)
Q8.
Some students studied bluebell plants growing in two different habitats.
Habitat A was a sunny field next to woodland.
Habitat B was a shady, moist woodland.
A bluebell plant can have several flowers on one flower stalk. The students counted the
number of flowers on each of 40 bluebell flower stalks growing in each habitat.
The bar charts show the results.
Habitat A: Sunny field next to woodland
Number of flowers per stalk
Habitat B: Shady, moist woodland
Number of flowers per stalk
(a) The students wanted to collect valid data.
Describe how the students should have sampled the bluebell plants at each habitat
to collect valid data.
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(2)
(b) (i) The students used the bar charts to find the mode for the number of flowers
per stalk in the two habitats.
The mode for the number of flowers per stalk in habitat A was 11.
What was the mode for the number of flowers per stalk in habitat B?
Mode = _________________________
(1)
(ii) The students suggested the following hypothesis:
‘The difference in the modes is due to the plants receiving different amounts of
sunlight.’
Suggest why.
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(2)
(iii) Suggest how the students could test their hypothesis for the two habitats.
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(2)
(c) Suggest how receiving more sunlight could result in the plants producing more
flowers per stalk.
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(2)
(Total 9 marks)
Mark schemes
Q1.
(a) (i) (white) clover
1
(ii) reed sweet-grass
allow reed
allow grass
1
(iii) (only) found in swamp and aquatic zones or only found in water
or doesn’t grow in marsh
ignore wet conditions
1
(b) Marks awarded for this answer will be determined by the Quality of Written
Communication (QWC) as well as the standard of the scientific response.
Examiners should also apply a ‘best-fit’ approach to the marking.
0 marks
No relevant content.
Level 1 (1-2 marks)
There is a basic description which describes how a quadrat or a metre tape could
be used to collect data
Level 2 (3-4 marks)
There is a clear description of how a quadrat and a metre tape could be used to
collect data along a line
Level 3 (5-6 marks)
There is a clear, logical and detailed description of a method that will produce valid,
repeatable results across / at intervals along the stream.
examples of procedural points made in the response:
• use of tape measure to produce transect
• placing of quadrats
• transect placed across stream
• score presence of each plant species
• use quadrat at regular intervals along tape
• repeat transect several times (≥ 3)
• along stream
• at random or regular intervals
6
[9]
Q2.
(a) all bars correct for greenfly, ladybird (± one square) and blackbird
(less than one square)
1
bars are centred
do not accept pyramid shape if all to left or right of centre
1
bars are labelled (in correct sequence)
1
(b) or 8.3% or 1:12
if answer is incorrect accept correct
working out (eg ) for 1 mark
accept 12 or 12:1 for 1 mark
accept 8.3 for 1 mark (without %)
2
[5]
Q3.
(a) any two from:
• food / feeding
ignore water
• mates / mating
• territory / space / land / shelter / nesting sites
ignore homes / place to live / habitat / resources
• status (within group)
2
(b) (i) rises to 1480 to 1500
or rises by 880 to 900
or rises until 1993
ignore incorrect figures if 1993 given
1
falls to 400 to 440 or falls by 1040 to 1100
if neither mark gained then allow 1 mark for rise followed by
fall or fell by 160 to 200
1
(ii) rises because: -
less competition from mule deer
or mule deer population falling
or fewer mule deer
ignore reference to food / breeding
ignore reference to predation / disease
1
falls because: -
more competition from mule deer
or mule deer population rising
or more mule deer
ignore more / less suited to environment
if neither mark gained then correct reference to competition
gains 1 mark
1
[6]
Q4.
Marks awarded for this answer will be determined by the Quality of Written
Communication (QWC) as well as the standard of the scientific response. Examiners
should also refer to the information in the Marking guidance.
0 marks
No relevant content.
Level 1 (1-2 marks)
For at least one process either the organism that carries it out or the carbon compound
used or the carbon compound produced is described or for at least one organism either
the carbon compound it uses or the carbon compound it produces is described or at least
one process is named
Level 2 (3-4 marks)
For some processes (at least one of which is named) either the organisms involved or the
carbon compounds used or the carbon compounds produced are described
Level 3 (5-6 marks)
For at least one named process an organism and either the carbon compound used for
the process or the carbon compound produced by the process are described and for
other processes (at least one of which is named) either the organism or the carbon
compounds used or the carbon compounds produced are described (as in Level 2)
Examples of Biology points made in the response:
• (green) plants photosynthesise
• photosynthesis takes in carbon dioxide
• (green) plants use carbon to make carbohydrate / protein / fat / organic compounds /
named (e.g. enzymes / cellulose)
• animals eat (green) plants (and other animals)
• (green) plants respire
• animals respire
• respiration releases carbon dioxide
• (green) plants and animals die
• microorganisms decay / decompose / rot / break down / feed on dead organisms
• microorganisms respire
[6]
Q5.
(i) 0.25 × 100 / 25
gains 1 mark
but
1%
gains 2 marks
2
(ii) muscle contraction / limb movement / moving around / chewing
heartbeat / breathing / internal muscle activity
maintaining body temperature / keeps body warm
active uptake synthesising substances (reject growth)
any three for 1 mark each
3
[5]
Q6.
(a) stays cool
ignore shade
1
less sweat
1
(b) any two from:
• breathing rate less
• less water lost via breath
less can be implied
• less water from respiration
2
[4]
Q7.
(a) Scotland
1
any one from
• Scotland 15 to 20% / about 1/5th to 1/7th but England and Wales /
the others are less / lower / reasonable estimated figures
• is greater than England / and Wales /
1
(b) (i) broadleaf woodlands have more grey squirrels or broadleaf
woodlands have less red squirrels
allow converse referring to conifers
1
(ii) Wales has more conifers and / but more grey squirrels
or
Wales has less broadleaf and / but more grey squirrels
allow converse for red squirrels
1
(c) any three from:
answers must be comparative they = grey squirrels
grey squirrels
allow converse arguments for red squirrels
• have wider range/ more types of food
• are resistant to parapox (virus) but reds are not
ignore reference to other disease
• have more young each year / litter
• young more likely to survive (in mixed populations)
3
[7]
Q8.
(a) use of quadrat / point frame
allow description
1
randomly placed / random sampling
ignore reference to transects
1
(b) (i) 6
1
(ii) more light in A / in field / where sunny
ignore sun
1
more / better / faster photosynthesis in A / with more light
allow converse
1
(iii) use light meter / measure light intensity in both habitats
1
take many measurements at same time of the day
1
or
laboratory / field investigation with 2 batches high light and low light (1)
count or number of flowers in each (1)
counting point is dependent on investigation point
(c) more glucose / energy available
allow other named product eg protein
allow if more energy produced
1
for growth
dependent on 1st mark
1
[9]
