Core Q - Biodiversity

Question 0

Suggest how human activities could damage coral reefs. (3)

Answer 0

• Marine pollutant eg oil and sewage
• Climate change eg sea level rising, change in sea temperature, decrease in oxygen concentration of sea
• Increasing carbon dioxide, decrease in pH of sea
• Intensive fishing
• Tourism
• Removal of parts of reef
• Reclaiming land

Question 1

Outline what is meant by the term ecosystem. (2)

Answer 1

Biotic and abiotic components interacting with each other.

Question 2

Suggest methods to conserve the Bengal Tiger. (4)

Answer 2

• Stop killing
• Education
• Stop trade in tiger parts
• Zoos / national parks
• Captive breeding
• Release back into wild
• Replant forests
• Protect remaining forest / stop deforestation
• Incentives to indigenous people / ban use in circuses or as pets

Question 3

State two differences between members of the kingdom Animalia and the kingdom Plantae. (2)

Answer 3

• Heterotrophic
• Locomotion
• Male gametes motile
• No cell wall / tonoplast

Question 4

Suggest why the heterozygosity may be low in Ethiopian wolf packs. (2)

Answer 4

• Packs / populations isolated from each other
• Inbreeding / no interbreeding
• Little mutation
• Small population / gene pool to start with

Question 5

Suggest explanations for the decrease in the number of marine animal species over the years. (3)

Answer 5

• Pollution
• Environment / habitat change
- increase in water
- temperature / pH change
• Overfishing
• Loss of food / more competition for food
• Direct human interference (eg pleasure boats)

Question 6

Discuss the benefits of maintaining the biodiversity of a marine ecosystem. (3)

Answer 6

• Tourism / leisure
• Economic benefits
• Food for humans
• Species may have use in future (as future resource)
• Maintains food webs / chains
• Nutrient cycling
• Maintains large gene pool / genetic variation

Question 7

Explain what is meant by the term biodiversity. (2)

Answer 7

• Variety of different / total number of species

* Genetic diversity of species

Question 8

Explain the benefits of maintaining biodiversity. (4)

Answer 8

• Cultural / aesthetic / leisure reasons
• Moral / ethical reasons (eg right to exist / prevent extinction)
• Resource material (eg wood for building, fibers for clothes, food for humans)
• Ecotourism
• Economic benefits
• Species may have use in future (eg medical use)
• Maintains food webs / chains
• Nutrient cycling / protection against erosion
• Climate stability
• Maintains large gene pool / genetic variation