Past Exam Questions

Question 1

Define gene pool

Answer 1

all the genes/alleles/genetic diversity/genetic information in a population/species

Question 2

Population Dynamics

Answer 2

Study of changes in population size or how and why populations change size or of size and age composition of populations

Question 3

Define Biogeography

Answer 3

study of the geographical distribution of organisms

Question 4

To investigate genetic diversity, biologists produced DNA profiles for mallee fowl. List the main seps involved in producing a DNA profile.

Answer 4

• isolate DNA from the mallee fowl
• amplify the DNA using PCR to make large amounts of DNA
• use electrophoresis to seperate DNA fragments, to visualise DNA
  -record DNA sequence, number of short tandem repeats (STRs), restriction enzyme fragments

Question 5

explain how gene flow affected the gene pool of a population

Answer 5

• gene flow is the exchange of genetic material/alleles between populations
• migration/immigration can being new alleles into the gene pool/population because they come from different populations with different alleles.
• because they come from different populations can reduce differences between the gene pool of the source and the recipient populations

Question 6

Define fossil

Answer 6

preserved remains/traces of an extinct organism

Question 7

How do fossils provide evidence for evolution (3marks)

Answer 7

• shows past life/extinct organisms
• shows that life has changed over time
• shows how one type of organism/structures have transitioned over time