1.

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15

20

Read the following passage.

The 400 000 hectares of bleak open moorland in the far north of Scotland constitute one
of the finest blanket bogs in the world. Although it supports relatively few species, this
outstanding ecosystem is a wonderful reservoir of wildlife more usually associated with
the Arctic tundra. In the fragile peat grow highly specialised plants that are adapted to
survive in the cold, wet, acidic conditions. Over 30 species of sphagnum moss live there,
each occupying its own niche within the bog. Other characteristic plants are the sundews,
which are insectivorous. They overcome the shortage of nutrients such as nitrates by
digesting small insects that are trapped by long sticky hairs on the leaves. The bog is also
an important breeding ground for several species of birds, which make use of the vast
numbers of insects and other invertebrates that proliferate in early summer. For instance,
about 70% of Britains population of greenshanks breed here, before migrating to the
coasts further south for the winter.

However, this fragile ecosystem is threatened by extensive afforestation with conifers.

Patches of forest already dot the landscape. Drainage work for each patch affects a much
wider area than is to be planted, by lowering the water table and thus altering the habitat
for the mosses. Predators such as foxes live in the forest, and few birds nest within a
kilometre of a forest patch. Patches of forest are, therefore, much more damaging than
they might seem. The rate of growth of trees in this harsh habitat is slow, with many
casualties due to fierce gales. Without the tax incentives made available by the
government, afforestation in this area might well not be economic.

(a)

(i)

Explain what is meant by niche (line 6).

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(1)

(ii)

Explain how drainage work could cause the elimination of some species of moss.
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(1)

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(b)

Suggest why the ecosystem supports relatively few species (line 2).
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(2)

(c)

Suggest the advantage to the greenshank of migrating from its breeding grounds to the
coast (lines 11-12).
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(1)

(d)

Sundew plants are able to digest insects trapped on their leaves. Explain how this is of
benefit to the sundews in this environment.
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(3)

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(e)

Evaluate the case for growing trees in this habitat.

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(4)
(Total 12 marks)

2.

Read the following passage.

Madagascar
The island of Madagascar has been described as the laboratory of evolution. It broke away from
mainland Africa at least 120 million years ago and, following this, many new species
developed. Estimates of the number of plant species on the island vary from 7 370 to 12 000,
making it botanically one of the richest areas in the world. Of 400 flowering plant families
found worldwide, 200 grow only in Madagascar. Among animals, true lemurs are found
nowhere else, and 95 per cent of the countrys 235 known species of reptiles evolved on the
island. Over the past 25 years the human population has doubled. Land shortage is leading to
clearing of the forest, and Madagascar is now facing deforestation on a massive scale. Scientists
have estimated that even if the forest could recover, regeneration could take up to a hundred
years.
(Reproduced with permission from New Scientist magazine RBI Ltd)

(a)

Explain what is meant by the term species.

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(2)

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(b)

(i)
Explain the processes which might have led to the evolution of new
species on the island.
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(4)

(ii)

Suggest and explain how the number of animal species on the island may have
changed as it became botanically one of the richest areas in the world.
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(2)

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(c)

Describe the processes by which forest is able to regenerate after being cleared.
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(4)
(Total 12 marks)

3.

The diagram shows the profile of a sand-dune ecosystem. Samples were collected at points
1, 2, 3 and 4. The samples showed the trends indicated below the diagram.

in la n d

2
3

sea sh o re

In c r e a s e in n u m b e r o f s p e c ie s o f p la n t
I n c r e a s e in o rg a n ic m a tte r in s a n d
D e c re a se in a m o u n t o f s a n d d e p o site d b y w in d

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(a)

One way in which mineral ions enter this ecosystem is by the action of microorganisms
on organic molecules in the soil. Suggest two other ways in which mineral ions enter a
sand-dune ecosystem.
1. ................................................................................................................................
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2. ................................................................................................................................
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(2)

(b)

Giving a reason for your answer in each case, at which of points 1 to 4 would you expect
to find
(i)

a climax community;
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(ii)

the lowest soil moisture content;

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(iii)

the highest proportion of plants which are wind-dispersed?

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(4)
(Total 6 marks)

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4.

The numbers of species of woody plants in samples from 227 hedges of different ages were
counted. The results are shown in the graph. The size of the solid circles shows the number of
hedges in each category.
1

0
9
8

N
u m
b e7 r o f
s p e c i e s o f
w
o o d y 6 p l a n
i n
3 0
m
o f
h e d g e 5

t s

e y

4
3

0
0

0 2 0 0 3 0 0 4 0 0 5 0 0 6 0 0 7 0 0 8 0 0 9 0 0 1 0 0 10 10 1 0 2 0 0
A

(a)

e d

e a r s

(i)
Suggest the age range of the hedges which are likely to support the
most complex food webs. Explain your answer.
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(3)

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e d

e d

e d

(ii)

Explain how the complex food webs maintained by these hedges may be of benefit
to farmers.
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(2)

(b)

(i)
Calculate the maximum percentage of hedges which are 1000 years
old or over in this sample. Show your working.

Answer ............................. %
(2)

(ii)

Many hedges have been removed from arable land in recent years. Explain two
advantages to farmers of removing hedges.
1 .......................................................................................................................
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2 .......................................................................................................................
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(2)
(Total 9 marks)

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5.

Answers should be written in continuous prose, where appropriate.

Quality of Written Communication will be assessed in these answers.
The waste material from coal mines is deposited in pit heaps. A particular mine closed and the
colonisation of an area of its pit heap was studied for a period of 80 years. Species of plants that
were found growing on the pit heap were recorded in two categories, short-lived plants that
grow for one or two years before dying and long-lived plants that continue to grow for several
years. The graph shows the percentages of short-lived and long-lived plants on the pit heap.
100

L o n g -liv e d
p la n ts

80

P e rc e n ta g e
o f to ta l
p la n ts
c o u n te d

60

40

S h o r t- liv e d
p la n ts

20

0
0

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10

20

30
40
50
A g e o f h e a p / y e a rs

60

70

80

(a)

Using your knowledge of succession, suggest explanations for the changes in the
percentages of short-lived and long-lived plants
(i)

over the first 20 years;

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(ii)

between 30 and 80 years.

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(6)

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(b) Mine waste often contains metal ions at concentrations that are toxic to plants.
Populations of two species of grass, red fescue and common bent, have been found on pit
heaps contaminated with zinc ions.
Describe an experiment you would carry out in order to determine which of the two
species has the greater tolerance to zinc ions in the soil.
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(3)
(Total 9 marks)

6.

(a)

What is meant by a community?

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(2)

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(b)

A farmer stopped using a field for growing crops. Scientists studied succession in the
field over the next 30 years. The graph shows the number of species of Hemiptera (an
order of insects) present during that period.
1

9
8

0
0

N u m
b 6 e 0r o f
s p e c i e5 s 0 o f
H e m
i p t e r a
4 0
3

0
0
0

1
Y

0
1 5
2 0
2
e a r s s i n c e

3 0
f i e l d

a b

a n

Explain the increase in the number of species of Hemiptera.

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(3)

(c)

To calculate a diversity index at a given time, it is necessary to know the number of

insects in each population. Name one method that could be used to estimate the total
number of insects in a population.
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(1)
(Total 6 marks)

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12

e d

7.

(a)

Explain what is meant by

(i)

succession;
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(2)

(ii)

a climax community.
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(1)

Heather plants are small shrubs. Heather plants are the dominant species in the climax
community of some moorlands. The structure and shape of a heather plant changes as it ages.
This results in changes in the species composition of the community. A large area of moorland
was burnt leaving bare ground. The table shows four stages of succession in this area.
Time after
burning / years

Mean percentage
cover of heather

Other plant
species present

10

Many

12

90

Few

19

75

Several

24

30

Many

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Appearance of heather
plant

13

(b)

Explain why the number of other plant species decreases between 4 and 12 years after
burning.
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(2)

(c) The rate at which a heather plant produced new biomass was measured in g per kg
of heather plant per year. This rate decreased as the plant aged. Use the information in the
table to explain why.
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(3)
(Total 8 marks)

8.

A hedgerow is a line of shrubs and trees bordering a field, together with the herbaceous plants at
their base. In the last 50 years farmers have removed many hedgerows.
(a)

Explain two advantages for a farmer of removing hedgerows.

1 ..................................................................................................................................
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2 ..................................................................................................................................
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(2)

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(b)

In recent years some hedgerows have been replanted. Ground beetles, which are unable to
fly, are predators of crop pests. The beetles overwinter in the shelter of grasses at the base
of the hedgerow. In some large fields, a permanent strip of grass is left as shown in the
diagram.

S
g

t r i p
r a s s

e d

r o

e r o

Suggest and explain the advantage of leaving the strip of grass in the middle of the field.
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(2)

(c)

Apart from providing a habitat for predators of crop pests, give two biological benefits of
replanting hedgerows.
1 ..................................................................................................................................
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2 ..................................................................................................................................
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(2)
(Total 6 marks)

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