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VCE BIOLOGY 2008

YEAR 11 TRIAL EXAM UNIT 2

CONDITION OF SALE: Limited copyright. This paper may be photocopied without charge for use only within the schoolthat has purchased the material. Our electronic copy only may be placed on the school intranet for

the exclusive use by the teachers and students of the school that has purchased the material. Theymay not otherwise be reproduced (all or part) electronically, scanned into a school computer,forwarded via email, or placed on the Internet, without written consent of the publisher.

Time allowed: 90 minutes

Total marks: 88

Multiple Choice Questions

Short Answer Questions

An Answer Sheet is provided for Section A

Answer all questions in Section B in the space provided

Learning Materialsby LisachemPO Box 2018, Hampton East, Victoria, 3188

Ph: (03) 9598 4564 Fax: (03) 8677 1725

Email: [email protected] [email protected]

Website: www.learningmaterials.com.au

Biology Physics Chemistry Psychology Mathematics

Learningby Lisachem

Materials

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Student Name.....................................................................

VCE Biology 2008 Year 11 Trial Exam Unit 2

Student Answer SheetInstructions for completing test. Use only a 2B pencil. If you make a mistake erase and enter

the correct answer. Marks will not be deducted for incorrect answers.

Write your answers to the Short Answer Section in the space provided directly below the

question. There are 25 Multiple Choice questions to be answered by circling the correct letter

in the table below.

Question 1 A B C D Question 2 A B C D












Question 25 A B C D

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Multiple Choice Questions Section A

Question 1Ecology is the study of the interactions of living organisms with each other and with their

environment. The living component together with the non-living part of the environment

make up

A. an ecosystem.

B. a habitat.

C. a biosphere.

D. a niche.

Question 2

An open field is an example of a habitat which could be inhabited by a number of different

species of herbivorous insects. The insects potentially could be preyed upon by differentspider species. As conditions in the field change, different plants and their herbivores may

become established. As a result, the herbivorous insects may be preyed upon by different

carnivores. This gradual process of change is called

A. adaptation.

B. commensalism.

C. succession.

D. eutrophication.

Question 3

Matter is recycled within an ecosystem and is re-used. Matter that cycles within ecosystems

includes water in various forms and the elements carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous in variouschemical forms. The latter three cycles are referred to as biogeochemical. Select the

statement below which does not accurately describe a feature of a biogeochemical cycle.

A. The item that is cycled is a chemical element.

B. For some portion of the cycle the chemical is present in non-living parts of an

ecosystem.

C. For some part of the cycle the chemical is in organisms or biological material.

D. The item that is cycled can only be present in one particular chemical state throughout

the process.

Question 4

Which of the following is not a process which occurs during the nitrogen cycle?

A. Nitrification.

B. Nitrogen fixation.

C. Denitrification.

D. Nitrogenation.

Question 5

The greatest number and variety of life forms would be found in

A. a community.

B. a population.

C. an ecosystem.D. a biome.

Learning Materialsby Lisachem VCE Biology 2008 Year 11 Trial Exam Unit 2 1

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Use the following information to answer Questions 6, 7 and 8

The diagram below shows a food web for a wheat field in Northern Ireland.

Man

Stoat

Rabbit

Eagle

Mouse

Robin

Lacewinglarva

Greenfly

Wheat

Slug

Figure 1

Question 6

What is the name given to the feeding relationship between wheat rabbit stoat? A

A. food web.

B. food chain.C. food pyramid.

D. consumer chain.

Question 7

Which of the following population changes in the other organisms would be most likely to

result in an increase in the Lacewing larva population? A decrease in the

A. greenflypopulation due to the use of insecticide in the wheat field.

B. slug population due to uncharacteristic warm weather in the region.

C. wheat population due to insufficient nitrogen containing compounds in the soil.

D. robin population due to more successful predation by the kestrels in the region.

Learning Materialsby Lisachem VCE Biology 2008 Year 11 Trial Exam Unit 22

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Question 8

In all the feeding relationships depicted in the food web shown in Figure 1, organisms which

couldonlybe classified as a carnivore and second order consumer include the

A. lacewing larva, kestrels, stoats and robins.

B. kestrels, lacewing larva and robins.

C. stoats only.D. stoats and lacewing larva.

Question 9

The key limiting factor that would face organisms that inhabit the littoral zone along a

coastline would be

A. desiccation.

B. salinity.

C. dissolved oxygen levels.

D. light intensity.

Question 10The use of technology is an important tool in the study of habitats, particularly those that

cover large areas. One such application of technology which allows scientists, at a distance

from the habitat being studied, to successfully monitor the types of vegetation in a the habitat

and to detect any changes which may occur over time is through the use of

A. thematic mapper (TM) sensors.

B. very high frequency (VHF) radio tracking.

C. pop-off archival tags (PAT).

D. telemetry.

Question 11

A community of several closely related species of warblers, small insect-eating birds, were

found to exhibit significantly different feeding habits despite living in the same area. Myrtle

warblers fed among the lower branches of spruce trees, Black-throated Green warblers fed in

the middle portions of the trees and the Blackburnian warblers fed toward the tops of the same

trees and on the outer tips of the branches. In terms of feeding the different species of

warblers can best be described as having

A. cooperative behaviour.

B. collaborative behaviour.

C. zero or low degree niche overlap.

D. none of the above.

Question 12

Animals living in arid environments employ many different strategies and possess special

features which serve to minimise water loss. Of the strategies and features listed below which

one could be best described as being a physiological adaptation to living in the desert?

A. Possessing a body shape with a low surface area to volume ratio.

B. Possessing a reduced number of sweat glands.

C. Possessing kidneys able to produce concentrated urine.

D. Having a longer larger intestine for water absorption from food.


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Question 13

The pathway nerve impulses take that would allow you to remove your hand from a hot object

as quickly as possible is best described as

A. a negative feedback response.

B. a simple reflex arc.

C. a stimulus reaction pathway.D. a polysynaptic pathway.

Question 14

The extension that arises from the cell body of a neurone and carries information away from

the cell body to another neurone or tissue is known as

A. a receptive dendrite.

B. an axon.

C. a terminal dendrite.

D. a synaptic terminal.

Question 15The diverse nature of the adaptations employed by mammals has led to a number of biologists

concluding that mammals are the most successful class of animals. For instance, mammals

can maintain a constant core body temperature despite great fluctuations in environmental

temperatures. Although external body temperatures may vary greatly, core temperatures vary

little. This can be seen in whales and dolphins which maintain a stable core temperature of

36-37 C in environments sometimes as low as 10 C. The blood in flippers of such animals

however, may only be at temperatures of 15 C. Which one of the following is least likely to

account for the low flipper temperature?

A. A greater surface area to volume ratio in the flipper than in the body trunk.

B. Constriction of peripheral blood vessels to minimise heat loss to the colder

surroundings.

C. The distance of the flipper from the core of the body.

D. Conduction of body heat to the surrounding colder water.

Question 16

Animal behaviour can be classed as learned or innate. An example of learned behaviour

includes a

A. baby suckling its mothers breast shortly after birth.

B. golden orb spider spinning its web.

C. newly hatched chick following any moving object.

D. pride of lions stalking their prey.

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Use the following information to answer Questions 17.

An experiment was carried out to study the phototropic response in pea seedlings. Four

groups of 5 day-old pea seedlings were grown for a further 10 days under varying conditions

listed below:

Group I: grown in full light

Group II: grown in total darkness

Group III: grown in light: light-proof aluminium foil caps on each tip

Group IV: grown in dark: light-proof aluminium foil caps on each tip

XLight

LightNo light

No light

Group I Group II

Group III Group IV

Light-proofaluminium

foil cap

X

Figure 2

uestion 17

riment shown in Figure 2 and your knowledge of auxins, it would be true to

tiles.

st to the stimulus.

g dogs and hyenas hunt in packs to kill wildebeest. By hunting in small groups

Q

From the expestate that

A. auxin is produced in the coleoptile tip.

B. light promotes cell growth in the coleop

C. cell elongation occurs in coleoptile cells close

D. darkness activates auxin production in the coleoptiles tips.

ueQ stion 18

African huntin

the predators increase their chances of overcoming the prey and thus obtaining food. Such

behaviour is best described as being an example of

A. cooperation.B. communication.

C. conditioning.

D. habituation.


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Question 19

Reef fish employ different reproductive strategies to propagate their species. Plectropomus

leopardus(coral trout) release their eggs and sperm simultaneously in the water where

fertilisation occurs whileAmphiprion spp. (clown fish) lay their eggs on coral close to where

they live and wait for mates to fertilise the eggs. These two different methods of egg release

are respectively referred to as

A. broadcast and demersal spawning.B. demersal and broadcast spawning.

C. external and demersal spawning.

D. broadcast and multiple spawning.

Question 20

Some animal species are polygamous. When one female has multiple male partners during a

breeding season the situation is referred to as

A. polygyny.

B. polyandry.

C. harem polygamy.

D. lekking.

Question 21

The pea crab,Pinnixa littoralis is a tiny crab that lives in the mantle cavity of oysters. The

pea crab enters the cavity as a larva and eventually grows too big to escape through the

narrow opening between the two valves of the oysters shell. It thus becomes a prisoner of its

host, but a well sheltered one. It steals a few particles of food from the oyster but appears to

do no significant harm to its host. The relationship between the pea crab and the oyster is best

described as

A. mutualism.

B. commensalism.

C. endoparasitism.

D. competition.

Question 22

The crown-of thorns starfish (Figure 3) is a major threat to marine life in the Great Barrier

Reef. Increased numbers of such starfish cause great damage to the corals by eating the coral-

producing polyps. The best sampling technique which could be used to study the distribution

of populations of this marine, bottom dwelling animal would be to

A. perform random sampling.

B. use quadrants.

C. employ the capture- mark-recapture method.D. use transects.

Figure 3


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Question 23

The study of factors that influence the densities of real populations in nature is a major part of

modern ecology. Within any given area, individuals of a population could be distributed

uniformly, randomly or in clumps. The random distribution of individuals in a population

would result because

A. the individuals occur only where environmental conditions are uniform.B. there is no intense competition or antagonism between individuals.

C. there is no tendency for the individuals to aggregate.

D. all of the above.

Question 24

A biological control measure which could be used to eliminate an exotic pest which has been

introduced into a new habitat is by

A. interfering with the nature and amounts of available nutrients in the area.

B. introducing biopesticides that specifically kill the exotic species.

C. removing all potential predators and competitors of the pest in the region.

D. making environmental conditions in the area unsuitable for reproduction of the manyspecies present.

Question 25

Animals that mature slowly, breed later, produce fewer and larger offspring and may put

extensive parental care into their offspring are said to employ a reproductive strategy known

as

A. r-selection.

B. oviparity.

C. k-selection.

D. viviparity.

End of Section A


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Short Answer Questions Section B

Question 1The Great Sandy Desert, like most deserts, is subject to extreme temperature fluctuations.

During the day it is subjected to intense sunlight and extremely high soil and air temperatures.

At night, because vegetation is sparse, heat is rapidly lost and a short while after sunset bitter

cold sets in.

a. Other than temperature or light intensity list anotherabiotic factor which may

influence what type of plant is able to live in a desert environment.

______________________________________________(1mark)

b. List a biotic factor which could influence whether a plant will survive in a desert

environment.

______________________________________________(1mark)

To survive the harsh conditions like those experienced in the Great Sandy Desert, plants need

to possess a number of adaptations to maintain water balance.

c. Give a structural adaptation that enables a desert plant to maximise water gain.

______________________________________________

______________________________________________(1 mark)

d. Give a structural adaptation which would enable a desert plant to minimise water loss.

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________(1 mark)

Given rainfall is infrequent in desert regions some desert plants display an ephemeral life

cycle.e. What is an ephemeral life cycle?

______________________________________________

______________________________________________(1 mark)


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f. What is the advantage of such a life cycle to a desert environment?

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________(1 mark)

Some plants, like marram grass, when conditions are hot and dry, have the ability to roll the

blades of grass inwards forming a hollow tube. The stomata on the lower surface of the blades

of grass are not closed.

g. How does such a response reduce water loss in a plant?

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________(2 marks)

h Why must the stomata pores remain open at some stage or another?

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________(1mark)

i. What is the name given to the process by which water is lost via open stomata in

plants?

______________________________________________

(1 mark)

Total marks = 10 marks

Question 2

European carp, Cyprinus carpio, was brought to Australia in the 1870s and were initially

restricted to Victorian fish farms. By 1960 however, they had escaped into the Murray-

Darling river system and have now been found in waters as far as Queensland. European carp

feed at the bottom of water. They engulf mouthfuls of mud, spit out soil particles while

swallowing any organic material or smaller organisms they may have found. As a

consequence, carp infested waters are quite dark and murky.

a. What terms are used to describe foreign introduced species such as European carp?

______________________________________________(1 mark)


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b. State one possible damaging ecological effect which has resulted from the presence of

European carp in Australian waters?

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________(1 mark)

At one stage, the use of pesticides was considered as a possible means of eradicating the

European carp.

c. Describe one feature of an ecologically desirable pesticide.

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________(1mark)

In more recent times, the use of biotechnology to control the European carp populations in

Australia has been considered. The main aim of this control measure is to deactivate the gene

in carp embryos responsible for developing the embryos into females. This is hoped to be

achieved by gene manipulation techniques.

d. What is the rationale behind employing such a measure?

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________(2 marks)


Question 3

Honeybees and other social insects live in complex societies based on extensive division of

labour. A queen honeybee is the sole fertile female in the hive, hence the sole egg producer of

a community typically several thousand strong.

a. From the species point of view give two reasons why having only one fertile femalemay enhance the survival of the species.

Reason 1:

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________


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Reason 2:

____________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________(2 marks)

The males or drones are stingless and are subject to extermination when food is scarce.

b. What primary function do the drones serve in the honey bee society?

______________________________________________

______________________________________________(1 mark)

The workers, all sterile females, serve as nurse bees for the first two weeks aftermetamorphosis. During this time they incubate the brood, prepare brood cells and later feed

the larvae. They next become house bees for a week or two, acting as storekeepers, house

cleaners, wax secretors or guards. Finally, they become field bees foraging for nectar and

pollen.

c. Given their busy work load, provide two reasons why it is advantageous to female

workers to live in such a group situation rather than alone.

Reason 1:

______________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Reason 2:

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(2 marks)


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In such societies, communication between members is very important.

d. List the three different types of signals animals can use to communicate with other

members of their species.

Type I: ___________

Type II: ___________Type III: ___________

(3 marks)

e. Select one of the signal types listed in 3d) and give an example of a situation in nature

where it is used. Explain how such behaviour is advantageous to the species survival.

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________(2 marks)

f. Are communication behaviours classed as learned or innate behaviour?

______________________________________________(1 mark)


Use the following information to answer Question 4.

THE NITROGEN CYCLE

Nitrogen fixing in

soil and root nodulesof leguminous plants,

e.g. clover, peas, beans

Soil nitrate

Blue green algaein worlds seas

and oceans

Plant and animalproteins

Dead organismsand faeces

Lost to marinesediment

Nitrate taken upby plant roots

Artificial inorganicfertilizer

Ammonium salts

Nitrifying bacteria

Dead organism

and faeces Denitrifying bacteriain boggy soil

Volcanicaction

Lightening

Atmospheric nitrogen

Plant and

animal proteins

Figure 4


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Question 4

What is the term given to the process whereby

a. i. Atmospheric nitrogen (N2 ) is converted to ammonium ions (NH4+)?

__________________________________________

ii. Nitrates (NO3-) and nitrites (NO2-) are converted to atmospheric nitrogen (N2)?

__________________________________________

iii. Ammonium ions (NH4+) are oxidised to nitrates (NO3

-)and nitrites (NO2-)?

__________________________________________(3 marks)

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria, nitrifying bacteria and decomposer bacteria all act to make nitrogen

available in a usable form for plants. All these types of bacteria are referred to as

chemoautotrophs.b. What are chemoautotrophs?

______________________________________________(1 mark)

c. Why is the role of chemoautotrophs so important in the nitrogen cycle?

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

(1 mark)

Some nitrogen-fixing bacteria live free in the soil or water while others live in root nodules of

higher plants like legumes.

d. What is the name given to the symbiotic relationship between leguminous plants and

nitrogen-fixing bacteria?

______________________________________________(1 mark)


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e. Through which part of the transport system in vascular plants are the inorganic

compounds of nitrogen carried?

______________________________________________(1 mark)

f. Why do plants need to take up inorganic nitrogen sources?

______________________________________________

(1 mark)


Question 5

Farmers often apply nitrogen-containing fertilisers to their fields to ensure the soils do not

become nitrogen-deficient through overharvesting. The use of pesticides and herbicides are

also employed to increase crop yields.a. How would pesticide and herbicide use improve crop yields?

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________(2 marks)

When crops have been harvested the plant remains are typically ploughed back into the soil.b. Explain how this action can increase the nitrogen content of the soil.

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________(3 marks)

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A series of field trials were performed to assess the yield of four different varieties of barley

with different amounts of fertiliser. Each trial was carried out using one test variety and the

Proctorvariety. The graphs below show the results from the trials.

Yield(t/ha)

Fertilizer (Kg/ha)

30

25

20

Field trial 1Mosane

0 27 54 81

Yield(t/ha)

Fertilizer (Kg/ha)

30

25

20

Field trial 3

Impala

0 27 54 81

Yield(t/ha)

Fertilizer (Kg/ha)

30

25

20

Field trial 4

Deba Abed

0 27 54 81

Yield(t/ha)

Fertilizer (Kg/ha)

30

25

20

Field trial 2Zephyr

0 27 54 81

ProctorMosane

ProctorZephyr

Proctor

ImpalaDeba AbedProctor

Figure 5

c. Give a reason why the Proctor variety was employed in each of the trials.

______________________________________________(1 mark)

d. What was the experimental variable in each of the four field trials?

______________________________________________(1 mark)

e. List one controlled variable in each of the four field trials.

______________________________________________(1 mark)

f. Suggest two reasons why the yield from the Proctor variety is different for the same

fertiliser application in the four field trials.

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________(2 marks)



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Question 6

The internal core body temperature of a healthy human is typically maintained at 37 C and is

kept relatively constant through the interaction of a number of factors and involves control by

both the endocrine and nervous system.

a. i. What is the general term used to describe the regulation of internal factors such as

the core body temperature of an organism?____________________________________________

(1 mark)

ii. Define this term.

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

____________________________________________(1 mark)

b. Why is the regulation of body temperature important in most animals?

______________________________________________

______________________________________________(1 mark)

The following diagram represents the feedback mechanism involved in the homeostatic

control of body temperature in humans.

Effector

Blood vessels andsweat glands

Co-ordinating centrehypothalamus

StimulusIncrease in body

temperatueReceptor

Thermoreceptors inskin and hypothalamus

ResponseVasodilation and

increase in sweating

FeedbackDecrease in body

temperature

Normal bodytemperature

Figure 6

This homeostatic mechanism is referred to as a negative feedback system.

c. Explain what the term negative feedback system means.

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________(2 marks)


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Both the nervous and endocrine systems are involved in the homeostatic control of body

temperature in humans.

d. List two differences between the endocrine and nervous systems and how they act.

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

(2 marks)

Total = 7 marks

Question 7

The use of ecological pyramids is one way of providing information about trophic levels in an

ecosystem.

The pyramid of numbers Figure 7 is a diagrammatic representation of the numbers of

different organisms at each trophic level in an ecosystem at any one time.

Owl

Mice

Snails

Grass

3 Consumerso

2 Consumerso

1 Consumerso

Producers

Figure 7

a. What does the area of each rectangle in a pyramid of numbers represent?

______________________________________________

______________________________________________(1 mark)

b. In Figure 7 as the pyramid is ascended the number of organisms decrease. What is

happening to the size of each individual as the pyramid is ascended?

______________________________________________(1 mark)


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c. Can a pyramid of numbers ever be inverted? If so, give a situation when this could

occur. If not, give a reason to justify your decision.

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

(2 marks)

Birds

Ladybirds

Aphids

Rose bush

Pyramid of biomass

Figure 8

A pyramid of biomass Figure 8 is often used to avoid the scale problems encountered when

constructing a pyramid of numbers.

d. Explain what a pyramid of biomass is.

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________(1 mark)

e. List an advantage and disadvantage of such an ecological pyramid.

Advantage:

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

(1 mark)Disadvantage:

______________________________________________

______________________________________________(1 mark)

f. Can a pyramid of biomass be inverted? Justify your answer.

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

(2 marks)


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The third type of ecological pyramid is the pyramid of energy. This pyramid represents the

flow of energy through each trophic level of an ecosystem.

g. What is the main source of energy for life in most ecosystems?

______________________________________________(1 mark)

h. Why can a pyramid of energy never be inverted?

______________________________________________

______________________________________________(1 mark)

i. Scientists often refer to the 10% rule when they describe the movement of energy

through a community. What does this mean?

______________________________________________

______________________________________________(1 mark)

Total marks =12 marks

End of Section B

End of Trial Exam

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Learning Materialsby Lisachem Suggested Answers VCE Biology 2008 Year 11 Trial Exam Unit 2 1

Suggested Answers VCE Biology 2008 Year 11 Unit 2

Multiple Choice Answers Section A

1A 2C 3D 4D 5D6B 7D 8D 9A 10A

11D 12C 13B 14B 15C

16D 17A 18A 19A 20B

21B 22D 23D 24B 25C

Short Answer (Answers)- Section B

Question 1

a. Any one of the following (1 mark)

water availability.

salinity. soil conditions (whether nutrient rich or not).

any other reasonable suggestion.

b. Any one of the following (1 mark)

lack of predators.

lack of competitors.

c. Any one of the following (1 mark)

Possess roots which are deep growing.

Possess an extensive root system-far reaching root network.

Possess succulent stems which provide a storage site when water is available.

Have plant branches arranged so that water directed to root network. Possess leaves with cells with very large vacuoles that act as water stores for the

plant.

d. Any one of the following (1 mark)

Thick cuticle present on leaves.

Hairs covering leaves.

Reduced leaf surface area- needle shaped leaves.

Stomata located on underside of leaves only.

Vertical orientation of leaves.

Stomata located in sunken pits.

Leaves have ability to curl. Reduced stomata number.

Leaf loss.

e. A ephemeral lifecycle is one displayed by some plant species which germinate, grow

and produce seed within a short period of weeks. (1 mark)

f. Such a lifecycle is of advantage to desert plants because while conditions for plant

growth may be favourable they are often short lived. So such a lifecycle gives a plant

the opportunity to take advantage of the favourable conditions quickly. (1 mark)

g. By rolling its slender leaves marram grass can reduce water loss because in so doing it

has reduced the surface area exposed to the sun. (1 mark) A humid environment is

created inside the rolled leaf reducing water loss further because the trapped air

becomes similar in humidity to the inside of the leaf and transpiration stops or isreduced. (1 mark)

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h. Stomata pores need to be open at some point so that gas exchange is possible. Carbon

dioxide, other than that generated in respiration, would be required to be taken in so

that photosynthesis can be carried out when conditions are suitable. (1 mark)

i. Transpiration. (1 mark)

Question 2

a. Exotic pests. (1 mark)b. Any one of the following (1 mark)

Carp destroy water plants and thus change aquatic habitats resulting in the demise

of native fish.

Sunlight unable to penetrate carp-infested waters to same depth as clear waters

aquatic plants cant photosynthesise and die.

Excessive algal growth results due to carp excretions increasing levels of dissolved

nutrients in water. This leads to decrease in the penetration of sunlight in water.

c. Naturally-occurring agents which kill the exotic species specifically. (1 mark)

d. To create a population of carp capable of producing male offspring only. (1 mark)

Eventually, over time, the carp population numbers should decrease. (1 mark)

Question 3a. Any two of the following (1 mark for each reason = 2 marks)

Ensures individual responsible for species propagation and has all needs met and is

safe.

All energy of queen bee is solely directed to mating and breeding.

Propagation of species is occurring all the time because certain individuals in hive

sole job is to do this.

Propagation of species is assured even in times of hardship because queens needs

are preferential over others.

b. To inseminate queen and fertilise the eggs. (1 mark)

c. Any two of the following (1 mark for each reason = 2 marks) Group provides protection against potential predators.

As a group can establish a functioning hive which alone might prove too difficult

to do. So group provides better shelter.

Success of finding food increased when a number of group members involved.

As a group chances of successful mating, albeit by the queen alone, is more likely.

d. Type I : Visual signal. (1 mark)

Type II: Chemical signal. (1 mark)

Type III: Audible signal (sound.) (1 mark)

e. (1 mark) for example given

(1 mark) for reason given

Sample Answer provided below:Example: Visual signal The waggle dance of the honey bee. (1 mark)

Reason: By giving a rough direction and distance of the food source, bees find food in

a shorter period of time and use less energy. This leaves more energy to increase

numbers in hive and increase species survival. (1 mark)

f. Innate behaviour. (1 mark)

Question 4

a. i. Nitrogen fixation. (1 mark)

ii. Denitrification. (1 mark)

iii. Nitrification. (1 mark)

b. Organisms capable of oxidising inorganic compounds to produce energy which is then

employed to manufacture complex organic compounds. (1 mark)

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c. Chemoautotrophs are vital to the nitrogen cycle because they make nitrogen available

in a usable form for plants. (1 mark)

d. Mutualism. (1 mark)

e. Xylem vessels. (1 mark)

f. So they can synthesis organic nitrogen-containing compounds which they then use to

manufacture plant proteins or nucleic acids. (1 mark)Question 5

a. Herbicides improve yields by killing weeds and therefore reducing competition for

crops. (1 mark)

Pesticides kill crop predators/herbivores/other pests so plants grow more. (1 mark)

b. Bacteria/fungi/microbes in soil act on organic compounds in plant remains and

decompose/decay/break down these compounds. (1 mark) Enzymes are released by

microbes and extracellular digestion of organic compounds occurs. (1 mark)

Ammonium compounds acted on by soil bacteria is converted to nitrates/nitrites.

(1 mark)c. As a control/comparison. (1 mark)

d. Different varieties of barley. (1 mark)e. Any one of the following (1 mark)

Age of seedlings planted.

Number of plants planted in field.

Time of planting.

f. Any two of the following (2 marks)

Variation in soil content, wind, temperature, rain, disease, predation, method of

planting and any other valid reason.

Question 6

a. i. Homeostasis. (1 mark)

ii. Homeostasis is a condition of a relatively stable internal environmentmaintained within narrow limits. (1 mark)

b. If temperature is not maintained at its optimum, which is 37 C in humans, then the

action of enzymes could be impeded. Enzymes are temperature sensitive and

consequently will not work effectively if not maintained in their optimum conditions.

(1 mark)

c. A feedback response is one which involves the response altering the stimulus in some

way. (1 mark) A negative feedback is where deviations from the norm set into motion

regulatory mechanisms which restore the norm. (If there is an increase in level of a

substance in the body then the body will change to decrease that level or a decrease in

the level of a substance leads to an increase in that level.) (1 mark)

d. Any two of the following:Differences include

Nervous system has electrochemical messages while endocrine messages are

purely chemical.

Nervous messages travel along nerves in a defined path while endocrine messages

are transported via the blood on a more generalised route.

Nervous messages are fairly direct and target-specific while hormones can act on

many organs.

Nervous messages are fast and of short duration while hormones travel via the

blood and thus more slowly. Hormonal effects can involve growth and thus are

often long lasting. (1 mark for each difference = 2 marks)

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Question 7

a. The number of organisms present at each trophic level. (1 mark)

b. It increases. (1 mark)

c. Yes (1 mark) when the producer is very large or when parasites feed on consumers.

(1 mark)

d. A pyramid that estimates the total mass of organisms at a particular trophic level. It ismeasured by determining the total dry organic matter at that level. (1 mark)

e. Advantage: More reliable than a pyramid of numbers. (1 mark)

Disadvantage: Harder to determine. Can lead to an inaccurate view of trophic level

sizes. Can be inverted (like in an ocean ecosystem). (1 mark)

f. An inverted pyramid of biomass can occur(1 mark) if the producer level includes

organisms with a high turnover rate (rapid reproduction). (1 mark)

g. The sun. (1 mark)

h. Because energy is always lost from one trophic level to the next trophic level.

Pyramids of energy are true pyramids. (1 mark)

i. The 10% rule refers to a rule employed by ecologists to describe the transfer of

chemical energy between trophic levels. Only 10% of the energy going into onetrophic level is available for transfer to the next trophic level in the form of organic

matter for tissue production. (1 mark)

End of Suggested Answers

2008 lisa

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