Topic 5 - On the Wild Side

Question 1

Understand the terms ecosystem, community, population + habitat.

Answer 1

5.1

Question 2

Understand that the numbers + distribution of organisms in a habitat are controlled by biotic + abiotic factors.

Answer 2

5.2

Question 3

Understand how the concept of a niche accounts for distribution + abundance of organisms in a habitat.

Answer 3

5.3

Question 4

Carry out a study on the ecology of a habitat, such as using quadrants & transects to determine distribution & abundance of organisms, & measuring abiotic factors appropriate to the habitat.

Answer 4

Core Practical 10

Question 5

Understand the stages of succession from colonisation to a climax community.

Answer 5

5.4

Question 6

Understand the overall reaction of photosynthesis

Answer 6

5.5

as requiring energy from light to split apart the strong bonds in water molecules, storing hydrogen in a fuel (glucose) by combining it with carbon dioxide & releasing oxygen into the atmosphere.

Question 7

Understand how phosphorylation of ADP requires energy & that hydrolysis of ATP provides an immediate supply of energy for biological processes.

Answer 7

5.6

Question 8

Understand the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis including how light energy is trapped by exciting electrons in chlorophyll & the role of these electrons in generating ATP, reducing NADP in photophosphorylation & producing oxygen through photolysis of water.

Answer 8

5.7

Question 9

Understand the light-independent reactions as reduction of carbon dioxide using the products of the light-dependent reactions (carbon fixation in the Calvin Cycle, the role of GP, GALP, RuBP & RUBISCO).

Answer 9

5.8 (i)

Question 10

Know the products of photosynthesis

Answer 10

5.8 (ii)

simple sugars that are used by plants, animals & other organisms in respiration & the synthesis of new biological resources (polysaccharides, amino acids, lipids & nucleic acids).

Question 11

Investigate photosynthesis using isolated chloroplast (the Hill reaction).

Answer 11

Core Practical 11

Question 12

Understand the structure of chloroplasts + their role in relation to photosynthesis.

Answer 12

5.9

Question 13

Be able to calculate the net primary productivity.

Answer 13

5.10 (i)

Question 14

Understand the relationship between gross primary productivity, net primary productivity & respiration.

Answer 14

5.10 (ii)

Question 15

Know how to calculate the efficiency of biomass & energy transfers between trophic levels.

Answer 15

5.11

Question 16

Understand the different types of evidence for climate change & its causes (including records of carbon dioxide levels, temperature records, pollen in peat bogs & dendrochronology), recognising correlations & casual relationships.

Answer 16

5.12

Question 17

Understand the causes of anthropogenic climate change, including the role of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide & methane) in the greenhouse effect.

Answer 17

5.13

Question 18

Understand that date can be extrapolated to make predictions & that these are used in models of future climate change.

Answer 18

5.14 (i)

Question 19

Understand that models for climate change have limitations.

Answer 19

5.14 (ii)

Question 20

Understand the effects of climate change (changing rainfall patterns & changes in seasonal cycles) on plants & animals (distribution of species, development & life cycles).

Answer 20

5.15

Question 21

Understand the effect of temperature on the rate of enzyme activity & its impact on plants, animals & microorganisms.

Answer 21

5.16

Question 22

Understand how evolution (a change in allele frequency) can come about through gene mutation & natural selection.

Answer 22

5.17

Question 23

Understand the role of the scientific community (scientific journals, the peer review process, scientific conferences) in validating new evidence, including proteomics & genomics, that supports the accepted theory of evolution.

Answer 23

5.18

Question 24

Understand how isolation reduces gene flow between populations, leading to allopatric or sympatric speciation.

Answer 24

5.19

Question 25

Investigate the effect of temperature on the initial rate of enzyme-catalysed reaction, to include Q10.

Answer 25

Core Practical 12

Question 26

Investigate the effect of temperature on the development of organisms.

Answer 26

Core Practical 13

Question 27

Understand the way in which scientific conclusions about controversial issues, such as what actions should be taken to reduce climate change or the degree to which humans are affecting climate change, can sometimes depend on who is reaching the conclusions.

Answer 27

5.20

Question 28

Understand how knowledge of the carbon cycle can be applied to methods to reduce atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide.

Answer 28

5.21

Question 29

Understand how reforestation & the use of sustainable resources, including biofuels, are examples of the effective management of the conflict between human needs & conservation.

Answer 29

5.22