Ecology

1(a)
t o biotic factors involve forganisms / living) abiotic are (physical / chemical/non-iving
(factors) l eq;
1(b) B
1* (b(ii) QWC
(QWC-Spelling oftechnical terms (shown in italics) must be correct andthe answer must De
organised in a logical sequence)
1.
ref to {several / many / more than 2} readings
2. ref to use of random quadrat positions
aescription of suitable process to give random positions/ eq;
4. ref to
{known/ stated) area of quadrat;
number of individuals in each quadrat {counted/ recorded}/ eq i
6. description of how mean density calculated using total count eg. total number (0t eacn

species) divided by total area sampled;

1(6)(iii)
Abiotic)
ght intensity /light duration/ availability of oxygen(in rock pools)/ length ofexposure (to air)
/length of
Submersion / temperature/presence of toxic chemicals / height above sea level / slope/ aspect
wave action/
pH/any other suitable e.g. ;
(Biotic)
predators/ availability of food organisms/ disease / parasites / competition for a named
resource / any other
suitablee.g.
1(b)iv) B
1(b(v
Statement A
1. data on two species only / eq
Statement B
Accept any 3 of the following
2. idea of density of both species changes as height changes;
3. as height increases L. littorea tends to increase, L. obtusata tends to decrease / eq;
4. no L. obtusata above 2 m, {very few/ almost no} L. littorea below 0.5 m;
5. competition not a (signiticant) factor as both species can be found at same height;
6. ref to both are {plentiful / high density} between 0.5 and 1.5 mn;

StatementC .
7. idea of density of species changes height changes;
as

no {information/ data} for

other factors;
8. ref to

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 material1;
2(a)
1. reference to
{carbon/organic /eq} compounds in plant
respiratory substrates;
2. idea that digestion provides
released (from respiration);
3. carbon dioxide
available for photosynthesis;
4.(this carbon dioxide is)

5. reference to woodlice {eaten/decompose}

2(bi) A
2(b)(ii)
1.{wavelength / colour/frequency} oflight
;

2. light intensity/ shading;

3.temperature; substratum/ eq} /humidity ;
4. moisture content of {air/
eq} of {substratum/ eg}
;
5. {pH/ chemical composition
/
6. air currents/wind/eq;
7. texture of substratum/eq;
8. reference to {oxygen/carbon/methane}
2(cM)
8 3
1
10 1
2(c)i)
1. woodlice move about/ eq;
2. (therefore) difficultto count /eq;
than once/missed out}/ eq;
3. some might be {countedmore
2(c)ii)
1. for results to be (scientifically) valid;
2. only one factor needs to be varied/eq
3. other factors need to be kept constant / eq;
4. reference to {many/biotic / eq}
factors (in a garden);
5. (these factors are) {difficult to control/eq};
6. reference to difficult to set test
factor values;

3(a)
1. polysaccharide;
2. unbranched / straight chain;
3. {beta/B} glucose;
4.(1-4) glycosidic bonds (between glucose molecules);
5. reference to intermolecular hydrogen bonds/ eq;
3(b)
xylem/ sclerenchyma;

212
3()
ererence to {decomposition/ decay/ putrefaction.} (by microorganisims)
2.
3.
reference to respiration;
releases carbon dioxide for photosynthesis/ eq
4. methane released in anaerobic
5.
(conditions)
(methane) available as fuel/ eq
3d))
Any one from:
1. reference to fincreased/ eqg} income /
2. in order to
export fuel
3. reference to more jobs/ eq}

Teduce imports
4.5. reference of (fossil / bio) fuels /
to biofuels {renewable/ sustainable,
6. fossil fuels finite/ eq/
e.g.} /reference to meeting carbon
reduce use of/ as alternative to} fossil fuels/ named
targets eq/
8. reference to no loss of {farmland/ eq}

*3(d)i) QWC answer must be organised in a

must be correct and the
(QWC-Spelling of technical terms
logical sequence) dioxide {recently / eq} removed from
1. reference to (combustion of) biofuels releases carbon
atmosphere/eq; / eq
2. (therefore) there is no (net) increase in carbon dioxide (in atmosphere)
3. carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas/ eq
4. that {absorbs / traps/eq} {infra-red/ heat /long-wave}
(radiation reflected from Earth's
surface); / {escaping/ eq} into space;
5. reference to prevents {infra-red / heat long-wave}
surface increases;
6. reference to (therefore) mean temperature of Earth's
was {trapped/ eq} {a long time ago/ eq} s
7. idea that carbon in peat(land)
releases carbon dioxide;
8. idea of peatland clearance
dioxide (in the atmosphere);
9. idea that there is a (net) gain of carbon
reduces photosynthesis;
10. idea that removal of plants (during clearance)
dioxide released from (clearance) machinery;
11. reference to carbon

4(a) B

4(b) D

213
 4(c) QWCC
(QWC- Spelling of technical terms (shown in italics) must be correct and the answer must be
organised in a logical sequence)
succession described:
1. reference to lichens and
2. able to grow in
mosses pioneer community;
as

3. (that) breaks
{little / no} oil/ eq
up (rock) fragments/ forms {thin/ shallow/ eq} soil,
4. reference to
{plants/eq} with {small/ short/ eq} roots,
5. (able to) grow in
6. 1dea that
{thin/ shallow/ eq} soil / eq
changes in soil structure enable ftrees/ shrubs} to grow/ eq; general ponts:
7. reference to soil able to
8.
{hold/retain / contain/ eq} {water/minerals;
plants {lose leaves/ die / decay/ eq}
as
9. reference
to {organic matter/humus / eq} {increases/released/ eq}
10. reference to competition
effects;
4 (d)

1. climax (community);
Any three from:
2. includes (both) animals and
plants / has many species/has high biodiversity/ eq
3. reference to
{interaction/eq} between species/ eq;
4. idea of
balanced equilibrium of species;
5. reference to {dominant/
codominant} (plant or animal) species;
6. reference to stable if no
{change to environment/ human influence};
5(a)t)
1. (rate of) {production of/ energy incorporated into /
eq} {biomass / organic material / organia
molecules / tissue
2. reference to {losses in respiration/ GPP- R} ;

3. in {producers/ plants/eq}
5(a)i)
1. correct readings from graph indicated e.g. (11 and 1);
2.
correct subtraction e.g. (11-1/10)
3. correct division (by 1) x 100/1 to give 1000%;
5(b)
1. idea that the rate of {(bio)chemical / metabolic /
photosynthetic / named} reactions increases

2. idea of increase in {movement/ kinetic energy} of {enzyme / substrate / molecules/

particles eq;
3. idea of (increase in reaction rate) because of more
enzyme substrate interaction

214
5(c)
(Detween January and April) NPP increases as light increases ,
4. 1dea ofa correlation between NPP and light;
light is April and
dl the changes in NPP are occurring after the changes in light/ peak
peak NPP is May;
ror
Cerence to increase in light increases {(rate of) photosynthesis (ATP) energy availabie
/
Calvin Cycle /eq};
.Credit correct details of photosynthesis e.g. light results in excitation of electrons

and NPP / reference to temperatire

e a that there is no real correlation between temperature
fluctuating
7. idea that the temperature affects how quickly enzymes work

8. reference to NPP falling (from May) but temperature remaining high;

9. referenceto (light/temperature) limiting factor;

5(d)
Any two biotic factors e.g.
1. grazing/ {consumers/herbivores/named herbivore} / eq;
2. trampling/ eq

3. shading by {plants / named plant}/eq;

4. competition from other plants/ eq;

5. disease/eq;

6(a)
grow} in the clear areas
1. idea oftaller (growing) plants could/ {develop/
clear
2. idea of loss of {low-growing plants zones}
3. idea that different animals appear;
succession
4. referenceto (secondary)
taller plants);
5. reference to climax community (of the
6(b))
1. named abiotic factor;
named factor affects the {number / distribution/ growth/ eg
2.appropriate description of how
of these plants;
3. appropriate explanation;

215
6(b)(i)
1. idea of no {(inter) breeding/ reproduction/ mating/ eq} (between the B. Selene
2. (because) {geographical/physical} barrier /eq;
3. idea of different behaviour ;
4. idea of incompatible genitalia ;
. 1dea of each population having a {discrete/ eq} gene pool e.g. restricted gene flow, difieren
mutations, different alleles;
6(b)ii)
1. (low-growing plants would die out / eq}/ (tallerplants would outgrow the lowgrowing
plants/eq};
2. idea of (B. Selene) unable to feed e.g. no nectar (for the adults) ;
3. (B.seleme) unable to lay eggs / eq;
4. no suitable plants for {caterpillars/eq} to feed on/eq;
5. idea of very little {variation/ genetic diversity/ eq} in a small population;

7(a)6)
1. idea of (a sequence of) changes in {a community/ organisms/ species/plants
2. over a period
oftime / eq;
Additional guidance

1. Accept the idea of species replacing or succeeding each other

2. Accept gradually

7(a(i)
1. idea of final {stage/ sere / community};
2. feature of community deseribed e.g. self-sustaining, stable, one dominant species, a few
codominant species ;

Additional guidance
1. Accept at the end of succession
2. Ignore named example

7(b))
1. idea of conservation of {genetic diversity/genetic variation /biodiversity};
2. idea of extinction;
3. idea of aesthetic reasons;
4. idea that these plants may be useful e.g. as medicines;
5. idea that other animals depend on these plants as a {source of food / habitat}:
Additional guidance
1. Accept gene poo
5. Accept part of a food chain
Ignore survival

21
7(b)(ii)
grazing / remove
saplings/ mowing/ eq
Additional guidance
Accept burning
7(c))
C systematic;

7(Ci)
p a r i s o n (of the value) to the critical value indicates no significance / stronger correlation
the
nearer the value is to 1.0/0.565 is too low/ eq;
2. idea that
sample size too small; factors affect height/ other
1aca that {there is no correlation between height and width/ other
factors affect width/ eq};
Additional guidance
1. Ignore plus and minus numbers
2. Accept not enough data

8(a))
NPP 4680;
R 5720;
Additional Guidance

NB
If there are no answers in the box, look for answers in the space below question

fanswers are the wrong way round, award I mark

10168.9/10169
Ifboth answers are wrong, accept R=
8(a)(i)
1. NPP GPP-R/eq;
2. 55% (GPP energy) is lost / eq;
3. energy lost as heat/ eq;
energy-requiring process};
4. to provide energy for {active transport/ any other named
{(stored) energy/ energy
available for next trophic level/ eq} ;
5. NPP is
Additional Guidance

in words eg movement (opening of flowers, turning of leaves)

Accept correct description
glycolysis
is used for respiration unqualified
Ignore idea that energy
Accept biomass

217
 8(b) eq}
herbivores/eat grass/eat plants/
1. cattle {are primary consumers/
NPP);as
2. (therefore) gain energy (available
3. idea grazing capacity of the grassland;
of
4. idea of affect on yield of {meat/milk/
eq};
NPP yielding} crop;
5. idea changing to a more {efficient/
of
Additional Guidance
NPP available
for his cattle
there is enough
Accept idea that farmer is ensuring that
Accept growth rate

8(c)
1. idea of variation over short periods of timne;
value
2. that whole year gives an faverage/overall /eq}
idea inedible eq} / organic material
3. idea that biomass includes fall /undigestible /
much grazing is possible,
4. idea that rate productivity may influence how
of
Additional Guidance
more NPP on a sunny day, seasonal
eg

9(a)
C; nucleus and large (80S) ribosomes
9(b)
A; algae have chloroplasts, the fungi do not
9c) different/ greater gene pool/
1. (advantage ofsexual reproduction/meiosis) {genetically
greater genetic diversity /eq}; one of each organism needed/
2. (advantage of asexual reproduction /mitosis) faster/
conserves advantageous alleles;
Additional Guidance
2. Accept don't need a mate

9(d))
C; area exposed to bright sunlight and protected from the wind
9(d)(i)
1. idea of using a quadrat;
2. idea of {random/systematic} sampling (of wall);
3. (count number of squares/ determine area) containing lichen /eq;
4. credit an indication of how the percentage was caleulated;
Additional Guidance
1. Accept description of quadrat, use of photo and a grid
3. NB reference to measuring percentage cover only is too vague as it is repeating stem of
question
9(d)(ii)
1. ref to use oflight {probe/ sensor /eq} ;
2. idea of taking several measurements;
Additional Guidance
1 Accept description of a light sensor
2. Accept ref to places or times of day

21
9(a)iv)
plot a (scatter) graph of light intensity against lichen / eq
2. reference to looking for a
3.
reference to use of
correlation;
statistics test;
. appropriate named test eg Spearman's rank, Pearson
Additional Guidance
ACcept ref to line of best fit, ref to correlation coefficient also gets Mp 3
10(a)
ate o1){ energy incorporated into / production of/ eg} (biomass/ organic material}
2. in
{plants/
producers};
Additional Guidance
2. Accept from photosynthesis
10(bi)
Very litle GPP in seagrass/ majority present in {microphytobenthos and phytoplankton /
phytoplankton};
2. (roughly) equal distribution (of GPP) between microphytobenthos and phytoplankton;
Additional Guidance
1. Accept only 2.5 to 5% in seagrass, 959% in micro and phyto, more than 50% or about 55%% of
phyto
2. Accept about 50% in each
Accept idea that GPP in microphytobenthos is slightly lower than in phytoplankton
10(6)(i)
1. idea of obtaining a value from the chart e.g. percentage, area, degrees, ratio ;
2. idea of how to use this to calculate GPP
Additional Guidance
Ignore unts
1. Accept appropriate figures in range 50-55 %

NB angle x 840 x 10°= 2 marks

360

area of seament x840 x. 10 2 marks

=

area of circle
8.4 x 106
2.Accept e.g. (percentage) multiplied by
10(b)(ii)
1.{more/ fast / high/ eq} photosynthesis ;
shallow water / high light penetration/eq;
2. waterless {cloudy/ churned up}/
levels in the sea /eq;
3. high {nutrient / carbon dioxide}
4. {high/optimum} temperatures;
5. high light intensity (in this area)/ eq;
6. idea of less respiration;
Additional Guidance

less tidal
2. Accept less current,
21
 10(c)
1.NPP-GPP- R/ eq;
2. energy lost as heat/
eq;
3. named use of
energy (released by respiration);
Additional Guidance
1. Accept correct description in words
3. Accept e.g. movement, opening of flowers, glycolysis, metabolic processes

11(a)(i)
rate ot) {production of/ cnergy incorporated into/ eg} {biomass/ organic material / eq};
2. reference to
{losses in respiration /GPP -

respiration l eq};
3. in {producers / plants};
Additional Guidance
1. NOT energy
{converted / turned into} ACCEPT tissue
2. ACCEPT equation written in words
11(a) (i)
1. idea that NPP
depends on photosynthesis;
2. higher the
temperature the more NPP;
3.
enzymes in (photosynthesis / (anabolic) chemical reactions/ eq} (can work faster/ have
more kinetic
energy/ eq};
4. increase in rainfall increases
NPP;
5. idea of water needed for
light-dependent reaction ;
6. reference to role of
water in transport of {mineral ions/ amino acids / sucrose/ eq}
Additional Guidanëe
3. ACCEPT more enzyme-substrate complexes / more collisions of enzyme and substrate
molecules/ more energetic collisions
5.ACCEPT photolysis
11(a) (iii)
1. idea that shape would be similar/ credit a
{description/ sketch} of the graph;
2. idea that the {line would be higher/ increase in GPP would be
greater}(than NPP)
3. idea that GPP has to be higher than NPP as
respiration has to be subtracted fromGPP;
Additional Guidance
NB award 1 mark for idea that GPP would increase as rainfall increases as photosynthesis is
faster, if no other marks awarded
11(b)
1. correct subtraction (2800-1750/1050) ;
1050 x100 /5300 =19.8/ 19.81 /20);
Additional Guidance
NB Correct bald answer = 2 marks

2. C.E. eg 2800 x 100/5300 52.8/53

12(a)
idea of a series of changes (that occur to the composition of species in the community) of
organisms ( present in an area) over a period of time ;

22
12(b)
Five years before:
1. idea that there are more ( algac /lichens/ mosses presch
species/ cq}
4Decause these are {simpler organisms/early colonisers/pioneer
3. less H.
pebloides present/ eq
4. because recently colonised arca / cq;
max 3 marks

Five years after:

5. more H.
pebloides present/eq;
0. because had a longer period oftime to become
established / e4

7. idea that {grasses/ ferns/ small shrubs / eq} present;

8. because these are {higher organisms/ next group of colonisers/eq

OR idea of improvement in soil structure;

max 3 marks

Additional Guidance
1. ACCEPT no large plants
2. ACCEPT because only bare rock/ don't need soil?
7. ACCEPT large plants
12(e)G)
1. idea of measuring off two areas of the same size;
2. use of a {quadrat / eq};

3. use of random {coordinates/sampling/eq};

4. method of generating random coordinates;
abundance e.g. number of plants, percentage cover
5. description of estimate of
6. indication that several sample sites used;
data;
7. appropriate method of recording quantitative
Additional Guidance

7. e.g. tally chart, table, graph

221
 12(c)ii)
1. idea of
{using amoisture probe / drying out soil samples / eq}
2. idea of
testing soil around plants;
OR

3. idea of
using rain gauge / eq;
4. idea of
collecting water over a
period of time ;
12(d)
1. idea that birds
brought seeds with them
2. idea of
bird droppings;
3. adding nutrients to soil / eq;
4. (therefore)
supporting growth of {more/different} plants;
5. idea that faeces will
help maintain soil structure;

224