Topic 3.1 3.2 3.

3 Paper 2 QA

1. Outline the mechanism of natural selection. [4 max]

Natural selection occurs through the following mechanism:

a.natural selection acts on the genetic variation of a population;
b.formed by mutations in previous generations;
c.(when environmental conditions change), some individuals will be fitter/moreadvantageous
than others;
d.thus will survive and reproduce at higher rates;
e.inheriting these advantageous traits to their offspring;
f.hence the frequency of that advantageous character will increase in the population;

2. Explain how tectonic plate activity may lead to the formation of new species.[7]

a.Volcanic activity may give rise to new habitats eg mountains/islands;

b.Continental drift may bring populations into new climates;
c.Populations may get divided by geographical barriers/uplift of mountains/platesseparating;
d.Different parts of the population may find themselves in new habitats/climates;
e.There may be a variety of traits/genetic diversity in the population;
f.Some features/genetic traits may be more adapted/fit for the newhabitat/climate/subject to
natural selection;
g.Individuals with these adaptive traits will be most likely to survive;
h.These survivors will pass the adaptive features on to their offspring;
i.Over time further adaptations may give rise to a population that is unable tointerbreed with
original species;
j.Once the populations are unable to interbreed a new species has been formed
Give named examples

3. Outline the processes by which a species may evolve a greater tolerance to higher
temperatures [4 max]

a species will contain a variety of different genotypes/characteristics / mutations will increase

the variety of genes/characteristics;
some genes may provide greater tolerance to high temperature than others;
individuals with these genes are more likely to survive if high temperatures are limiting / there
will be “survival of the fittest” / tolerant will outcompete intolerant;
these individuals will reproduce offspring with their tolerance/genetic characteristics / their
characteristics are heritable/passed on to next generation;
natural selection will eliminate intolerant individuals/increase frequency of tolerant individuals;
over time/generations, tolerance may become a dominant characteristic in population;
If candidates mistakenly address process of speciation then just credit those aspects that are equally
valid in microevolution, eg natural selection/survival of fittest/heritability, etc
Topic 3.1 3.2 3.3 Paper 2 QA

4. State two factors that are used to determine the conservation status of a species. [2 max]

population size;
rate of pop increase/decrease;
degree of specialization;
distribution;
reproductive potential and behaviour;
geographic range;
habitat quality/fragmentation;
trophic level;
probability of extinction;

5. State two possible causes of these past mass extinctions. [2]

meteorite/asteroid/comet impacts;
significant volcanic events/volcanic eruptions/basalt flows;
climate change/ice age;
catastrophic methane release (e.g. from methane clathrate);
drop in oxygen levels;
sea level changes;
cosmic events/radiation from space that depletes atmospheric ozone.
Do not accept ‘natural disasters/disease/earthquakes/floods/water levels rising’.

6. Identify two ways in which the current extinction differs from mass extinctions in the past. [2]

rate of change is faster/happening over a shorter time frame;

caused by another species changing the environment/not caused by natural phenomena as in
the past/caused by humans now;
humans can prevent current extinction.

7. Outline how the process of natural selection is a mechanism for evolution. [2 max]

organisms in any population vary;

some traits make them better adapted to survive / selection pressures in the environment may
favour some variations over others/‘the survival of the fittest’;
thus organisms become adapted to environmental conditions;
some of these variations give it a competitive advantage leading to breeding success / those
organisms that survive are able to breed and pass on their traits to their offspring;
where conditions (e.g. climate) change, the organism may respond by adapting to it;
isolation (geographical/ecological/reproductive) may separate a part of a population from others;
differences in the environments may cause speciation/evolution of new species as the
population adapts to the new environment;
the new species may be unable to interbreed with the parent species to produce fertile offspring.
Topic 3.1 3.2 3.3 Paper 2 QA

8. Explain why Madagascar/ Galapagos/ Australia (any island in geographical isolation) has a
high number of endemic species.

island is too far from the mainland for exchange of genetic information / location of island results
in limited migration of species from/to other areas;
geographical isolation has caused speciation / species have developed in
isolation/independently / species have adapted/evolved to the conditions on the island;
limited resources on the island required specialization to reduce competition;
climate has been stable for a long time, allowing for specialization of organisms;
there are a diverse range of biomes/ecosystems (providing a diverse range of habitats/niches) /
variation in altitude/elevation provides a range of habitats/niches;
tropical rainforests provide many different niches/have high biodiversity;
high biodiversity is associated with larger island size

9
Topic 3.1 3.2 3.3 Paper 2 QA

10. Explain how the plate movements may have contributed to the biodiversity of the hotspot
regions. 3

Plate activity:
As plates move populations become isolated;
Plate activity results in the creation of new/diverse habitats;
Contribution:
Island populations are separated from each other allowing speciation;
Populations become separated by mountain uplift/other physical barriers;
The uplift creates new habitats promoting biodiversity;
Adaptation to new habitats/niches;
Formation of new land through volcanism/volcanoes;
Isolation can lead to behavioural differences leading to reproductive isolation;
Collision of plates allows mixing of genes/habitats/hybridization;
Causing changes to ecosystem and hence biodiversity;