Question 1

A student is investigating species richness of plants along a sand dune from the sea edge moving inland.

They are testing the hypothesis that ‘species richness increases with distance from the sea’.

Which sampling method would the student use?

  A  

opportunistic

  B  

random

  C  

stratified

  D  

systematic

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Question 2

The Dawlish Warren is a conservation area in the UK.

What is an aesthetic reason for maintaining biodiversity in Dawlish Warren?

  A  

maintaining the 200 different animal species

  B  

maintaining the area as a tourist destination to support local businesses


  C  

preventing the disappearance of the coastal landscape

  D  

protecting the sparrowhawk, which is a keystone species

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Question 3

Biodiversity is important for the development of new medicines.

Which statement about the development of new medicines is not correct?

  A  

computer modelling can be used to identify useful medicinal compounds

  B  

genetically modified bacteria can be used to synthesise medicines

  C  

many pathogenic bacteria have become immune to antibiotics

  D  

microorganisms are an important source of new medicines

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Question 4

Tropical rainforests have a very high biodiversity of plant species.

What is an economic benefit of high biodiversity?

  A  

high plant biodiversity decreases the animal biodiversity in the rainforest


  B  

high plant biodiversity increases the organic matter in rainforest soils

  C  

high plant biodiversity supports drug discovery and development

  D  

high plant biodiversity protects the ecosystem from environmental changes

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Question 5

Which statement best defines the term species evenness?

  A  

the number of species in an area


  B  

the relative abundance of each species in an area

  C  

the relative number of individuals of a species in an area

  D  

the spread of species over an area

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Question 6

The genetic diversity of a population can be estimated using the following formula:

proportion of polymorphic gene loci = number of polymorphic gene loci ÷ total number of loci

In 1992 a study estimated the genetic diversity of four isolated populations of lions. They recorded the number of gene variants at a selection of gene loci in each population.

Which population of lions has the greatest proportion of polymorphic gene loci?

  A  

Asiatic lion: 73 polymorphic loci out of 1,927

  B  

Transvaal lion: 1,110 polymorphic loci out of 2,156

  C  

Masai lion: 1,030 polymorphic loci out of 2,315

  D  

West African lion: 1,004 polymorphic loci out of 2,008

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Question 7

Turtle doves, Streptopelia turtur, were once common in farmland in the UK but their numbers have recently been in decline.

Farmers can claim money from the UK government if they farm in ways that encourage the survival of species such as the turtle dove.

Which agreement(s) is/are relevant to the example described above?

   1 - the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)

   2 - the Rio Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

   3 - the Countryside Stewardship Scheme (CSS)

  A  

1, 2, and 3

  B  

only 1 and 2

  C  

only 2 and 3

  D  

only 1

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Question 8

The genetic diversity of monkey populations in a forest ecosystem was studied. The data for one population are shown in the table below.

What is the proportion of polymorphic genes in the monkey population?

  A  

0.11


  B  

0.33


  C  

0.67


  D  

0.78


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Question 9

Two different fields, field G and H, were sampled for three common species of wildflower.

The results are shown below.

Which option is correct?

  A  

field G will have a greater Simpson’s diversity index

  B  

field H has greater species evenness

  C  

field H will have a greater Simpson’s diversity index

  D  

field G has greater species richness

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Question 10

What is most likely to increase biodiversity?

  A  

captive breeding programmes

  B  

climate change

  C  

human population growth

  D  

monoculture

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