A LevelBiologyOCRExam Questions6. Genetics, Evolution & Ecosystems6.6 Populations & Sustainability

Populations & Sustainability (OCR A Level Biology)

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6.6 Populations & Sustainability

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6.6 Populations & Sustainability

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1
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What is the definition of intraspecific competition?

  • Competition between organisms of the same species

  • Competition between organisms of different species

  • Competition between a predator and prey

  • Competition between an organism and the abiotic factors in its habitat

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2
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Crotalus cerastes, also called sidewinder, is a venomous rattlesnake that lives in desert regions of North America. A group of scientists used a mark-release-recapture study to estimate the population of sidewinders in Death Valley National Park. They found that the population of sidewinders had reached the carrying capacity of the habitat.

What factors could be impacting the carrying capacity?

1 Prey population size e.g. mice
2 Temperature of the region
3 Parasites

  • 1, 2 and 3

  • Only 1 and 2

  • Only 2 and 3

  • Only 1

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3
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In India, conservation efforts have successfully increased the local population of elephants. Why might this work lead to conflict between conservation and human agricultural activity?

1 Elephants enter farmland and feed on crops
2 The presence of elephants discourages tourists from visiting the area
3 Protection of elephants distracts from conservation efforts for other species

  • 1, 2 and 3

  • Only 1 and 2

  • Only 2 and 3

  • Only 1

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4
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Coppicing is an example of a felling method used to manage woodlands used for timber production sustainably. What is the definition of coppicing?

  • Only felling the largest trees in the woodland

  • Cutting tree stems close to the ground

  • Cutting tree stems higher from the ground

  • Only growing one species of tree

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1
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The graph shows a typical population growth curve.q8-paper-2-june-2017-ocr-a-level-biology
Which row correctly describes what is happening at each of stages V to Z?

  V W X Y Z
A. Reproduction
rate is higher
than death rate		 As time doubles
population
doubles		 Population size
is proportional
to time		 Population
growth is
slowing		 Reproduction
rate is similar
to death rate
B. Reproduction
rate is higher
than death rate		 As time doubles
population
more than
doubles		 Reproduction
rate is much
higher than
death rate		 Population
growth is
slowing		 Reproduction
rate is similar
to death rate
C. Reproduction
rate is higher
than death rate		 As time doubles
population
doubles		 Population size
is proportional
to time		 Population
growth is
decreasing		 Reproduction
rate is similar
to death rate
D. Reproduction
rate is higher
than death rate		 Population
is increasing
rapidly		 Reproduction
rate is much
higher than
death rate		 Population is
decreasing		 Reproduction
rate is similar
to death rate

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    2
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    The graph shows a population of yeast and a unicellular organism, Paramecium, grown in a fermentation chamber.

    q10-paper-2-specimen-ocr-a-level-biology

    Which one of the following statements best describes the relationship between the two organisms?

    • The Paramecium and yeast populations are complementary to each other.

    • The yeast thrives in the relationship at the expense of the Paramecium population.

    • The Paramecium feeds on the yeast and reduces the number in the yeast population.

    • The two populations are in equilibrium and stable due to a type of negative feedback.

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    3
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    Coppicing and pollarding are both methods used to conserve woodland habitats. 

    Which of the following statements about coppicing and pollarding are correct? 

    • Pollarding is a process that can produce planks of wood for use in building projects.

    • One reason for pollarding instead of coppicing is to reduce the effect of herbivores eating the new plant growth.

    • After coppicing the plant grows back exactly as it was before. 

    • All species of tree are suitable for both coppicing and pollarding.

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    4
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    Which of the following is not a strategy used to conserve peat bog ecosystems?

    • Preventing drainage, e.g. by blocking channels built to prevent flooding.

    • Removing tree saplings manually or through controlled grazing.

    • Encouraging gardeners and farmers to use peat-free compost and fertilisers. 

    • Draining the land to reduce the risk of flooding and water-logging of the ecosystem, which can lead to anaerobic and acidic conditions in the soil. 

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    5
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    The following list contains examples of conservation and preservation.

    Which, from A-D, is an example of preservation? 

    • Employing rangers, purchasing communication equipment and sending vehicles to the Maasai Mara to reduce the impact of illegal poaching on rhino populations in the area. 

    • Limiting commercial and recreational fishing to certain times of the year so it has a reduced impact on the breeding season of certain over-exploited fish species. 

    • Preventing entry of humans into an untouched cave ecosystem in South America. 

    • Controlled burning of heather in a moorland ecosystem. 

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    6
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    The following graph shows a population growth curve for a population in a dynamic ecosystem. OtOBrUYU_carrying-capacity-in-dynamic-ecosystem-mcq

    Which of the lines on the graph, A-D, represents the best estimate for the carrying capacity (K) of the population?

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      7
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      Which of the following graphs shows a predator-prey relationship?predator-prey-graph-options-mcqpredator-prey-graph-options-mcq

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        8
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        Which row of the table identifies the correct categories of reason for the conservation of biological resources? 

          Some species have the potential to provide chemicals for new medicines in the future People enjoy travelling to places of natural beauty such as national parks to relax Peat bogs can act as a carbon sink
        A. Economic Social Ethical
        B. Ethical Ethical Social
        C. Economic  Ethical Social
        D. Social Economic Ethical

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          9
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          What is the correct definition for 'sustainable fishing'? 

          • Not overfishing beyond the point where population cannot naturally return to the original population levels. 

          • Fishing using nets with a large mesh size to allow juvenile fish to pass through.

          • Only fishing with pole and lines and not with trawlers. 

          • Only catch the amount of fish needed to comfortably feed all the humans living in a particular area.

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          10
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          In which of the following areas is there the most conflict between the needs of the local people and the need for conservation/preservation of the area? 

          • The Maasai Mara national reserve in Kenya

          • Antarctica

          • Snowdonia national park in Wales

          • The Galapagos Islands

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          1
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          The cichlid fish in the African Great Lakes are a group of thousands of very closely-related species with widely different ecological niches and appearances. Which statements explain the origins of these species?

          1 Interspecific competition between many similar species caused character displacement
          2 Intraspecific competition for food and mates drove speciation
          3 The selection pressures in the lake have changed dramatically over time, favoring different fish phenotypes.
          4 Competitive exclusion between different fish species

          • 1 only

          • 1 and 2 only

          • 3 and 4 only

          • 2, 3 and 4 only

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          2
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          1White-clawed crayfish are a threatened species of crustacean native to UK freshwaters. Signal crayfish are an invasive species i2ntroduced in the 1970’s that have replaced the white-clawed crayfish in many habitats over time. What are possible reasons for this?

          1 The white-clawed crayfish is less able to avoid predators
          2 The signal crayfish is larger and better able to out-compete the white clawed crayfish for food
          3 Interspecific competition leading to resource partitioning
          4 Interspecific competition leading to character displacement

          • 1 and 2 only

          • 3 only

          • 2 and 4 only

          • 1, 2, and 4 only

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          3
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          E. sexmaculatus is a species of spider in South America which is predated by a mite, T.occidentali. Their population levels are shown in the graph below. Which of the following statements are not evidenced by the graph?

          ocr-a-6-6h-mcq-q3-spider-mite-graph

          1 When numbers of  E. sexmaculatus are high, T.occidentali numbers increase
          2 Occasionally, T.occidentali numbers exceed those of E. sexmaculatus
          3 It is likely that each species is the other’s principle predator/prey
          4 Other biotic factors are also responsible for declines in E. sexmaculatus numbers

          • 1 and 3 only

          • 2 and 4 only

          • 1, 2 and 4 only

          • 2, 3 and 4 only

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          4
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          Agricultural habitats in the UK are home to bird species, such as ground-nesting skylarks. Though there is still plenty of agricultural land in the UK, many of these species have declined dramatically since the 1970’s. Which of the below are the reasons for this decline?

          1 The spread of urban environments has reduced bird habitats
          2 Changing fields to accommodate the use of large machinery
          3 Increased prevalence of cereal monocultures
          4 A change in the nature of the habitat to which these birds are adapted

          • 1 and 2 only

          • 1 and 3 only

          • 2 and 4 only

          • 2, 3 and 4 only

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          5
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          A new volcanic island appears 10 kilometers from the mainland. Eventually, it is colonised by a species of beetle from the mainland and it becomes the only beetle species on the island. A parasitic wasp species, which parasitises multiple beetle species on the mainland, later arrives on the island from a passing cargo ship. It very quickly causes the beetle population to crash, though the mainland population is stable. Why might this have occurred?

          1 The island population has been affected by the founder effect and genetic drift
          2 The parasitic wasp only has one host type on the island
          3 The island beetle population is smaller
          4 The abiotic environment on the island is less favourable to insects than that of the mainland.

          • 1 and 2 only

          • 2 and 4 only

          • 1, 2, and 3 only

          •  2, 3 and 4 only

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