Questions
Q1.
Beavers were hunted to extinction in Scotland in the 16th century.
In mainland Europe, populations of beavers have become isolated from each other.
In 2009, 11 beavers were reintroduced to Scotland from Norway.
Beavers are adapted to live on land and in water. They can cut down trees. They gnaw
branches from trees, which they use to build dams.
The photograph shows two beavers and a pond that has been created due to a
beaver dam.
(a) Explain how the reintroduction of beavers resulted in a change in the biodiversity in Scotland.
(4)
The reintroduction of beavers and the built of dams resulted in increased biodiversity in that area .
However the reintroduction of beavers in Scotland results in the decrease in the plant biodiversity as the
trees are cut down and their branches are gnawed by the beavers. This can further affect the animals that
live on the plants or that eat from them and thus this also results in decreased biodiversity of those
animals
*(b) Some scientists were concerned that the low numbers of beavers reintroduced
into Scotland from Norway could affect the genetic diversity of the population in Scotland.
The scientists proposed two solutions to this concern:
to introduce more beavers from Norway
to introduce beavers from several different European locations.
The map shows locations of European beavers before they were reintroduced to Scotland.
Discuss the solutions, proposed by these scientists, to overcome the concern of
introducing only 11 beavers into Scotland from Norway.
Use the information in the map to support your answer.
(6)
..............firstly introducing only 11 beavers can result in the reduction of genetic diversity as alleles
would be lost .Also without genetic diversity , the beaver population cannot evolve in response to
changing environmental variables and, as a result, may face an increased risk of extinction.
Secondly according to the first solution if more beavers from Norway are introduced then there is a
higher chance of increasing the genetic diversity in that area and the beaver population would be more
likely to evolve in response to the environmental variables thus reducing the chance of extinction. Lastly
according to the second suggestion introducing beavers from several different European countries could
result in a much greater genetic diversity and greater allele frequency . This can further help with the
problem of introducing only 11 beavers as there would be many different types of allele combinations of
the beaver population. So overall both the suggestions are helpful , however the second suggestion does
seem better comparatively
(c) In a beaver population, the frequency of a recessive homozygous genotype is 0.09.
Calculate the percentage of beavers in this population that are homozygous for
the dominant allele, using the equation
p2 + 2pq + q2 = 1
(3)
p = √0.09 = 0.3
so q = 1-0.3 =0.7
thus q2 = (0.3/1)*100= 30%
Answer : 30 %
(Total for question = 13 marks)
Q2.
Answer the question with a cross in the box you think is correct . If you change your mind about
an answer, put a line through the box and then mark your new answer with a cross .
A sperm cell is a specialised cell.
(a) The diagram shows a sperm cell.
(i) How many of the labelled structures contain DNA?
(1)
A 1
B 2
C 3
D 4
(ii) Sperm cells contain mitochondria.
Describe the function of mitochondria in the movement of sperm cells.
(2)
The midpiece of the sperm is packed with mitochondria. Mitochondria are organelles in cells where
aerobic respiration occurs and they produce energy . Sperm use the energy in the midpiece to move the
flagellum.
(iii) Calculate the magnification of the sperm cell shown in the diagram.
(2)
magnification = image size /object size
(8.3*10^6) /60 = 13833.3333
=14000
Answer ...........14000................................................
(b) The photograph shows a Chinese hamster.
A female Chinese hamster mates with many males in a short period of time.
The diagram shows the relative size of a Chinese hamster sperm cell compared
with a human sperm cell.
Suggest why the Chinese hamster sperm cell has such a long flagellum.
(3)
the Chinese hamster sperm cell has such a longer tail so that it can swim faster and more easily to the
ovum as the longer tail increases speed and surface area for the hamster sperm cell to swim . This then
results in the increased chance of the faster fertilisation . Moreover as the Chinese hamster mates with
many male hamsters the longer sperm tail increases their chance of reaching the ovum and fertilizing
first
(c) Explain the role of the cortical reaction in the process of fertilisation in mammals.
(3)
The sperm head fuses with the cell membrane of the egg cell. This triggers the cortical reaction.
In this the egg releases the contents of the vesicles called cortical granules into the space between the
cell membrane and the zona pellucida. The chemicals from the cortical granules make the zona pellucida
impenetrable to other sperm cells beside the one that has already entered. This ensures that only one
sperm fertilizes the egg cell.
(d) After fertilisation, the egg cell divides by mitosis to form a blastocyst.
During this process, totipotent cells become pluripotent.
Describe how a totipotent stem cell becomes a pluripotent stem cell.
(3)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
(Total for question = 14 marks)
