(Biotechnology and Ecology)

1 Golden rice is a type of rice that has been genetically modified to contain a nutrient called
beta-carotene.

Fig. 6.1 shows the genetic modification process used to produce golden rice.

bacterial cell plant DNA

rice plant cells

infected with the
genetically modified
bacteria

rice plants
with the ability
to produce
beta-carotene
are grown

tissue culture

not to scale

Fig. 6.1
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(a) Using the information in Fig. 6.1, complete the sentences to describe how rice is genetically
modified to contain beta-carotene.
plasmid
The part labelled A in the bacterial cell is a ................................................... .

restriction
Part A is extracted and cut using a .................................................. enzyme forming
sticky
..................................................... ends.

gene
The part labelled B is the .................................................. that codes for the production of

beta-carotene.

The enzyme used to cut part A is also used to cut part B from the plant DNA.

ligase
Part B is inserted into the part labelled A using the enzyme .......................................... .

recombinant plasmid
This forms the part labelled C, which is called a ........................................................... .

Part C is put into a bacterium. The bacterium is taken up by rice plant cells, giving them the

ability to produce beta-carotene.

asexual
Tissue culture is a form of .............................................................. reproduction that is used to

produce many identical rice plants producing beta-carotene for commercial use.
[7]

(b) Apart from structural features, state two reasons why bacteria are useful for genetic
modification.

there would be no ethical issues with killing bacteria

1 ................................................................................................................................................

they reproduce rapidly

2 ................................................................................................................................................
[2]

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(c) Discuss the disadvantages of genetically modifying rice plants to produce beta-carotene.
there would be less biodiversity since the rice would be the main thing grown
...................................................................................................................................................
a consumer could have a allergy to the beta-carotene
...................................................................................................................................................

farmers would not be able to save seeds for the rice

...................................................................................................................................................

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............................................................................................................................................. [3]

(d) Beta-carotene is required to produce vitamin A, which is essential for eye function.

State the nutrient required to prevent:

Vitamin C
scurvy .......................................................................................................................................
Vitamin D
rickets. ......................................................................................................................................
[2]

[Total: 14]
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2 (a) A student recorded the information about an aquatic habitat.

Fig. 4.1 shows the student’s notes.

Aquatic plants provide food for freshwater

shrimps and midges.

Mayflies also feed on aquatic plants.

The mayflies provide food for salmon.

Stoneflies feed on midges and are eaten by

salmon. Salmon also eat freshwater shrimps.

Herons feed on salmon.

Fig. 4.1

(i) Construct a food web to show the feeding relationships described in Fig. 4.1.

Do not draw the organisms.

[4]
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(ii) Complete Table 4.1 using the information in Fig. 4.1 by identifying the names of the
missing trophic levels and one organism at each different trophic level.

Table 4.1

name of the trophic level organism in Fig. 4.1

producer aquatic plants

primary consumer

secondary consumer

[3]

(iii) Outline how the energy in the primary consumers in this aquatic food web is used to
produce biomass in the secondary consumers.
primary consumers that are eaten transfer their energy and glucose to the seccondaryt
...........................................................................................................................................
consumer eating it which is used for resporation and for growth, the energy is from the
...........................................................................................................................................

food particles thatr the primary consumer had given them by being eaten
...........................................................................................................................................

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(iv) Humans also eat salmon.

Predict the impact on the feeding relationships shown in Fig. 4.1 of overharvesting of
salmon.
there will be less herons since they will have less salmon to eat, there will be more
...........................................................................................................................................
stone flies since their predator salmon will be less and there will be less midges
...........................................................................................................................................

as they will be eaten more by the stoneflies

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(b) Describe what is meant by the term decomposer.

an organism that gets energy by feeding on dead organic material
...................................................................................................................................................

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............................................................................................................................................. [1]

(c) Animals such as salmon can be farmed for meat.

Explain why it is more energy efficient for humans to eat crop plants than to eat livestock that
have been fed on crop plants.
the crops would be at the lowest trophic level and eating live stick will have enrgy lost in respiration
...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................
movement so getting food fgrom live stock is less energy effecient than getting food drom plants

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[Total: 18]
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3 Coral reefs are important ecosystems.

(a) Complete the sentence about ecosystems.

communities
An ecosystem can be defined as a unit containing the ................................................. of

enviorments
organisms and their ................................................., interacting together.
[2]

Fig. 6.1 is a photograph of a coral reef.

Fig. 6.1

(b) Fig. 6.2 is part of a food web for a coral reef ecosystem which is similar to the one shown in
Fig. 6.1.

reef shark
pufferfish

fan worm blue chromis butterflyfish angelfish

fish

coral polyps sea sponge

zooplankton

phytoplankton

Fig. 6.2
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(i) State the number of secondary consumers shown in Fig. 6.2.

4
..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) State the name of a species that feeds at more than one trophic level in Fig. 6.2.
reef shark
..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(iii) State the number of different organisms in the shortest food chain in Fig. 6.2.
4
..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(iv) State the evidence from the food web in Fig. 6.2, that phytoplankton are producers.
the phytoplankton have no arrows
..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(v) It is rare for there to be more than five trophic levels in an ecosystem.

Explain what limits the number of trophic levels in food webs.

energy transfer from trophic level to trophic level decreases with energy being lost
...........................................................................................................................................
in respiration or movement and trophic levels being limted to how much energy can support it
...........................................................................................................................................

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(c) One threat to aquatic ecosystems, such as coral reefs, is global climate change.

Discuss the threats to aquatic ecosystems, other than climate change.

littering of microplastics or plastics which will cause organisms to digest them and get chocked ot trap
...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................
ped in the plastics or by overfishing which will distrub the foodwebs in the ecosystem

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............................................................................................................................................. [3]

[Total: 12]
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4 Penicillin is produced by biotechnology industries.

(a) (i) State the name of the type of pathogen penicillin is used to treat.
bacteria
..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) State the name of the group of medicinal drugs that includes penicillin.
antibiotics
..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(b) Fig. 1.1 is a flow diagram of some of the steps in the production of penicillin.

organism A in step 4
a test-tube

X Y Z
step 5
gas outflow
pipe

step 1 filter

step 3
nutrient
mixing tank step 8
step 6
sterilising tank penicillin

step 2 step 7
fermenter not to scale

Fig. 1.1

(i) Organism A belongs to the fungus kingdom.

State two main features of fungal cells that are used to distinguish them from the cells of
prokaryotes.

nucleus
1 ........................................................................................................................................
vacule
2 ........................................................................................................................................
[2]

(ii) State the genus name of organism A in Fig. 1.1.

penicillium
..................................................................................................................................... [1]
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(iii) Penicillin is produced in the fermenter shown in Fig. 1.1. A variety of nutrients, X, Y and Z,
are mixed together and added to the fermenter in step 1.

List two nutrients that need to be added to a fermenter to produce penicillin.

clucose
1 ........................................................................................................................................

water
2 ........................................................................................................................................
[2]

(iv) Explain why the nutrients are sterilised (step 2) before they are added to the fermenter
(step 3).
to stop any microorganisms or bacteria to multiply
...........................................................................................................................................

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..................................................................................................................................... [1]

(v) Explain why the fermenter has a gas outflow pipe.

to release CO2 which is a waste gas from respiration
...........................................................................................................................................
which will denature any enzymes if built up since CO2 is acidic
...........................................................................................................................................

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..................................................................................................................................... [2]

(vi) Using the information in Fig. 1.1, outline the events occurring from step 4 to step 8 during
the production of penicillin.

step 4 is A multiplying before being added inside of the fermenter

...........................................................................................................................................
step 5 is adding A to the fermenter
...........................................................................................................................................
Step 6 is more growth of A to produce more penicillin which is a product
...........................................................................................................................................
Step 7 is extracting the penicllen from A
...........................................................................................................................................
Step 8 is removing any impurities from the penicillen
...........................................................................................................................................

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[Total: 14]

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