9700_s17_qp_41
A paper of Biology, 9700
Questions:
10
Year:
2017
Paper:
4
Variant:
1

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Corals grow in shallow seawater. Corals consist of colonies of small animals called polyps. These polyps have photosynthetic protoctists called algae inside their cells, which is advantageous both to the coral polyps and to the algae. The algae that live within the cells of the polyps can also live independently as free-living algae. The rate of photosynthesis of algae that live within the cells of coral polyps is higher than that of free-living algae. Suggest and explain how living inside the cells of coral polyps increases the rate of photosynthesis in these algae compared to free-living algae. The relative abundance of five different chloroplast pigments in the algae of corals was determined. The results are shown in Table 2.1. Table 2.1 chloroplast pigment percentage of total chlorophyll a peridinin chlorophyll c2 dinoxanthin β-carotene Outline the method you would use to separate and identify the pigments present in an extract of these algae. Table 2.2 shows the light wavelengths at which each algal chloroplast pigment shows its two largest peaks of light absorption. Table 2.2 chloroplast pigment peak 1 wavelength / nm peak 2 wavelength / nm chlorophyll a peridinin chlorophyll c2 dinoxanthin β-carotene Corals kept in tanks are often illuminated by lamps radiating mostly violet and blue light with wavelengths in the range of 400–490 nm. With reference to Table 2.1 and Table 2.2, suggest why lamps radiating mostly violet and blue light are expected to increase coral growth.
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Oil seed rape , Brassica napus, has been genetically modified to be resistant to herbicides containing glufosinate ammonium. The genetically modified (GM) oil seed rape contains the bar gene, obtained from a soil bacterium. This gene codes for an enzyme that converts glufosinate ammonium into a non-toxic compound. Outline the advantages to farmers of growing glufosinate-resistant oil seed rape. The bar gene was introduced into the oil seed rape using plasmids. The plasmids also contained a promoter taken from thale cress, Arabidopsis thaliana. Outline the structure of a plasmid. Explain how the properties of plasmids make them suitable for use during genetic modification programmes. Describe the role of a promoter in gene expression. The pollen of oil seed rape is transferred from one flower to another by insects. After pollination, fertilisation and seed formation can occur. One of the potential problems of growing glufosinate–resistant oil seed rape is that pollen from these plants could be transferred to the flowers of wild relatives, such as wild radish, Raphanus raphanistrum. This could result in genetic changes in these wild species. An experiment was carried out to investigate whether glufosinate–resistant hybrids between GM oil seed rape and wild radish plants are likely to compete successfully with non-hybrid or non-resistant plants in the natural environment. • Type 1 hybrids were produced by transferring pollen from wild radish (diploid number 18) to glufosinate–resistant oil seed rape (diploid number 38). • Type 2 hybrids were produced by transferring pollen from glufosinate–resistant oil seed rape to wild radish. • Each hybrid was then crossed with wild radish over several generations. • The resulting offspring were then grown in field trials, together with normal wild radish. • The height of the plants and number of seeds each produced were measured. Then the plants were tested for the bar gene. Table 3.1 shows the results. Table 3.1 type of plant number of seeds per plant mean height / cm presence of bar gene offspring from type 1 hybrid and wild radish 22.3 absent 28.3 present offspring from type 2 hybrid and wild radish 88.7 absent 95.0 present wild radishes 76.5 absent Predict the diploid number of chromosomes in a hybrid between oil seed rape and wild radish. Suggest how the researchers could have determined whether or not the bar gene was present in the plants. Many varieties of GM oil seed rape are male sterile, meaning that they do not produce pollen. With reference to Table 3.1, suggest the advantages to the environment of growing male sterile varieties of GM oil seed rape, rather than GM varieties that produce pollen.
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The red poppy, Papaver rhoeas, and several species of daisy of the family Compositae often co-exist as weeds of wheat fields. shows changes in the percentage frequency of red poppies and daisies in an area of wheat fields over a six year period from 1998 to 2003. From 1985, the herbicide metsulfuron-methyl was used to control weeds in this area of wheat fields. This practice continued throughout the six year period. 1998 showed the first occurrence of a red poppy known as biotype X. This red poppy had a specific mutation not present in normal red poppies. year percentage frequency daisies normal red poppy biotype X red poppy Describe how the percentage frequencies of daisies and red poppies changed over the six year period. Metsulfuron-methyl acts by inhibiting an enzyme called acetolactate synthetase, which is needed for the daisies and red poppies to synthesise three amino acids essential for growth. The specific mutation carried by the red poppies of biotype X occurred within the gene coding for this enzyme. The mutation changed amino acid 197 of acetolactate synthetase from proline to leucine. Suggest the effect of this mutation on the structure and activity of the acetolactate synthetase enzyme of biotype X red poppies. Suggest the effect of this mutation on the biotype X red poppies in the presence of metsulfuron-methyl. With reference to , predict and explain the effect of biotype X red poppies on the relative proportions of weeds and wheat in the area of wheat fields in 2003 compared to 1998. . . Suggest how stopping the use of the herbicide metsulfuron-methyl and replacing it with a herbicide that inhibits a different target enzyme in weeds would affect the abundance of red poppies of biotype X.
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There is considerable variation in the ecosystems that occur in the continent of North America. These include coniferous forest, prairie grassland, scrub and desert. Large areas of land that once contained natural ecosystems are now used for agriculture. Explain how the variation in ecosystems in North America contributes to biodiversity. The diversity of some beetle species that feed on animal dung was investigated at two types of grassland site in North America. The first type of grassland site was grazed by cattle and the second type of site was not grazed. Dung beetles were collected, identified and counted from two areas of the same total size. Some of the results are shown in Table 8.1. Table 8.1 beetle species number of dung beetles on grassland grazed by cattle number of dung beetles on grassland not grazed Onthophagus pennsylvanicus Canthon ebenus Canthon pilularius Onthophagus hecate total State the null hypothesis for a statistical test comparing the data from the two types of site. State how many genera and how many species of beetle are shown in Table 8.1. genera species Simpson’s Index of Diversity for the beetles on the grassland grazed by cattle was calculated as 0.521 using the formula: D = 1 – Σ n N 2 n = number of individuals of each species present in the sample N = the total number of all individuals of all species Calculate Simpson’s Index of Diversity for the beetles on the grassland that was not grazed. Complete Table 8.2 to show your working. Show all working to three decimal places. Write your final answer on the dotted line. Table 8.2 species number on grassland not grazed n N  n N Onthophagus pennsylvanicus Canthon ebenus Canthon pilularius Onthophagus hecate total Simpson’s Index of Diversity = Describe what the results in Table 8.1 and both figures for Simpson’s Index of Diversity show about the effect of grazing on the diversity of dung beetles.