exam questions

• describe the type of adaptation (2)

  Knocking its body to signal food = behavioural 

  The stinger= anatomical adaptation
• Endemic meaning (1) 

  -       Species found in one location only
• If Scottish wildcat interbreeds with domestic cats, explain the effect on genetic diversity (2) 

  -       Would increase genetic diversity 

  -       Increases number of alleles in the gene pool as it introduces new alleles to the population
• Describe what needs to be measured to compare the biodiversity of 2 rainforests (2) 

  -       Counting the number of different species (species richness)

  -       Counting number of individuals per species (population sizes) 
• Complete examples for the sloth adaptations (3) 

  -       Behavioural= they sleep over 15 hours a day 

  -       Physiological= slow metabolism 

  -       Anatomical= hooked claws
• Discuss why the number of sloth species may change in the future (6)

   

  Species number may increase:

  -       Geographical isolation

  -       Diff selection pressures on population 

  -       Diff allele frequencies 

  -       Evolution occurs leading to new species which can no longer interbreed to produce fertile offspring

  Species number may decrease:

  -       Only one population thus could be vulnerable to inbreeding depression- reduced survival and fertility of offspring of related individuals

  -       At risk of natural disaster, disease, predation

  -       May become extinct