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Organisms and their

Environment
Question Paper 1

Level IGCSE
Subject Biology
Exam Board CIE
Topic Organisms and their Environment
Paper Type (Extended) Theory Paper
Booklet Question Paper 1

Time Allowed: 57 minutes

Score: /47

Percentage: /100
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1 Moose, Alces americanus, shown in Fig. 6.1, are large herbivores that primarily live in northern
parts of North America. They have a varied diet that includes young shoots of willow trees and
aquatic plants.

Fig. 6.1

Isle Royale is a large island in Lake Superior in the United States where there is a population of
moose that has been studied by ecologists for a long time. The animals’ only predator is the wolf.
The island has a population of wolves that has changed in numbers over the years.

(a) (i) Draw a food chain for the organisms in the passages above.

[2]

(ii) Complete Table 6.1 by stating the name and identifying the trophic level of each organism
in the food chain.

Table 6.1

name of organism trophic level

[3]

(iii) State two factors that influence the numbers of a top predator, such as wolves.

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

2 ........................................................................................................................................
[2]
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(b) In the 1970s, the American ecologist Paul Colinvaux investigated the energy flow between
moose and wolves.

His results are summarised in Table 6.2.

Table 6.2

energy input or output or energy flow energy / MJ

consumed by moose 4 320 000
respiration of moose 380 000
consumed by wolves 56 000
respiration of wolves 53 000

(i) Calculate the percentage of the energy obtained by the moose that is consumed by the
wolves. Show your working.

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

(ii) Explain why the number of wolves on Isle Royale has never risen above 50 while the
highest number of moose recorded is 2450.

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[Total: 14]
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2 The human population is growing rapidly. This is increasing the pressure on the world food supply.

(a) Name the rapid growth phase of any population of organisms.

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

In Canada farmers are breeding fish in large nets because the wild stocks of fish are decreasing.
Fig. 6.1 is a diagram of a salmon fish farm in the ocean. The salmon only eat the food provided by
the worker.

fish farmer
worker feeds salmon monitors water
with fish pieces from from boat
floating walkway

net

waste excreted from salmon

collects at the bottom of
excess fish pieces the ocean
pass into the ocean ocean floor

Fig. 6.1
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(b) Explain the effects of the excess fish pieces and waste excreted from the salmon on the
environment.

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(c) State the lowest possible trophic level of the salmon shown in Fig. 6.1.

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(d) Other farmers grow seaweed. Salmon farming is a less energy efficient way of producing food
for humans than seaweed farming.

Explain why.

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[Total: 8]
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3 The pea plant, Pisum sativum, is a legume which is grown both as a human food and as livestock
feed.

Fig. 6.1 shows some of the root nodules on a pea plant.

Fig. 6.1

Fig. 6.2 shows a cross-section through the root nodule at S on Fig. 6.1.

T indicates the transport tissue in the root.

T
cells containing
bacteria

magnification = ×40

Fig. 6.2
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(a) The maximum diameter of the root nodule in Fig. 6.2 is 73 mm.

Calculate the actual diameter of the root nodule.

actual diameter .......................................................... [1]

(b) Describe the role of the bacteria in the root nodules of P. sativum.

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(c) The bacteria require carbohydrates that are supplied by the pea plant.

Describe how the carbohydrates are produced and transported by the plant to the bacteria.

(i) produced

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(ii) transported

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(d) Pea plants grow well in soils that are deficient in nitrogen.

Explain how root hair cells of pea plants absorb nitrate ions from soils with low nitrate
concentrations.

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[Total: 9]
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4 Fig. 1.1 shows the change in the biomass of the fungus Penicillium when grown in a fermenter to
produce the antibiotic penicillin.

5.0
X
4.5

4.0

3.5

3.0
biomass / g per kg W
growth medium 2.5

2.0

1.5

1.0 V

0.5

0.0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180
time / hours

Fig. 1.1

(a) Name the stages in the growth of Penicillium indicated by V, W and X.

V ...............................................................................................................................................

W ..............................................................................................................................................

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

(b) State two factors that are kept constant when Penicillium is grown in a fermenter.

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

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

(c) Suggest why the growth of Penicillium is measured in biomass rather than numbers of cells.

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[Total: 6]