First exams in 2025

IB Style Test – SL Topic B4.1

Adaptation to environment
Theme B: Form and function Level of Organisation: Ecosystems

Name ___________________ Time allowed: 30 mins SL Mark: /20 (SL)

Section A Multiple choice (4 marks)

1. Which of the following could be part of the description of a forest habitat on a mountain?

I. The community in the forest.

II. The population of a species.
III. The annual mean rainfall.
IV. The location of the mountain range

A. All of the above

O
B. II and IV only
C. I, II and III only
D. I, III and IV only

2. Which of the following are conditions required for coral range formation in an ocean?

I. Salinity of the water.

II. The presence of coal grazing species.
III. The annual mean temperature of the ocean.
IV. The depth of the water

OA. All of the above

B. I and IV only
C. I, II and IV only
D. I, III and IV only

3. Which of the following are correct features of a taiga biome but not for a tundra biome?
A. Long cold, dark winters.
&B. Frozen soil water during the winter.
C. Thin nutrient-poor soil.
D. There are no trees.

4. What is the best description of the limits of tolerance of a species?

A. The predator population that is sustainable.
O B. The range of abiotic factors that are survivable by a species.
C. The range of a specific soil factor in which a population is found.
D. The geographical range where a species is found.

© Richard Scarr & David Faure, InThinking www.thinkib.net/biology

1
 First exams in 2025
IB Style Test – SL Topic B4.1
Adaptation to environment
Theme B: Form and function Level of Organisation: Ecosystems

Section B Structured question (7 marks)

5. Fan palms are adapted to living in environments with periods of hot dry weather and wind.

Suggest how each of the adaptations of the morphology of the fan palm will increase its
tolerance of these conditions. (3 marks)
a) Divided leaves

shades the trunk & prevents water evaporation

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

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b) Low stomatal density

reduces the loss of water them in the

protecting
.............................................................................................................................................

not weather
..............................................................................................................................................

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c) Leaf growth at the top of tall stems.

casts a shade upon the relt of the free

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,

reducing immediate temp

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

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© Richard Scarr & David Faure, InThinking www.thinkib.net/biology

2
 First exams in 2025
IB Style Test – SL Topic B4.1
Adaptation to environment
Theme B: Form and function Level of Organisation: Ecosystems

6. The image shows the global distribution of terrestrial biomes.

a) List the two abiotic factors that determine the type of terrestrial biome. (2 marks)

rainfall
.............................................................................................................................................

temperature
..............................................................................................................................................

b) Suggest one reason why the areas occupied by these biomes may be changed due to global
warming. (2 marks)

as tempA , biomes may change . meeting

of ice
.............................................................................................................................................
e
g
.

caps in the polar region

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

© Richard Scarr & David Faure, InThinking www.thinkib.net/biology

3
 First exams in 2025
IB Style Test – SL Topic B4.1
Adaptation to environment
Theme B: Form and function Level of Organisation: Ecosystems
Extended response questions (9 marks)

7. Borislava is an ecologist. She is responsible for the protected areas of a beach on the
Mediterranean coast of Spain. The area is protected because there are populations of rare
plants adapted to the sand dune habitat which is a hostile environment for many plant species.
The conservation areas are each of approximately 100x50m.

Explain how to carry out a line transect to monitor the distribution of plants in this part of
the beach. (6 marks)

we choose an area
& set up the transect line , then
.............................................................................................................................................

marn the transect on the

we map ,
consequently we
..............................................................................................................................................

record the
living things found at one-metre
..............................................................................................................................................

intervals .
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© Richard Scarr & David Faure, InThinking www.thinkib.net/biology

4
 First exams in 2025
IB Style Test – SL Topic B4.1
Adaptation to environment
Theme B: Form and function Level of Organisation: Ecosystems

8. Outline three ways in which plants avoid being consumed by herbivorous animals.
(3 marks)

1) mechanical protections on the surface of the plant

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

2) production of complex that reduce

plant digestibility
polymers
..............................................................................................................................................

to animals
..............................................................................................................................................

3) production of toxins that kill or repel herbivores

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

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© Richard Scarr & David Faure, InThinking www.thinkib.net/biology

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