Cardinal Newman College
A-level Biology Name:
Class:
taxonomy, biodiversity and standard
deviation
Q1.The table shows the taxons and the names of the taxons used to classify one species of otter. They are
not in the correct order.
Taxon Name of taxon
J Family Mustelidae
K Kingdom Animalia
L Genus Lutra
M Class Mammalia
N Order Carnivora
O Phylum Chordata
P Domain Eukarya
Q Species lutra
(a) Put letters from the table above into the boxes in the correct order. Some boxes have
been completed for you.
O M L Q
(1)
(b) Give the scientific name of this otter.
........................................................................................................................
(1)
Scientists investigated the effect of hunting on the genetic diversity of otters. Otters are
animals that were killed in very large numbers for their fur in the past.
The scientists obtained DNA from otters alive today and otters that were alive before
hunting started.
For each sample of DNA, they recorded the number of base pairs in alleles of the same
gene. Mutations change the numbers of base pairs over time.
The figure below shows the scientists’ results.
Page 1
, Cardinal Newman College
Allele size / number of base pairs
(c) The scientists obtained DNA from otters that were alive before hunting started.
Suggest one source of this DNA.
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
(1)
(d) What can you conclude about the effect of hunting on genetic diversity in otters? Use
data from the figure above to support your answer.
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
(2)
(e) Some populations of animals that have never been hunted show very low levels of
genetic diversity.
Other than hunting, suggest two reasons why populations might show very low levels of
genetic diversity.
1 .....................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
2 .....................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 7 marks)
Page 2
, Cardinal Newman College
Q2.Table 1 shows how a bird called the bluethroat (Luscinia svecica) is classified by biologists.
Table 1
Taxon Name of taxon
Domain Eukaryota
Animalia
Chordata
Aves
Passeriformes
Muscicapidae
Genus
Species
(a) Complete Table 1 by filling the seven blank spaces with the correct terms.
(2)
A group of scientists investigated genetic diversity in different species of bird. For each
species, the scientists:
• collected feathers from a large number of birds
• extracted DNA from cells attached to each feather
• analysed the samples of DNA to find genetic diversity.
Table 2 summarises their results.
Table 2
Species of bird Number of genes Number of genes
examined examined that
showed
genetic diversity
Willow flycatcher 708 197
House finch 269 80
Bluethroat 232 81
(b) In this investigation, what is meant by genetic diversity?
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
(1)
Page 3
A-level Biology Name:
Class:
taxonomy, biodiversity and standard
deviation
Q1.The table shows the taxons and the names of the taxons used to classify one species of otter. They are
not in the correct order.
Taxon Name of taxon
J Family Mustelidae
K Kingdom Animalia
L Genus Lutra
M Class Mammalia
N Order Carnivora
O Phylum Chordata
P Domain Eukarya
Q Species lutra
(a) Put letters from the table above into the boxes in the correct order. Some boxes have
been completed for you.
O M L Q
(1)
(b) Give the scientific name of this otter.
........................................................................................................................
(1)
Scientists investigated the effect of hunting on the genetic diversity of otters. Otters are
animals that were killed in very large numbers for their fur in the past.
The scientists obtained DNA from otters alive today and otters that were alive before
hunting started.
For each sample of DNA, they recorded the number of base pairs in alleles of the same
gene. Mutations change the numbers of base pairs over time.
The figure below shows the scientists’ results.
Page 1
, Cardinal Newman College
Allele size / number of base pairs
(c) The scientists obtained DNA from otters that were alive before hunting started.
Suggest one source of this DNA.
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
(1)
(d) What can you conclude about the effect of hunting on genetic diversity in otters? Use
data from the figure above to support your answer.
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
(2)
(e) Some populations of animals that have never been hunted show very low levels of
genetic diversity.
Other than hunting, suggest two reasons why populations might show very low levels of
genetic diversity.
1 .....................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
2 .....................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 7 marks)
Page 2
, Cardinal Newman College
Q2.Table 1 shows how a bird called the bluethroat (Luscinia svecica) is classified by biologists.
Table 1
Taxon Name of taxon
Domain Eukaryota
Animalia
Chordata
Aves
Passeriformes
Muscicapidae
Genus
Species
(a) Complete Table 1 by filling the seven blank spaces with the correct terms.
(2)
A group of scientists investigated genetic diversity in different species of bird. For each
species, the scientists:
• collected feathers from a large number of birds
• extracted DNA from cells attached to each feather
• analysed the samples of DNA to find genetic diversity.
Table 2 summarises their results.
Table 2
Species of bird Number of genes Number of genes
examined examined that
showed
genetic diversity
Willow flycatcher 708 197
House finch 269 80
Bluethroat 232 81
(b) In this investigation, what is meant by genetic diversity?
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
(1)
Page 3
