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2025 Pearson Edexcel A Level GCE In Biology A Salters - Nuffield (9BN0) Paper 03: General and Practical Applications in Biology QUESTION PAPER AND MARKING SCHEME (MERGED)

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2025 Pearson Edexcel A Level GCE In Biology A Salters - Nuffield (9BN0) Paper 03: General and Practical Applications in Biology QUESTION PAPER AND MARKING SCHEME (MERGED)

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Pearson Edexcel Level 3 GCE
Wednesday 18 June 2025
reference 9BN0/03
Biology A (Salters Nuffield)
Advanced



Total Marks
Ruler, HB pencil, scientific calculator and a copy of the scientific
article adapted from New Scientist (enclosed)


Instructions
• Use black ink or ball-point pen.
centre number and candidate number.

• Answer
Show all your working out in calculations and include units where appropriate. – there may be more space than you
the questions in the spaces provided
need.

Information
• The total mark for this paper is 100.
– use this as a guide as to how much time to spend on each question.
You may use a scientific calculator.
In questions marked with an asterisk (*), marks will be awarded for your ability to structure your answ er logically,
showing how the points that you make are related or follow on from each other w here appropriate.

Advice
• Read each question carefully before you start to answer it.
• Check your answers if you have time at the end.
Turn over

, Answer ALL questions.

Write your answers in the spaces provided.
1 In 1980, a volcano erupted in Washington State, USA.

Ash from the volcano covered surrounding vegetation, killing all the plants. Succession has been investigated on one of
the sides of the volcano.

(a) In one study, species richness on the side of the volcano w as measured. The graph show s the change in

mean species richness from 1983 to 2005.

25

20

15
Mean species
richness
10

5

0
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005
Y ear

(i) State what is meant by the term succession.
(2)

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



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



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



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



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



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




2
■■■■

, (ii) Calculate the rate of increase in the mean number of species from 1986 to 1995.

Give your answ er to tw o significant figures and include units.
(2)




Answer . . . . . . . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .



(iii) Follow ing the eruption, one of the first plant species to be observed w as
Lupinus lepidus.
Give the term used to describe the first species to appear at a location.
(1)

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



(b) Species of Lupinus have organs called root nodules that contain bacteria.
Sugars and nutrients are exchanged betw een the plant and the bacteria in the root nodules.

(i) State w hat is meant by the term organ.
(1)

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



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



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




3
■■■■ Turn over

, (ii) Bacteria in root nodules are able to fix nitrogen gas (N2) into ammonium compounds that the plant can
use.
Name tw o organic molecules, containing nitrogen, needed to synthesise proteins.
(2)

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



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



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



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



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



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



(Total for Question 1 = 8 marks)




4
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