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Animals have adaptations to survive in their environment - AQA - GCSE Biology Combined Science - Question 4 - 2019 - Paper 2
Question 4
Animals have adaptations to survive in their environment. These adaptations may be structural, behavioural or functional. Draw one line from each animal adaptation ... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Animals have adaptations to survive in their environment - AQA - GCSE Biology Combined Science - Question 4 - 2019 - Paper 2
Step 1
Draw one line from each animal adaptation to the type of adaptation it is.
Answer
- Male palm cockatoos use sticks to beat on hollow branches to attract females. Structural
- The harmless hornet moth has black and yellow stripes to look like a bee or wasp. Behavioural
- Sea spiders have automatic muscle contractions that move oxygen around their bodies. Functional
Step 2
Describe how these adaptations help orchid plants to survive and compete.
Answer
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Growing on other plants allows orchids to absorb water and minerals, which is essential for their photosynthesis.
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Brightly coloured flowers attract pollinators, increasing the chances of successful fertilization.
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Producing large quantities of pollen ensures a greater likelihood of fertilization and reproduction.
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Tiny, light seeds allow for wider dispersal, helping to reduce competition with parent plants.
Step 3
Describe how an orchid with bright purple flowers may have evolved from the ancestral species which has pale yellow flowers.
Answer
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Mutations may have occurred in the ancestral species leading to the development of purple flowers.
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Environmental changes could have favored orchids with purple flowers, resulting in selective isolation and adaptation.
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The new traits would allow these orchids to successfully survive and breed in their new environment.
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Genetic material for flower colour would also pass on to offspring, resulting in the new variations being prevalent.
Step 4
Suggest which orchid species is most closely related to the ancestral species.
Answer
Species D is most closely related to the ancestral species because it has the lowest number of amino acids different from the ancestral sequence. This indicates it shares a higher degree of genetic similarity.