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Since 2003, in France, people have been buying Siberian chipmunks as pets but then releasing them into the wild when they are no longer wanted - Edexcel - GCSE Biology - Question 10 - 2018 - Paper 1
Question 10
Since 2003, in France, people have been buying Siberian chipmunks as pets but then releasing them into the wild when they are no longer wanted. They are now classif... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Since 2003, in France, people have been buying Siberian chipmunks as pets but then releasing them into the wild when they are no longer wanted - Edexcel - GCSE Biology - Question 10 - 2018 - Paper 1
Step 1
Draw a pyramid of biomass for this food chain.
Answer
To draw a pyramid of biomass for the food chain, we need to represent the biomass values of each organism accurately:
- Start by creating three rectangular bars for each organism: acorns, chipmunks, and wild dogs.
- The base of the pyramid will be the largest, representing the 20,650 kg of acorns.
- The middle bar will represent the chipmunks at 2,200 kg, and it should be 50% of the base bar (indicating it is lesser than acorns).
- The top bar will represent wild dogs at 230 kg, which should also follow the same proportion; hence it must be correctly placed accordingly.
- Label each bar with the organism's name and biomass amount in kg.
Step 2
Describe how this affected the Siberian chipmunk population in France.
Answer
The lack of natural predators in France has led to an increase in the Siberian chipmunk population. With fewer chipmunks being eaten or killed, their numbers have been able to rise significantly. As a result, more chipmunks are reproducing, leading to a growing population. This unregulated growth can cause ecological imbalances, affecting native species and local ecosystems.
Step 3
Step 4
Calculate the percentage increase in the number of cases of Lyme disease in humans in France from 2003 to 2015.
Answer
To calculate the percentage increase:
- Find the difference in cases:
- Then apply the percentage increase formula:
Thus, the percentage increase in the number of cases of Lyme disease is approximately 184.2%.
Step 5
Explain why there has been an increase in the number of cases of Lyme disease in humans in France.
Answer
The increase in the number of cases of Lyme disease can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, as the number of chipmunks in the wild has increased, there are subsequently more ticks available, leading to greater exposure to Lyme disease. Additionally, as more people venture into natural areas where these ticks inhabit, the chances of being bitten rise. Consequently, with more interactions between humans and ticks, the infection rates have also escalated.