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Edexcel IAL Biology 5.20 Climate change effects on plants and animals

Quote the environmental trend, connect it to enzyme activity or life-cycle timing and use maps, graphs or biological tolerance to justify the predicted response.

Syllabus
First assessment 2019
Course
Biology YBI11
Level
A2

Exam points

  • Explain range shifts through changing temperature, rainfall or seasonal conditions.
  • Link climate variables to enzyme activity, development, reproduction or crop damage.
  • Interpret maps and graphs to compare species survival or population responses.

5.20—Climate change effects on plants and animals question 1

[Maximum number: 1]

The photograph shows a young locust eating the leaves of a plant.

Figure for Question 5.20—Climate change effects on plants and animals question 1 — Edexcel A-Level Biology A2

Locusts can breed in large numbers and destroy crops, such as sorghum, in East Africa. A scientist observed that some varieties of sorghum were more likely to be eaten by young locusts. The scientist collected the seeds of two varieties of sorghum (A and B) and grew them in trays. Locust eggs were collected and hatched into young locusts. Twenty young locusts were placed in a cage containing 100 g of fresh sorghum leaves of variety A. The cage was kept at 30C30^{\circ} \mathrm{C}. After 24 hours, the leaves were removed and the mass of leaves eaten was calculated. This method was repeated with fresh sorghum leaves of variety B. The method was repeated six times for these two varieties of sorghum leaves. The results: Mass of leaves eaten of variety A 17.317.217.517.016.716.9 Mass of leaves eaten of variety B 17.817.917.717.617.817.4

Some scientists predict that climate change will increase the destruction of crops in East Africa. Suggest one reason why some scientists think this.

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