Q BankQuestion BankDocsDocuments

B4.2.7—Diversity in archaea

Archaea occupy diverse niches, including high-salt, extreme-pH, high-pressure and anaerobic habitats with varied metabolic strategies for survival and growth successfully.

Syllabus
First assessment 2025
Objective
B4.2.7
Level
HL

Exam analysis

Chance of appearing3%of analysed past papers
Latest appearanceMay 2023
Most common paperPaper3
Typical marks1–2

Common command terms

  • State
  • Identify

Scoring notes

Common mistake
Using bacteria or fungi as the methane-producing group when archaea are required.

Recent exam appearances

May 2023Paper1 ["HL"] · TZ216[ 1 ]B4.2.7—Diversity in archaea
May 2014Paper3 ["HL"] · TZ27(e)[ 1 ]B4.2.7—Diversity in archaea
May 2013Paper3 ["HL"] · TZ1F2(a)[ 2 ]B4.2.7—Diversity in archaea
Practice this objective

Coverage 2013–2023 · Updated 15 Jul 2026

Concept essentials

  • Halophilic archaea live in high-salt environments.
  • Methanogens are associated with anaerobic habitats and methane production.
  • Some archaea use chemoautotrophic or light-driven energy strategies.
  • Archaea show broad ecological and nutritional diversity.
ConceptIB Biology HL