Edexcel IGCSE Biology 4.5 Abiotic & Biotic Factors
Practise using field evidence to explain how environmental conditions, competition, disease and grazing affect populations.
- Syllabus
- First assessment 2019
- Course
- Biology 4BI1
Practise using field evidence to explain how environmental conditions, competition, disease and grazing affect populations.
A group of students investigate the biodiversity in two fields, A and B.
Field A is grazed by cattle and field B has no cattle.
The students investigate the plant species in each field.
They counted the number of each species in five 0.5 m×0.5 m quadrats.
They repeated this for each field.
Table 1 shows their results.

Table 1
The students conclude that grazing affects the species in field A .
Using information in Table 1 and your own knowledge, discuss the students' conclusion.
An answer description that makes reference to five of the following
1. more species present / eq
2. more even distribution / similar numbers of each / eq
3. common sorrel / stinging nettles absent/ eq
4. more biodiversity / grazing increases biodiversity /eq
5. reliable / repeated / more than one quadrat done in each field / eq
6. no information on water / sunlight / temperature / fertilisers / minerals / seasons / eq
7. only done on one field /repeat in other fields / eq
8. no information about amount of animals / age of animals / duration /eq
9. grazing reduces competition allows different species to grow / prevents succession /eq
10. grazing provides increased nitrates/ minerals / manure /eq
allow converse for B /ungrazed
more variation between quadrats
5 E