9A Answers

9A Genetics and evolution

Student Book
1: 9Aa Monsters and myth
L4 1 a no longer living
L5 b any one sensible suggestion, such as change in environmental conditions, disease or
the introduction of a predator/humans
L5 2 a any two sensible suggestions, such as size, length of neck, shape of head, shape of
teeth
L5 b by the environment or by inheritance/heredity
L6 3 a group of organisms that can reproduce with one another to produce offspring that can
also reproduce
L6 4 Megalosaurus
L6 5 nucleus (it is also found in mitochondria but students may not know this)
2: 9Aa Environmental variation
L4 1 Sensible suggestions, such as being given the right amount of water, warmth, light, carbon
dioxide, nutrients/minerals/mineral salts.
L4 2 a Two from: amount of light, temperature, humidity, wind/air currents/draught
L4 b other humans and possibly other plants and/or animals
L5 3 a B – the tree is bent/curved; C – the apples have scabs/damaged skin; D – the person
has a scar
L6 b B – wind; C – a parasite/insect/disease; D – fire (knife or other sharp object or disease
are also sensible suggestions)
L5 4 a three from: piercings, hair length, hair colour, tattoos
L5 b piercings/tattoos are discontinuous (you cannot have half a piercing), hair length is
continuous
L5 5 B – continuous (there are degrees of curvature); C – discontinuous (the fruit either has the
disease or does not) but some students may justify continuous as being the amount of the
fruit affected and this should be considered as correct; D – discontinuous (the person either
has a scar or not) but again some students may justify this as continuous by taking into
account the amount of scarring and this should be considered correct
L6 6 a They are probably the same species.
L7 b Plants that look very different from each other may not look as if they are the same
species and so may be classified as two different species.

Activity Pack
9Aa-1 Environmental variation
L5 1 water, light, mineral salts, warmth
L5–6 2
 characteristic – A feature of an organism.
 environment – The conditions in a habitat.
 environmental factor – Anything that can change the conditions in a habitat or the
organisms that live there.
 environmental variation – Differences between organisms caused by environmental factors.

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 physical environmental factor – Something non-living in an organism’s surroundings that

can change it.
L5 3 a hair colour and piercings
L5 b chin shape (potentially hair colour, although shown with tints)
L5 c moles or piercings
L6 4 produce offspring
L6 5 a diet (lack of algae or shrimps)
L7 b They may have thought that they were a new species of flamingo.

9Aa-4 In the garden

L5 1 small plants – shaded by apple tree; apple tree missing branches – person sawing; bigger
tomato plants – extra fertiliser added; apples with holes in – bird feeding on them; short grass –
lawnmower; plants missing flowers – person picking them; lettuce leaves with holes – rabbit

L5 2 continuous variation examples: smaller/bigger plants

discontinuous variation: number of holes in apple/lettuce leaf, or whether a plant has been
attacked by something or not

9Aa-5 More environmental variation

L5 1 (possible answers)
person with a suntan – Sun
plant with holes in leaves – snails
wilted plant – lack of water
tree with hole in it – woodpecker
person with big muscles – exercise
tree growing at an angle - wind
L5 2 A living thing is called an organism. Different types of organism are called species. There is a
lot of variation between different species. Some variation is caused by factors in an organism’s
surroundings. These are called environmental factors and they cause environmental variation.
Some of these factors are other organisms but others are non-living factors, and these are called
physical environmental factors.
L5 3 a discontinuous
L5 b continuous

9Aa-6 Environmental variation in plants

L5 1 Five of the following, presented in a table.
Environmental factor Environmental variation
soil acidity height of plant
Soil drainage fungal diseases/crown rot
Sunlight brown leaves
Wind brown leaves
slugs/snails damaged to/eaten/holes in leaves
L5 2 a light
L6 b scatter graph accurately plotted
L6 c The greater the light level, the longer the leaf.
L6 d The more light, the more food the grass can make and so the faster it can grow.
L5 e continuous
L6 3 a A group of organisms that can breed with one another to produce offspring that will also be
able to reproduce.
L6 b The lower the temperature the redder the lettuces were.
L7 c Lettuces that have grown at higher temperatures may be though to be a different species

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than those grown at lower temperatures (because they will be different colours).

9Aa-7 Do starlings learn?

L6 1 a It is caused by a factor in the environment (other people) rather than something you are
born with.
b Learned behaviour
L6 2 A more reliable conclusion can be drawn if more animals are used.
L5 3 a
What the trained starling What the observer starling did
did pushed pulled
pushed 15 1
Pulled 7 7
L6 b Yes. If pushing is more innate then the fact that half of the birds pulled after watching the
demonstrator pulling suggests that they had learned something.
L6 c A table allows you to compare figures at a glance and puts everything in the same format.
L7 4 a Pushing, because almost all of the observer starlings in the ‘pushing trial’ pushed. In fact
the researchers suggested that this was because starlings’ usual way of feeding is to push their
beaks down into a lawn and open them to create a tunnel through which to look for their prey.
L7 b Not very valid since the experiment was designed to look for social learning and not to
identify innate behaviours.
L7 c Put hungry starlings that have been hand-reared (and so have not learned things from the
parents) into the apparatus and see what they do to the lid in the box.
L7 5 They can learn the best methods for obtaining food and so be more able to survive.
L7 6 a Any two human innate behaviours (for example, blinking, sneezing, knee jerk)
L7 b Any two learned behaviours in animals (for example, animal learning where food is, avoiding
unpleasant things, birds singing). Students may relate their answers to the behaviour of pets.
L7 c Suitable suggestions as to why learning and innate behaviours are useful for animals.

9Ab
Student Book
1: 9Ab Inherited variation
L5 1 Three of: skin colour, ‘leaf’ colour, flesh colour, size, shape
L5 2 a her father
L5 b hair colour
L6 3 Environmental variation is caused by factors in your surroundings but you get inherited
variation from your parents.
L5 4 T and Y are brothers (Gino Rosato, Lotus Group Vice President, and his brother Bruno);
U, W, X and Z are brothers (the actors, Alec, Stephen, Daniel and Billy Baldwin); V is not
related to anyone else in the photo (Dany Bahar, Lotus Group CEO).
L6 5 nucleus (students may not know that mitochondria also contain genetic information)
L6 6 student’s own response, e.g. hair colour, eye colour, handedness, blood group, etc
L5 7 discontinuous (you can either roll your tongue or you can’t)
L5 8 inherited variation and diet
L5 9 Suggestion, such as height of plant, size of tomatoes; as well as genes, these are also
affected by e.g. water, feeding, light
L5 10 a

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inherited environmental continuous discontinuous

natural eye
 
colour
skin colour   
having a scar  
hair length  
naturally
 
curly hair
blood group  
speaking
 
Welsh
dimpled chin  
having an
 
earring
height   

L6 b Any of the variations that the student has described as being continuous.
2: 9Ab Probability
L4 1 pie chart
L4 2 a fraction out of 100
L4 3 the chance of something happening
L4 4 94 cm sleeves
L5 5 student’s own results
L5 6 0.5
L6 7 2/6 which is 1/3, 0.33, 33%

Activity Pack
9Ab-1 Inherited variation
L5 1 a
David Marta
hair colour 
hair curliness 
nose shape 

L6 b Environmental variation is differences in characteristics caused by things around you

whereas inherited variation is differences in characteristics that you get from your parents.
L6 2 a in the nuclei of all cells
L6 b controls inherited characteristics
L4 3 a 325 – 329 cm
L6 b a normal distribution
L7 c They are the most numerous (regardless of whether you choose mean, mode or median).

9Ab-4 Eye colour probabilities

6 a It suggests a normal distribution.

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b It is continuous variation.
c The pattern is shifted towards dark brown in Wales.

9Ab-5 Probability
1 The ordering of the cards (and probabilities to one decimal place) are:
nearly 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5

Likelihood that The likelihood Probability of Probability that Probability that The likelihood
a living that a person snow falling on a person you a middle-aged of a couple
dinosaur will with 4 children
you meet at Christmas Day meet at person will die
be found having 2 girls
tomorrow random is left- in Lancashire: random has if they catch and 2 boys.
handed: 11% 1/5 A+ type blood ebola: 2/5
is 311 in every
1000.

0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 nearly 1

Based on past Experts say The likelihood Likelihood that Probability that
performance, there is a 70% that a if I roll two dice the Sun will
rise tomorrow.
the likelihood chance of a randomly the score will
of Newcastle powerful picked not be 12.
beating earthquake in molecule of air
Sheffield is 0.6 Tokyo in the is nitrogen.
next 4 years.

L6 2 The following should be in the correct order and position on the scale:
a 0.125
b 0.27
c 0.33
d 0.003
e 0.8
f 0.14

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9Ab-6 Characteristics
1
Characteristic Inherited Environmental Both

(✔ coloured
Colour of eyes
✔ contact lenses)

Colour of skin ✔

Colour of hair ✔

Length of hair ✔

Scars ✔

Height ✔

Weight ✔

shape of
✔
fingernails

need to wear
✔
glasses

Shape of nose (✔ broken nose)

✔

L6 2 a genetic information
L6 b Within the nuclei of cells (or genes, chromosomes but this has not yet been met).

9Ab-7 Inheritance
L6 1 a From top left, clockwise:
The male gamete is called the sperm cell.
fertilisation
The female sex cell is called the egg cell.
The fertilised egg cell contains the same amount of genetic information as a normal body cell.
The nucleus contains half the genetic information of a normal body cell.
The female gamete is called the egg cell.
L6 b It contains the instructions for characteristics and controlling the cell.
3 a ear shape, unlobed ears
b chin shape, ear shape
c They have each inherited a slightly different mixture of their parents’ genes.
d They have had different diets, or have inherited slightly different genetic information for height, or
are different ages.

9Ab-8 Wild tomatoes

L5 1 a yellow patches on leaves, younger leaves are twisted, plant does not grow very tall,
resistance to the virus
L6 b One of : yellow patches – virus, younger leaves twisted – virus, plant height – amount of
mineral salts/light/virus.
L6 c Resistance to the virus is dependent upon the genetic information in the plant, and this was
inherited from the plant’s parents.

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L7 2 a Those in section A because they are the least badly affected by the virus.
L6 b a normal distribution
L7 c Inherited variation that is continuous usually shows this pattern.
L5 d The mosaic virus kills more of the plants, which are the food for blister beetles. So there is
less energy from the plants to support a large population of blister beetles. Robber flies eat blister
beetles and so with fewer blister beetles there is less energy from them to support a large
population of robber flies.
L6 e Any two from: genes, lack of sunlight (less photosynthesis means slower growth), lack of
mineral salts, cold weather.
L6 3 Each gamete contains a slightly different mix of chromosomes/genes/genetic information from
the parent, so during fertilisation many different genetic variations can occur.

9Ab-9 Mendel
L5 1 a Suggestions include amount of light, mineral salts, water and temperature.
L6 b Grow all the plants in exactly the same conditions.
L8 c Graph sketch showing a normal distribution curve.
L7 2 a round seeds, tall plant, purple flower
L6 b Within the nucleus of a cell/on chromosomes/on genes.
L6 3 a wrinkled to round: 0.75; tall to short: 0.74; purple flower to white flower: 0.76
L6 b They are all about the same probability, around 0.75
L7 4 a round seeds
L7 b 0.25 (25% or ¼)

9Ac
Student Book
1: 9Ac DNA
L6 1 Suggestions could include scientific papers/journals, conferences, private letters, meetings
L7 2

1 Scientist 2 Contribution

3 Rosalind Franklin 4 took photos of DNA using X-rays

5 James Watson 6 helped build a double helix model of DNA in 1953

7 Maurice Wilkins 8 spent years testing the double helix model of DNA

9 Francis Crick 10 recognised the shape spiral molecules make on X-ray photos

L7 3 any two inherited characteristics (e.g. blood group, eye colour, natural hair colour,
handedness)
L7 4 male – there is one X sex chromosome and one Y
L7 5 a 23 b 46 c 46 d 46
L7 6 a 2
L7 b because each cell has two copies of the same chromosome (which contain the same
genes), one from the mother and one from the father
L7–8 7 Student’s own diagram to show how DNA, chromosomes, genetic information and
genes are linked. This could be a concept-map type diagram.

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9Ac-1 DNA
L6 1 a cell nuclei
L6 b DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid, although students have not been introduced to this term)
L6 2 in genes, in chromosomes, in DNA, in animal cells, in plants cells, in gametes (all of them)
L7 3 in a gene
L7 4 chromosome 1
L7 5 liver cell – 46, sperm cell – 23, zygote – 46
L7 6
Rosalind Franklin Took photos of DNA using X-rays.
James Watson Helped build a double helix model of DNA in 1953.
Maurice Wilkins Spent years testing the double helix model of DNA.
Francis Crick Recognised the shape spiral molecules make on X-ray photos.
L7 7 on chromosomes

9Ac-5 Chromosomes, genes and DNA

L6 1 a DNA
L6 b nucleus
L4 2 a 38
L4 b horse
L7 c bar drawn to 46 chromosomes
L7 d Because the cells have two copies of each type of chromosome so will always have an even
number.
L4 e & f No. Shrimps are very much smaller than cats, horses and humans but have many more
chromosomes.
L7 3 a chromosomes
L7 b inherited characteristics
L7 4 a & b
5 Watson helped build a correct double helix model of DNA.
4 Crick recognised the pattern on an X-ray photo.
3 Wilkins showed an X-ray photo to Francis Crick.
1 Franklin told Watson and Crick their model was wrong.
2 Franklin took a very good X-ray photo of DNA.

9Ac-6 Models for genetics

L7 The wallet signifies the cell; the credit card pocket is the nucleus; the credit card is a
chromosome containing DNA; chip on the card models the genes that contain genetic information.

9Ac-7 Chromosomes
L6 1 a DNA
L7 b Two chromosomes drawn in above ‘3’, both looking the same and of intermediate height
between those numbered ‘2’ and those numbered ‘4’. Also an identical chromosome ‘10’ should be
drawn in.
L7 c More (because it is larger)
L7 d the same number
L7 e inherited characteristics
L7 2 muscle cell – 46, red blood cell – 0 (they do not contain nuclei), egg cell – 23, zygote – 46.
L7 3 They built a model of DNA that explained the evidence of its structure.
L7 4 factory building – cell, computers – chromosomes, software – genes/genetic information,
central office – nucleus,

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9Ac-8 DNA structure

L7 1 a Watson and Crick
L7 b The expected answers are either Franklin, who took X-ray pictures of DNA, or Wilkins who
tested the Watson and Crick model.
L8 2 Levene’s model had equal amounts of A, T, G and C
L8 3 a
Ratio i ii iii iv v vi
A:C A:G A:T C:G C:T G:T
human 1.47:1 1.42:1 1.03:1 0.97:1 0.70:1 0.73:1
octopus 1.89:1 1.89:1 1.05:1 1.00:1 0.56:1 0.56:1

L8 b A paired with T and C paired with G. Those are the ratios that come out at or very close to 1:1
(i.e. one of each base).
L8 4 Levene thought this as there is much more variety possible in a sequence of 21 different
proteins, or it could be that Levene’s model showed not variation in the sequence of the bases.

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9Ad
Student Book
1: 9Ad Genes and extinction
L5 1 a ‘Light’ is the expected answer.
L6 b The lack of light meant that the plants could not photosynthesise properly and died,
which meant that animals had less to eat and so also died.
L5 2 a claws b tail
L5 3 a due to lack of food
L6 b They can store more fat in their bodies because they are bigger.
L7 c The adaptations that squirrels have are caused by their genes.
L5 4 The grey squirrels are better adapted.
L7 5 Red squirrels are smaller and so more able to get out onto the thin branches.
L5 6 Ideas include: putting out extra food in winter, making sure that grey squirrels don’t enter
the area or killing those that do.
L6 7 Ideas include: native Hawaiian animals depend on it for food/shelter; it is an attractive plant;
it may contain substances that will be useful to humans in the future; they help hold the
fragile volcanic soil together.
L7 8 The population will decrease. Ideas could include: the lack of snow means that they will not
be so well camouflaged and so their prey will see them coming and they will not get enough
to eat; the lack of sea ice means that there is less space for them to live and breed putting
them into competition with one another and/or meaning that supplies of food in the areas
around land will become depleted more quickly by larger numbers of bears; higher
temperatures will mean that the bears overheat.
L7 9 The seeds from an extinct species can be taken out of the gene bank and planted. Or
tissues from extinct species of plants could be used to regrow them, in a similar way as
taking a cutting works.

Activity Pack
9Ad-1 Genes and extinction
L5 1 Dinosaurs died out completely (became extinct) about 65 million years ago. Many scientists
think this was because a giant meteorite hit the Earth and threw massive amounts of dust into the
atmosphere. This blocked out the sunlight and so plants could not photosynthesise. The plants
died and animals could not get enough to eat.
L4 2 a red
L6 b A long bushy tail for balancing, or sharp claws for climbing trees, or sharp teeth to eat nuts
and seeds.
L5 c They can digest unripe acorns.
L6 d The greys will eat the acorns before the reds, and so there will not be enough food for the
reds to survive.
L5 e Sensible suggestion, such as provide food, stop grey squirrels entering certain areas, kill grey
squirrels.
L6 3 a seeds, gametes, pollen
L6 4 One of: to protect other organisms because all organisms are interdependent, we may have
new uses of some organisms in the future.

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9Ad-4 Tiger and deer adaptations

L5
Adaptations, clockwise from top left:
Fur pattern to provide camouflage.
Forward-facing eyes to spot prey and judge how far away it is.
Large ears to hear danger.
Male can use antlers for protection.
Powerful legs to help it run fast.
Fur colour to match the surroundings for camouflage.
Eyes on the side of its head so it can see behind.
Large, sharp teeth to rip flesh.
Sharp claws to grab prey.
Powerful legs to help it run fast.

9Ad-6 A well-adapted animal

L6 1 Students’ own responses.
L5 2 a Students’ own responses.
L5 b Students’ own responses.
L5 3 a Ideas could include: killing predators or organisms that would out-compete their organism;
setting up breeding programmes; gene banks; or nature reserves.
L6 b One of: to protect other organisms because all organisms are interdependent; we may have
new uses of some organisms in the future.

9Ad-7 Adaptation problems

1
Ermine:
L6 a White fur means that it is camouflaged against the snow, allowing it creep up on prey unseen,
and/or hide from predators.
L7 b Desert – the ermine’s fur will make it overheat; Lake – cannot breathe underwater/cannot
swim well.
L7 c If the temperature stays above freezing then there will be no snow and so the animal will stick
out, white against the green and brown vegetation.
L7 d gametes (sperm cells and egg cells)
Cactus:
L6 a It doesn’t rain very often in the desert and so when it does rain the cactus can absorb a lot of
water quickly and store it for later use.
L7 b Arctic – it would freeze and this would damage its cells, or it would soak up too much water
during the spring/summer/autumn months. Lake – cannot take oxygen or carbon dioxide out of
water.
L7 c It will soak up too much water, which may make it burst.
L7 d seeds
Fairy shrimp:
L6 a It can digest its food even at high pHs.
L7 b It would freeze in the Arctic and there is too little water in a desert.
L7 c Less acidic conditions would mean that the shrimp’s enzymes may not digest food less
efficiently and so it may not get enough nutrition.
L7 d gametes (sperm cells, egg cells)

9Ad-8 Dodo evidence

L5 1 habitat destruction (chopping down the trees), introduction of new animals, getting fed by
humans
L6 2 a 23 400 – 20 000 = 3400 cm3 but the model was at one fifth the size, so volume of life-size

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bird = 3400 × 5 = 17 000 cm3

mass = density × volume; = 0.73 × 17 000 = 12 410 g = 12.41 kg
and mass = density × volume; = 0.84 × 17 000 = 14 280 g = 14.28 kg
so the spread of masses is 12.41 – 14.28 kg
L6 b mass = density × volume; = 0.73 × (5940 × 5); = 21 681g; = 21.68 kg
and mass = density × volume; = 0.84 × (5940 × 5); = 24 948 g; = 24.95 kg
so the spread of masses is 21.7 – 25.0 kg
L6 c Yes
d Not fully, the experiment provides supporting evidence for the potential mass of fat and thin
dodos. It does not provide support for captivity causing obesity, or obesity causing extinction.
L5 3 a 12 kg
L7 b Yes it does. This is the mass predicted for the thin bird so it is likely that the bird was thin.
L6 c Use more data from many more different birds to plot more points on the graph.
L5 d 1.6 kg
L6 4 a This would make the skeleton heavier than it should be, making the predicted mass of the
bird heavier.
L6 b This would make the skeleton lighter than it should be, making the mass of the bird lighter.
L6 c Match up all the bones that are the same and only take the best ones of each type.
L6 5 a They could store fat by eating a lot when there was plenty to eat in the wet season. They
could then use their fat reserves in the dry season.
L7 b If the birds were adapted to store fat quickly when food was plentiful, but there was no period
of time when they had to use their fat stores, the birds would get fatter and fatter.

9Ae
Student Book
1: 9Ae Natural selection
L6 1 genes
L6 2 a They were less easy to spot on the blackened buildings and trees by birds that eat
them.
L7 b More of the pale moths were eaten, so a greater proportion of the moths that
reproduced were black and their genes were carried into the next generation. Since
more moths in the next generation carried the genes for ‘blackness’ there were more
black moths.
L6 3 a It has decreased because the buildings have been cleaned/factories do not produce all
the smoke that they used to.
L8 b The black moths are more easily seen against the paler trees and buildings and so are
more likely to be eaten by the birds. So more pale moths survive and reproduce and so
the next generation contains a greater proportion of pale moths.
L6 4 a tolerance to salty water
L7 b The water in the sea has been evaporating, leaving the salt behind and so making the
water get more and more salty. The fish that could by chance cope with the saltier
conditions were more likely to survive and reproduce; meaning that the next generation
had a greater proportion of fish that could cope with the saltier conditions.
L5 5 a an idea about how or why something occurs that can be tested
L5 b when there is a lot of evidence from experiments to support the hypothesis
L7 6 a change in characteristics over time
L8 7 In any area, the local conditions mean that organisms with certain variations in
characteristics will be more likely to survive and reproduce than other members of the
species. As time goes on this natural selection means that characteristics will change.

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Differences in local conditions for the two populations mean that different variations may be
‘naturally selected’. After a long period of time, the characteristics may have changed so
much that two organisms from what were the same species are no longer able to breed
successfully.
2: 9Ae Convincing arguments
L6 1 X. This sentence states clearly what the argument is about; it is about whether Darwin’s
theory is correct and not about how he first got the idea.
L6 2 a M. This is the only sentence that explains Darwin’s idea, which was why some
organisms survived better than others and so were more likely to reproduce.
L6 b R. This is the only sentence that describes how the evidence is used to support the
idea. Sentence P describes what evidence Darwin collected. Sentence Q describes
how long Darwin spent collecting his evidence and what evidence he collected.
L7 3 a The answer must contain an overview of Lamarck’s idea, for example: … that
organisms adapted themselves to their surroundings and then could pass on these
new adaptations to their offspring.
L7 b The answer must contain a reason why Lamarck’s idea cannot be correct, for example:
If Lamarck’s idea is correct, then someone who loses an arm in life due to an accident
would have children that only have one arm.
L6 4 Any sentence that restates the original argument and links to a summary of the reasons
given for believing this, for example: The evidence that Darwin collected and more modern
evidence all support Darwin’s idea and is why most scientists think that Darwin’s idea is
correct.
3: 9Ae Recreating prehistoric animals
L5 1 spear marks
L5 2 Two of: ear size, amount of hair, body size
L6 3 a DNA
L6 b 29
L7 c genes
L6 4 a long hair to help stop energy being transferred to the surroundings by heating (helping
them to stay warm); large size meaning that energy was transferred to the
surroundings less quickly; large feet to stop them sinking into the snow; large tusks to
push snow out of the way.
L7 b They may have overheated in hotter parts of the world.
L8 5 As they moved north, the animals that by chance had slightly more hair would keep a bit
warmer and so would be more likely to survive and reproduce. This meant that the next
generation had proportionally more animals with a bit more hair. This process happened
over and over again, until there were animals with a lot of hair.

Activity Pack
9Ae-1 Natural selection
L6 1 a genes / genetic information
L7 b Pale ones would become rarer than black ones.
L7 c Birds are more likely to eat the paler ones because they are less well camouflaged against
surfaces polluted with soot.
L7 a Some birds like bird X arrived on the island. They had a range of beak lengths, some slightly
shorter than average and some slightly longer than average. There were many flowers and the

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population of birds grew. However, in some years there was very little rain and so fewer flowers.
All the birds could get nectar from the shorter flowers. However, the birds with the longer beaks
were also able to get nectar from longer flowers. The birds with slightly shorter beaks could not
feed from these flowers. The birds with longer beaks got more food and so were more likely to
survive and reproduce. The next generation of birds then included more birds with slightly longer
beaks. This process repeated over thousands of years until all the birds had much longer beaks
and looked similar to bird Y. They had evolved.
L7 b natural selection
L7 c Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace

9Ae-2 Arguments
L6 1 a & b

1 Natural selection happens. Idea

2 In the countryside hawksbeard weed produces lots of Explanation with

fluffy seeds and some heavy seeds. In cities, it evidence
produces a greater number of heavy seeds. The heavy
seeds fall near the parent plant and grow because the
parent grows in these conditions. The fluffy seeds
often end up on concrete and do not grow.

3 This may be because hawksbeard genes have been Counter-argument

changed by the pollution in cities.

4 But this change has been observed in many places, Against the counter-
and not all of them are polluted. argument

5 We can see that the environment affects the survival Summary

of different variations and this is natural selection.

L7 2 There are a variety of arguments that can be made, the important thing being the use of the
argument model. For example:

Countries should burn less fossil fuels. Idea

Many scientists think that the burning of fossil fuels is Explanation with
putting a lot of extra carbon dioxide into this evidence
atmosphere and this is causing global warming.

Coral makes its shell using calcium carbonate, a Counter-argument

process that needs carbon dioxide dissolved in
seawater so we can help coral by producing carbon
dioxide from burning of fossil fuels.

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 9A Answers

But carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels is causing Against the counter-
global warming. This causes rising sea temperatures, argument
which causes many species of coral to die.

So we can help preserve many different species in our Summary

oceans by burning less fossil fuel.

9Ae-3 Resistance to poison

L6 1 & 2 will depend on the die rolls.
3 Students should state that the resistance levels of the population gradually increase and should
then explain how this happens through natural selection, with the pesticide doing the ‘selecting’ of
the variation in the level of resistance.
4 This is genetic variation happening in the next generation. In each generation, a characteristic
will, by chance, have some slight variation amongst members of a population.

9Ae-4 Genetic variation and selection

L6–7 1 natural selection – A process in which an organism is more likely to survive and reproduce
than other members of the species because it possesses a certain inherited variation.
evolution – A change in one or more characteristics of a population over a long period of time.
inherited variation – Differences between organisms passed on to offspring by their parents in
reproduction.
L6 2 a There will be fewer white mice and more grey ones.
L7 b The grey ones are more difficult to spot by predators (more camouflaged) and so are more
likely to survive and reproduce (passing on this characteristic to the next generation).
L5 3 a inherited
L5 b continuous
L6 c far right of the graph (those with longer legs)
L7 d The birds most likely to get enough to eat are those that can get food from more different
areas/depths. They are more likely to survive and reproduce.
9Ae-5 Natural selection in birds
L6 1 leg length
L7 2 a Legs in the bird population have become longer (but there is still variation).
L7 b As the water level rises, birds with shorter legs may not get enough to eat. The birds most
likely to get enough to eat are those that can get food from more different areas/depths (i.e. those
with longer legs). They are more likely to survive and reproduce and pass the longer legs
characteristic to their offspring. The next generation will have a greater proportion of birds with
longer legs. This process then repeats itself.

9Ae-6 Evolution
L6 1 a inherited/genes/genetic information
L6 b Putting it on top may make the moths stand out to predators and so alter the result.
L6 c One from: they were eaten, they went to another area, they died.
L6 d the pale form
L7 e It was better camouflaged while resting on the unpolluted tree trunks.
L7 2 a Any answer which implies that the ancestor gave rise to later organisms.
L7 b B, A, C, D, E
L7 c Humans that happened to have a bigger skull and so a bigger brain could learn faster. They
were more able to learn where food was/shelter/how to hunt and so more likely to survive than
others that had slightly smaller brains (especially when resources became scarce). Since there

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 9A Answers

were more likely to survive, they were more likely to reproduce and so the next generation would
have had slightly bigger skulls/brains. This process would have repeated itself.

9Ae-7 Fossils and evolution

L6 1 a A
L6 b D
L7 c They got bigger/longer; bigger eye sockets; flatter noses; bigger jaw bones
L7–8 2 As the vegetation changes from soft leaves to tough ones, the animals that by chance had
variations in their teeth (hard ridges) that allowed them to better chew the grass and were more
likely to survive, especially in times when food was scarce. They would be more likely to survive
and so more likely to reproduce. The next generation would therefore have more animals with this
variation.
Award additional credit for students spotting that modern horse teeth have ridges on them to aid
with grinding tougher plant material.
L6 3 a W, Z, Y, V, X
L7–8 b As the land dried out, the animals that by chance had variations in their feet that allowed
them to have feet that were better at fast running on the ground were more likely to escape
predators. They would be more likely to survive and so more likely to reproduce. The next
generation would therefore have more animals with this variation.

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