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Paper II Section A
1. (a) Oxygen debt is a state of oxygen depletion after extreme physical exertion; measured
by the amount of oxygen required to restore the system to its original state. During
vigorous exercise, the metabolic rate and hence the demand of oxygen of the active
muscles increases greatly. The oxygen delivered to the muscle is insufficient to keep
pace with the demand and the muscle cells may undergo anaerobic respiration and
produce ATP by lactic fermentation.
2
As a result, lactic acid builds up in the muscle and the oxygen deficit resulting from this
temporary employment of anaerobic pathway is to be paid off when muscle returns to
rest and adequate oxygen is available. At this time, lactic acid is converted back into
pyruvic acid. Some of the lactic acid built up is exported to the liver and converted into
glycogen.
2
Oxygen debt enables the animal to carry out vigorous exercise beyond the capacity of
aerobic respiration AND without having an unnecessary large reserve of oxygen and
blood supply. Such exercise may be of great survival value to the animal (e.g. run
away, catching preys)
1
(5)
(b) An ectotherm may not be able to regulate its body temperature which increases with
an increase in ambient temperature.
1
With a 10°C rise in body temperature, the metabolic rate (rate of enzymic reactions)
and
1
hence the respiration rate will increase / double according
1
to the Q10 rule / explanation of increasing temperature on rate of enzymic reaction.
1
(4)
(c) Aquatic ectotherms will be more affected since an increase in water temperature will
decrease the solubility of dissolved oxygen in water, making oxygen less available
(NOTE : saturated value of dissolved oxygen decreases from 6.19 to 5.27 ml / l in
freshwater and from 5.35 to 4.5 ml/l in 30% sea water when water temperature
increases from 20 to 30°C) while at the same time, the respiration rate (and hence
oxygen demand) of the animal will double / increase.
(2)
(e) The smaller the animal, the farther its oxygen dissociation curve-is shifted to the right.
1
The haemoglobin of small animals therefore unloads more of its oxygen at any given
pressure than does the haemoglobin of a larger animal.
1
Heat loss from an endotherm is proportional to its body surface area. The smaller the
animal, the larger is its S.A. / V ratio and hence its rate of heat loss
1
In order to compensate for the higher rate of heat loss to maintain a constant body
temperature, the smaller animal needs to have a higher metabolic rate
1
The shifting of the curve to the right allows small animals to obtain more oxygen to
sustain their higher metabolic rates at any given oxygen partial pressure. (NOTE :
partial pressure of oxygen in air and the lung is normally higher than 100 mm Hg, and
animals of all size should have their haemoglobin fully saturated with oxygen at such
partial pressure)
1
(5)
(8)
(c) Wind-dispersed fruits are dry and typically have some sort of extension of the pericarp
(e.g. wings, pappus) to increase air resistance and reduce the rate of fall.
1
Animal-dispersed fruits are fleshy (succulent) to attract and reward animals, while the
seed or seeds are protected by a tough covering (endocarp or seed coat) to prevent
damage during consumption of the fruit.
1
Colour of wind-dispersed fruits is typically brown (cryptic).
1
Animal-dispersed is typically brightly coloured.
1
Some fruits may develop hook-like structures or produce sticky secretions such that
they attach very easily onto the fur of animals.
1
(5)
(c) Water lost by transpiration is replaced by evaporation from the mesophyll cell walls.
water is in turn drawn from the protoplasts of the mesophyll cells. The lowered water
potential of the mesophyll cells results in water being drawn from the xylem of the leaf
veins which is in turn drawn from the xylem elements in the stem. The cohesion of the
water molecules ensures that wate is pulled up the stem as long as transpiration is
continued.
(4)
Aphid stylets (mouthparts), which penetrate the phloem elements are used to sample the
contents of the phloem. The composition of the phloem sap varies with the photosynthetic
activity of the plant. 6)
Photosynthetically active green leaves are supplied with carbon dioxide labelled with the
14
radioisotope C. The labelled products of photosynthesis spread through the plant in the
phloem. 6)
any 1
(6)
Excited neurone :
1
- membrane is highly permeable to both sodium and potassium ions;
- membrane potential is positive inside with respect to outside
(2)
(b) (i) nerve impulse propagates along the whole length of the axon in a non-
decremental (all-or-nothing) manner.
1
Mechanism :
4
The inner surface of the excited membrane is locally positive (as a result of influx
of sodium ions).
Potential difference between this active region and the adjacent inactive
membrane.
Local current flows laterally through the axoplasm from the former to the latter
region, causing depolarization of the inactive region.
When this inactive region is depolarized to the threshold, it becomes excited
automatically with the generation of a new action potential.
(5)
(ii) Diameter of axon - conduction speed increases as axon diameter increases
Myelination - myelinated axon has higher conduction speed than unmyelinated
axon
(2)
Discussion : Each of the four food substances has at least one unique function which
cannot be replaced by other food substance.
therefore they are all important in the diet i.e. a balanced diet must consist all
of them.
However, there is still some possible interconversion of food substance
e.g. between carbohydrates, lipids and proteins (excluding the essential a.a.)
except roughage.
(8)
(c) Ruminants do not have cellulase and yet the main bluk of their food is composed of
cellulose.
1
Symbiotic bacteria produces cellulase for cellulose digestion.
1
(2)
bone :
- consists of periosteum, osteoblasts / osteocytes, canaliculi and lacuna &
Harversian system )
- harder, with calcium deposition )
any 2
- nutrition supplied by Harversian cannal / canaliculi )
- a diagram showlng / a description of the spatial relationship of the various components 1
e.g.
Functions :
cartilage :
- important supporting tissue in embryonic stage )
- resists to compression force, provide flexibility and elasticity, serves to absorb
mechanical shocks between articular surfaces of bones )
any 2
- collagen fibrils for resisting tension which may impose on the tissue )
bone :
- body support, maintain body shape in adult stage (except for cartilaginous fish) )
- protection )
Paramecium :
- by ciliary movement
- locomotive organ : cilia (successive cilia in each row beat in a synchronised way,
which propels the animal forward / backward).
- pattern : spiral movement, so that the asymmetrical body progress on a direct
course. This is achieved by beating the cilia diagonally.
(3)
(5)
(b) Significance :
allows the production of a variety of phenotypes,
of which some may have better survival value than the other
in a particular environment.
Natural selection may therefore be able
to select those advantageous genes and
eliminates those “lens fit” ones from the variety.
Mechanism :
Mutation 1
recombination due to : crossing over 1
independent assortment during meiosis 1
fertilization / gene flow between individuals and populations 1
(7)
(c) because natural selection selects on the overall survival value of a phenotype
1
but not on individual genes,
1
some disadvantageous genes that associate with one or more genes that are of
distinct survival values (on the same chromosome / genome).
1
Together with these advantageous genes, the disadvantageous genes, may therefore
be retained by natural selection without being weeded out.
1
recessive deleterious genes are not expressed out in heterozygous condition.
1
(d) Ecological : weed out the old and weak individuals “less fit” individuals
reduce intra-specific competition
to keep the prey population below the carrying capacity of the habitat.
evolutionary : weed out the “less fit” individual as part of the process of nature selection.
(2)
2. whether the essay is well written and well thought-out (e.g. in organized presentation, with
introduction, paragraphs of facts and discussion, and conclusion)
3. contents and substance of the answer, including the ability to assemble relevant general
knowledge and basic biological facts / concepts
4. some awareness of biology to the subject, ability to draw on general knowledge, and ideally
come evidence of teaching or reading 'round the subject'
(N.B. Errors in the use of English such as spelling and grammatical mistakes should not be
specifically penalized, since a candidate with good command of English will have
obvious advantage (e.g. in writing speed, in organization, in expressing his ideas, etc.)
in essay writing.
Detailed marking scheme (e.g. scope/requirement for (3) could be worked out by the examiner
and the markers after they have examined some sample scripts.)
Disadvantages :
- warming leads to melting of polar ice-caps.
- so raises water levels giving less land surface for plant growth.
- no disadvantage for algae and marginal plants.
- higher could cover could reduce growth through light limitation
- also more cloud – poor conditions for insect pollinators – less seed set and colonisation.
- warmer conditions puts pressure on temperature plants – broadleaves die
- most rainforest is low lying – river marginal so water level rising leads to inundation – death.
- removal of remaining rainforest reduces CO2 conversion still further so ‘grreenhouse effect’ gets
worse.
- but by this time land surface reduced to 20% of present, mostly prime productive land.
- so man has to stop production and return to caves !
- so long before this man’s production will cease, CO2 will cease so CO2 will fall.
- also greater sea plant growth may bring farming of marine algae / fresh water plants.
- may benefit plant growth by selective breeding or disbenefit by over cropping.
- pollution problems related to the use of artificial fertilizers and pesticides, etc.
- monoculture in relation to extinction of certain species and stability of the agro-ecosystem and its
consequences.