DP Biology (last assessment 2024)

Test builder »

Question 18N.3.HL.TZ0.c

Select a Test
Date November 2018 Marks available [Maximum mark: 3] Reference code 18N.3.HL.TZ0.c
Level HL Paper 3 Time zone TZ0
Command term Outline Question number c Adapted from N/A
c.
[Maximum mark: 3]
18N.3.HL.TZ0.c

The graph shows a theoretical model that divides species into five ecological groups (I to V) related to the degree of tolerance to an increasing pollution gradient.

[Reprinted from Marine Pollution Bulletin, 40, A. Borja, J. Franco and V. Perez, 'A marine biotic index to establish the ecological quality of soft-bottom benthos within European estuarine and coastal environments', pp. 1100–1114, Copyright (2000), with permission from Elsevier. https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/marine-pollution-bulletin]

Outline how organisms in Group V could be used to measure pollution in an environment.

[3]

Markscheme

a. group V organisms «could» contain indicator species ✔

b. group V organisms can survive in polluted environments «while others cannot» ✔

c. they have a high tolerance/BI index
OR
«relative number of» indicator species can be used to calculate the value of a biotic index ✔

d. the more group V present could indicate more pollution ✔
OWTTE

e. absence of group V could indicate a cleaner environment ✔