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Date November 2015 Marks available 1 Reference code 15N.3.HL.TZ0.4
Level Higher level Paper Paper 3 Time zone TZ0
Command term Suggest Question number 4 Adapted from N/A

Question

Lizards living in the Kalahari Desert of southern Africa are diurnal (active in daylight). Scientists studied this rhythmical behaviour during different seasons of the year. Observations were made of the number of lizards active each hour and this was recorded as a percentage of the total number of lizards that were active. The graph shows the results for the Southern Spiny Agama (Agama hispida) lizard. Between the hours of 19:00 and 7:00 the lizards were inactive.

State one time in spring when 5 % of the lizards were active.

[1]
a.

Winter and summer weather conditions differ in the Kalahari Desert. Compare the results for summer and winter.

[3]
b(i).

Winter and summer weather conditions differ in the Kalahari Desert. Compare the results for summer and winter.

[3]
b(i).

The temperatures differ in summer and winter. Suggest one other possible reason why the lizard activity differs in summer and winter.

[1]
b(ii).

The temperatures differ in summer and winter. Suggest one other possible reason why the lizard activity differs in summer and winter.

[1]
b(ii).

Outline one other example illustrating the adaptive value of a rhythmical behaviour pattern in a named animal.

[3]
c.

Markscheme

17:00

a.

b(i).

b(i).

a. change in behaviour/availability of their prey/food sources;

b. change in presence of predators;

c. protection from sun (in the middle of the day in summer);

d. amount of daylight hours (is reduced in winter);

Do not accept answers related to temperature eg: cold blooded or poikilothermic.

b(ii).

a. change in behaviour/availability of their prey/food sources;

b. change in presence of predators;

c. protection from sun (in the middle of the day in summer);

d. amount of daylight hours (is reduced in winter);

Do not accept answers related to temperature eg: cold blooded or poikilothermic.

b(ii).

a. name of organism;

b. rhythmical behaviour;

c. adaptive value;

Accept common name eg: deer, bear but not category names eg: fish, bird.

eg:

a. coral;

b. male and females release gametes into the sea at the same time;

c. this increases the chances of fertilization;

c.

Examiners report

The majority of candidates did well on this question, although some had problems with clear, precise comparisons of data. Many candidates used examples of red deer mating in the fall, (grizzly) bears hibernating, or animals with nocturnal-diurnal behaviour as examples of rhythmical behaviour but some incorrectly used polar bears or, in a few cases, the waggle dance, completely misunderstanding the meaning of rhythm here.

a.

The majority of candidates did well on this question, although some had problems with clear, precise comparisons of data. Many candidates used examples of red deer mating in the fall, (grizzly) bears hibernating, or animals with nocturnal-diurnal behaviour as examples of rhythmical behaviour but some incorrectly used polar bears or, in a few cases, the waggle dance, completely misunderstanding the meaning of rhythm here.

b(i).

The majority of candidates did well on this question, although some had problems with clear, precise comparisons of data. Many candidates used examples of red deer mating in the fall, (grizzly) bears hibernating, or animals with nocturnal-diurnal behaviour as examples of rhythmical behaviour but some incorrectly used polar bears or, in a few cases, the waggle dance, completely misunderstanding the meaning of rhythm here.

b(i).

The majority of candidates did well on this question, although some had problems with clear, precise comparisons of data. Many candidates used examples of red deer mating in the fall, (grizzly) bears hibernating, or animals with nocturnal-diurnal behaviour as examples of rhythmical behaviour but some incorrectly used polar bears or, in a few cases, the waggle dance, completely misunderstanding the meaning of rhythm here.

b(ii).

The majority of candidates did well on this question, although some had problems with clear, precise comparisons of data. Many candidates used examples of red deer mating in the fall, (grizzly) bears hibernating, or animals with nocturnal-diurnal behaviour as examples of rhythmical behaviour but some incorrectly used polar bears or, in a few cases, the waggle dance, completely misunderstanding the meaning of rhythm here.

b(ii).

The majority of candidates did well on this question, although some had problems with clear, precise comparisons of data. Many candidates used examples of red deer mating in the fall, (grizzly) bears hibernating, or animals with nocturnal-diurnal behaviour as examples of rhythmical behaviour but some incorrectly used polar bears or, in a few cases, the waggle dance, completely misunderstanding the meaning of rhythm here.

c.

Syllabus sections

Option A: Neurobiology and behaviour » Option A: Neurobiology and behaviour (Additional higher level topics) » A.6 Ethology
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