| Date | May 2012 | Marks available | 3 | Reference code | 12M.3.SL.TZ1.10 |
| Level | Standard level | Paper | Paper 3 | Time zone | Time zone 1 |
| Command term | Discuss | Question number | 10 | Adapted from | N/A |
Question
Discuss the definition of the term species.
Markscheme
a species is a group of organisms with similar characteristics, which can interbreed and produce fertile offspring;
sibling species may show similar characteristics but cannot interbreed (e.g. Pipistrelle bat in Britain);
some pairs of species are different but can interbreed (e.g. ruddy duck and white headed duck/many plant species);
some species always reproduce asexually so definition may not apply;
some breed in zoos/captivity, but will not interbreed in nature;
difficult to classify fossils as cannot decide if they could interbreed;
Unfamiliar examples should be checked for accuracy using the internet.
Examiners report
Many candidates could not give an accurate definition of the term species, so few went on to discuss the limitations of such a definition with appropriate examples.
