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Date May 2019 Marks available 2 Reference code 19M.3.SL.TZ2.14
Level Standard level Paper Paper 3 Time zone Time zone 2
Command term State Question number 14 Adapted from N/A

Question

The photograph shows small, isolated Eucalyptus forest fragments in New South Wales, Australia, as part of a long-term experiment on habitat fragmentation.

[Source: Margules, C. (1992). The Wog Wog Habitat Fragmentation Experiment. Environmental Conservation, 19(4),
316–325 © Foundation for Environmental Conservation 1992, published by Cambridge University Press]

State two abiotic factors that are increased in the fragmented forest with respect to the centre of the core forest.

1.

2.

 

[2]
a.

Explain the likely effects on biodiversity if a forest becomes fragmented.

 

[2]
b.

Markscheme

a. light «penetration» ✔

b. temperature ✔

c. wind ✔

d. fires ✔

Allow any two but mark only the first two if more are given in a list.

a.

a. reduction in diversity in fragmented forest as a whole ✔

b. greater diversity towards the edge ✔

c. new species appear/immigration of new/alien/invasive species ✔

d. local species decrease/emigrate
OR
unable to move between fragments ✔

e. faster species turnover than core forest ✔

b.

Examiners report

This question was based on a photograph showing small, isolated Eucalyptus forest fragments in New South Wales. Most candidates could state the abiotic effects that increased in a fragmented forest.

a.

Most candidates could state the abiotic effects that increased in a fragmented forest and were able to explain one effect of fragmentation on biodiversity. Few candidates gave an explanation in terms of the edge effect.

b.

Syllabus sections

Option C: Ecology and conservation » Option C: Ecology and conservation (Core topics) » C.4 Conservation of biodiversity
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Option C: Ecology and conservation » Option C: Ecology and conservation (Core topics)
Option C: Ecology and conservation

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