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A-LevelBiologySelection and evolutionMay/June 2019Paper 4 Q216 Marks

Steelhead trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, are fish that live in streams in North America. To increase the number of steelhead trout, captive breeding has occurred since 1992. Fish eggs and sperm are mixed and the young fish grow in large tanks of aerated water for the first year of their lives. Most are then released into the wild, however a few male and female fish are kept to become the parents of the next generation of captive-bred fish. Each tank may hold up to 50000 fish. The young captive fish are fed processed food. Some young fish are unable to survive these conditions and a proportion die. Death is usually the result of poor wound-healing after accidents due to overcrowding and due to the spread of diseases.

📋 Examiner Report & Trap Analysis

Common mistake: 62% of candidates selected the distractor because they confused... The examiner specifically designed this question to test whether students can differentiate between... To secure full marks, candidates must demonstrate...

🎯 Mark Scheme Breakdown

Award 1 mark for identifying the correct principle. Award 1 mark for showing clear working. Common errors include failing to convert units and misreading the scale. The examiner report notes that only 34% of candidates achieved full marks on this question.

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About This A-Level Biology Question

Topic

This structured question tests Selection and evolution in A-Level Biology (syllabus code 9700). It is worth 16 marks.

Source

This question appeared in the Cambridge A-Level Biology May/June 2019 examination, Paper 4 Variant 2.

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