A-LevelBiologyBiodiversity and conservation9700/42 · May/June 2022 · Q1011 Marks

The African penguin, Spheniscus demersus, lives along the coast of South Africa. [Figure 10.1] shows two African penguins.

(a)One way of estimating the size of a population of African penguins is to use the mark-release-recapture method. Suggest three assumptions that must be made for the mark-release-recapture method to be valid.[3]
(b)The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species has categorised the African penguin as endangered and could become extinct. Suggest reasons why the African penguin has become endangered and could become extinct.[3]
(c)[Figure 10.2] shows the estimated numbers of African penguins in the years of 1800, 1900 and 2000. Calculate the mean yearly decrease in population size of the African penguin between 1900 and 2000. answer =[1]
(d)The African penguin is a member of the kingdom Animalia. Outline the characteristic features of the kingdom Animalia.[4]

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Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2022). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

[3] any three from: 1 marking, not harmful (described) / cannot be removed (described); 2 constant population size; 3 no, births / deaths (described) or no, immigration / emigration / migration; 4 (sufficient time for) marked individuals to mix with rest of population ; 5 (penguins are) mobile;
[3] any three from: 1 loss of habitat / example; 2 climate change ; 3 predation; 4 competition for, food / resources / breeding sites / example ; 5 new disease ; 6 pollution / example ; 7 numbers get so low that population can't recover / AW ;
[1] 13 000 / 1.3 × 104;
[4] any four from: 1 multicellular; 2 eukaryote / eukaryotic / (cells) contain a nucleus ; 3 specialised cells / tissues / organs; 4 heterotrophic (nutrition) / described ; 5 nervous system ; 6 cilia / flagella ; 7 mobile / motile ;

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