A-LevelBiologyBiodiversity and conservation9700/43 · Oct/Nov 2018 · Q19 Marks

The Bali starling, Leucopsar rothschildi, is found on the island of Bali, Indonesia. [Figure 1.1] shows a Bali starling.

(a)(i)Suggest reasons, other than the trapping of the birds for sale as pets, for the very low numbers of Bali starlings in the wild.[3]
(a)(ii)Describe the roles zoos can take in the protection of the Bali starling.[2]
(b)Explain the consequences on genetic biodiversity of having a wild population of just six birds.[4]

This question uses a diagram from the original paper, which isn't shown here. Open the full paper from the past papers archive to see it.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2018). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

[3] 1 habitat destruction ;
2 competition for food / food shortage ;
3 predation / predators ;
4 disease / infection ;
5 AVP ; e.g. pollution / pesticide use / removed from wild (to zoos) to conserve species / problems finding a mate
[2] 1 (captive) breeding ;
2 release into wild / insurance populations ;
3 education / increase awareness (of illegal bird trade) ;
4 research, diet / habitat / breeding / behaviour / genetic diversity ;
5 raise money / work with (Bali) government, to set up reserves ;
6 veterinary / health, care ;
[4] 1 low / little / less / decreased (genetic) (bio)diversity / variation ;
2 low / little / less / decreased, heterozygosity ;
3 harmful recessive alleles may come together ;
4 inbreeding depression ;
5 no / less / decreased, hybrid vigour ;
6 not / less, able to adapt to, new / changed, selection pressure / disease / environment ;

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