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Animals have adaptations to survive in their environment - AQA - GCSE Biology Combined Science - Question 4 - 2019 - Paper 2
Question 4
Animals have adaptations to survive in their environment. These adaptations may be structural, behavioural or functional. Draw one line from each animal adaptation... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Animals have adaptations to survive in their environment - AQA - GCSE Biology Combined Science - Question 4 - 2019 - Paper 2
Step 1
Draw one line from each animal adaptation to the type of adaptation it is.
Answer
| Animal adaptation | Type of adaptation |
|---|---|
| Male palm cockatoos use sticks to beat on hollow branches to attract females. | Structural |
| The harmless hornet moth has black and yellow stripes to look like a bee or wasp. | Behavioural |
| Sea spiders have automatic muscle contractions that move oxygen around their bodies. | Functional |
Step 2
Describe how these adaptations help orchid plants to survive and compete.
Answer
The adaptations of orchid plants play a crucial role in their survival and competitiveness in their environment:
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Growing on other plants: This allows orchids to obtain water and minerals from their host plants and access more sunlight for photosynthesis.
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Brightly coloured flowers: These attract pollinators, facilitating the process of fertilization and thereby enhancing reproductive success.
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Large quantities of pollen: By producing large amounts of pollen, orchids increase the chances of successful fertilization and seed production.
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Tiny, light seeds: The small size and lightweight nature of the seeds allow them to disperse over long distances, reducing competition with parent plants and enabling colonization of new areas.
Step 3
Describe how an orchid with bright purple flowers may have evolved from the ancestral species which has pale yellow flowers.
Answer
The evolution of an orchid species with bright purple flowers from an ancestral species with pale yellow flowers can be explained as follows:
- Mutations in the genome: Random mutations that led to the development of purple pigments could have given certain individuals a reproductive advantage, allowing them to attract more pollinators.
- Natural selection: Over generations, these mutations could become more prevalent in the population as plants with brighter flowers survive and reproduce more successfully.
- Genetic variation: The presence of variations in the genetic makeup would have allowed the brighter flowers to persist and increase in frequency, leading to the eventual emergence of a distinct species with purple flowers.
Step 4
Suggest which orchid species is most closely related to the ancestral species.
Answer
The most closely related orchid species to the ancestral species is Species A. This conclusion is drawn because the amino acid sequence of Species A differs from the ancestral species by the least number of amino acids, indicating a closer genetic relationship. Specifically, the sequence is nearly identical, with only minor variations, thus suggesting that it retained more similarity to the ancestral form.