Many people eat shellfish called oysters - AQA - GCSE Biology Combined Science - Question 7 - 2018 - Paper 2
Question 7
Many people eat shellfish called oysters.
An oyster has 20 chromosomes in each body cell.
Which arrangement of chromosomes will a male oyster have in each body cel... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Many people eat shellfish called oysters - AQA - GCSE Biology Combined Science - Question 7 - 2018 - Paper 2
Step 1
Which arrangement of chromosomes will a male oyster have in each body cell?
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Answer
A male oyster will have one X and one Y chromosome and 9 pairs of other chromosomes.
Step 2
Describe the type of cell division that produces gametes.
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Answer
The type of cell division that produces gametes is called meiosis. During meiosis, the DNA replicates, and two divisions occur, resulting in four cells that are haploid, meaning they only contain one set of chromosomes. These cells, known as gametes, are all genetically different.
Step 3
Suggest why the triploid oysters are not able to reproduce.
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The triploid oysters are not able to reproduce because they have an extra set of chromosomes, which disrupts the normal pairing and segregation of chromosomes needed for sexual reproduction.
Step 4
Explain why the triploid oysters grow more quickly than the diploid oysters.
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Triploid oysters grow more quickly than diploid oysters because they do not spend energy on reproduction. As a result, more energy is available to synthesize proteins and support faster growth.
Step 5
Suggest two environmental factors which may be causing this reduction.
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Rising temperatures of water may be causing stress to the oysters or killing them.
Pollutants in the water could harm the oysters or their habitat.
Step 6
Give a reason why each factor may be causing the reduction in the population.
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The rising temperature of water can lead to conditions unsuitable for oyster survival, promoting diseases or death.
Pollutants can directly harm oysters or alter their ecosystem, affecting food supply and breeding.
Step 7
Evaluate the production of triploid oysters for supermarkets and restaurants.
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Producing triploid oysters offers supermarkets and restaurants several advantages, such as having oysters available year-round and being cheaper to produce for expanding populations. However, concerns exist regarding environmental impacts and potential health risks, as cytochalasins B is known to cause cancer in mice. Effective regulation and testing should ensure that triploid oysters are safe for consumers and beneficial for the environment.
