OCR Gateway Science Biology A (J247)
GCSE Biology
Topic worksheet
B6 Global challenges
Original exam-style worksheet — not an official exam paper
Time guide: 50–60 minutes · Questions: 32 · Total marks: 104
Written in OCR Gateway A style. Use the data sheet where a calculation needs a formula.
Answer all questions. Show working. Answers are in a separate file on the Worksheets page — do not look at them until you have finished.
1. State what is meant by a community. [1]
2. State what is meant by an ecosystem. [1]
3. State what is meant by a producer. [1]
4. State what is meant by a predator-prey cycle. [1]
5. State what is meant by biodiversity. [1]
6. State what is meant by the carbon cycle. [1]
7. State what is meant by the water cycle. [1]
8. State what is meant by eutrophication. [1]
9. State what is meant by a quadrat. [1]
10. State what is meant by a transect. [1]
11. Grace is asked about a community in a OCR Biology paper.
(a) Describe a community. [2]
(b) Explain why a community is important in this topic. [3]
12. Grace is asked about an ecosystem in a OCR Biology paper.
(a) Describe an ecosystem. [2]
(b) Explain why an ecosystem is important in this topic. [3]
13. Grace is asked about a producer in a OCR Biology paper.
(a) Describe a producer. [2]
(b) Explain why a producer is important in this topic. [3]
14. Grace is asked about a predator-prey cycle in a OCR Biology paper.
(a) Describe a predator-prey cycle. [2]
(b) Explain why a predator-prey cycle is important in this topic. [3]
15. Grace is asked about biodiversity in a OCR Biology paper.
(a) Describe biodiversity. [2]
(b) Explain why biodiversity is important in this topic. [3]
16. Grace is asked about the carbon cycle in a OCR Biology paper.
(a) Describe the carbon cycle. [2]
(b) Explain why the carbon cycle is important in this topic. [3]
17. A 0.25 m² quadrat contains 8 dandelions. Estimate the number in a 100 m² field. [3]
18. Five quadrats have 3, 5, 2, 6 and 4 plants. Calculate the mean. [3]
19. A food chain has 10 000 kJ in grass and 1000 kJ in rabbits. Calculate the efficiency of transfer. [3]
20. Only 1% of 2 × 10⁶ kJ of sunlight becomes biomass in plants. How much is stored? [3]
21. A population of 200 deer increases by 15%. What is the new population? [3]
22. Grace samples 10 quadrats of 1 m² in a 500 m² wood and finds a mean of 3 fungi. Estimate the total. [3]
23. Grace carries out a random quadrat investigation of plant abundance. This is a typical OCR required-practical style question.
(a) Identify the independent variable and the dependent variable. [2]
(b) State one control variable and explain why it must be controlled. [2]
(c) Suggest one improvement or source of error and how it affects the result. [2]
24. Grace carries out a transect up a rocky shore or across a field. This is a typical OCR required-practical style question.
(a) Identify the independent variable and the dependent variable. [2]
(b) State one control variable and explain why it must be controlled. [2]
(c) Suggest one improvement or source of error and how it affects the result. [2]
25. Grace carries out measuring abiotic factors (light, temperature, pH, moisture). This is a typical OCR required-practical style question.
(a) Identify the independent variable and the dependent variable. [2]
(b) State one control variable and explain why it must be controlled. [2]
(c) Suggest one improvement or source of error and how it affects the result. [2]
26. Grace carries out investigating decay with milk or compost and lipase / protease. This is a typical OCR required-practical style question.
(a) Identify the independent variable and the dependent variable. [2]
(b) State one control variable and explain why it must be controlled. [2]
(c) Suggest one improvement or source of error and how it affects the result. [2]
27. Compare biotic factors with abiotic factors. [4]
28. Compare a food chain with a food web. [4]
29. Compare decay with combustion. [4]
30. Compare intensive farming with conservation. [4]
31. Apply your knowledge of the water cycle to this situation: less transpiration [3]
32. Apply your knowledge of eutrophication to this situation: decomposers use up oxygen [3]