Tracked end-of-module checkpoint covering the full Biological Diversity pathway. The multiple choice section gives you a saved MC result, while the extended responses are there for proper written practice across the whole module.
Complete the MC section, then use the extended responses and answer key below to tighten the parts of the module that still feel shaky.
IQ11. Which statement best distinguishes genetic diversity from species diversity?
IQ12. Which taxonomic sequence is correct from broadest to most specific?
IQ13. Why can molecular evidence lead to reclassification of organisms that look superficially similar?
IQ14. In a phylogenetic tree, what does a node represent?
IQ15. A dichotomous key is most useful because it:
IQ26. Which finding is strongest fossil evidence for evolutionary change over time?
IQ27. Which pair is homologous rather than analogous?
IQ28. The distribution of marsupials in Australia and South America is best explained by:
IQ29. If two species have very similar cytochrome c amino acid sequences, the best inference is that they:
IQ210. Which statement best describes natural selection?
IQ311. Which process introduces new alleles into a population most directly?
IQ312. Directional selection is most likely when:
IQ313. Which is the best example of a physiological adaptation?
IQ314. Allopatric speciation requires:
IQ315. Which statement about human evolution is most accurate?
IQ416. Two communities both contain 10 species. Community A is dominated by one species, while Community B has similar numbers in each species. Which has greater species diversity?
IQ417. Why can habitat fragmentation increase extinction risk even if some habitat still remains?
IQ418. Which is an example of ex-situ conservation?
IQ419. A wildlife corridor is most valuable because it can:
IQ420. Which monitoring method is best described as using traces of DNA in water or soil to detect species presence without directly seeing the organism?
IQ121. Explain how classification systems and phylogenetic trees help biologists organise biodiversity. In your response, distinguish between a traditional morphology-based classification and one informed by molecular evidence. 5 MARKS
IQ222. Evaluate the evidence for evolution using fossils, comparative anatomy, biogeography and molecular biology. Your answer should show why no single line of evidence stands alone. 6 MARKS
IQ323. Describe how variation within a population can lead to adaptation and speciation over time. Include the roles of mutation, natural selection, reproductive isolation and a specific example. 7 MARKS
A strong answer should move from new variation to selection, then to divergence and finally reproductive isolation.
IQ424. A fragmented Australian woodland contains two small populations of a threatened bird species. Scientists record low genetic diversity, uneven species composition and rising predator pressure from feral cats. Evaluate two conservation strategies for this situation and justify which would provide the strongest long-term benefit. 8 MARKS
A strong response should connect biodiversity measurement, threats, gene flow and conservation strategy rather than listing actions only.
1. B — Genetic diversity is allele variation within populations; species diversity combines richness and evenness across species in a community.
2. D — The standard hierarchy is Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species.
3. C — Molecular data can reveal common ancestry where morphology has been distorted by convergent evolution.
4. A — Nodes represent common ancestors or divergence points, not “more advanced” species.
5. B — Dichotomous keys identify unknown organisms through paired choices based on observable features.
6. D — Transitional fossils are especially powerful because they connect major groups across time.
7. A — Human arms and whale flippers share the same underlying structural plan from common ancestry, so they are homologous.
8. C — Marsupial distribution makes sense when interpreted through shared ancestry plus Gondwanan history.
9. B — Greater molecular similarity usually indicates a more recent common ancestor, not identical niche or same species.
10. D — Natural selection changes populations because heritable traits affecting fitness become more common over generations.
11. A — Mutation is the original source of new alleles; other processes act on existing variation.
12. C — Directional selection favours one extreme, shifting the population mean.
13. B — Concentrated urine production is a physiological process, not a structural feature or behaviour.
14. D — Allopatric speciation begins with geographic isolation reducing gene flow between populations.
15. A — Human evolution is branching and based on shared ancestry, not direct descent from living chimpanzees.
16. C — With equal richness, the community with higher evenness has greater species diversity.
17. B — Fragmentation isolates small populations and increases the risks of inbreeding, drift and local extinction.
18. D — Captive breeding outside the natural habitat is ex-situ conservation.
19. A — Corridors are valuable because they restore movement and gene flow between isolated populations.
20. C — eDNA detects species from genetic traces left in the environment.