B4.1 Adaptation to the environment - written task
This structured extension question is in the style of the IB exam questions.
It has an emphasis on the concept of adaptation to the environment.
Sand dunes can be regarded as a challenging habitat for plants. The plant shown is Marram grass (Ammophila arenaria). It is adapted to the harsh conditions found in sand dunes. These conditions include a lack of available water, strong winds and shifting sands.
The focus of the question is the adaptation of organisms to their environment and in the application of skills, to use transect data.
Some species of grass have special adaptations to the the challenging environment of coastal sand dunes.
Suggest why the environment of sand dunes near the ocean would cause water stress for the plant.
(2 marks)
The image below shows the cross section of a leaf of marram grass.
Outline three ways this leaf is adapted to conserve water.
(3 marks)
Teachers note - the features should be visible in the images
The sand on the dunes is moved by the wind and sometimes even by ocean waves.
Suggest two adaptations that Marram grass roots might have to provide the plants with stability in these conditions.
(2 marks)
Issa made an observation on a beach in England,."The size of the Marram grass plants seems to increase the further they grow from the sea". The beach is shown in the image. She decided to investigate this hypothesis.
State a suitable method to investigate this observation. (1 mark)
Teachers note: A transect is used for ecology investigations, to correlate the distribution of plant or animal species with an abiotic variable, usually a gradually changing environment. In this case the amount of salt from the sea is gradually reducing.
State the independent variable in this investigation of whether, "the size of the Marram grass plants increases the further they grow from the sea".
(1 mark)
This 'distance from the sea' variable actually incorporates several abiotic variables, salt concentration, wind speed, wave splash, sand compactness, and perhaps more.
Issa's initial observation included the "size" of the plant.
Suggest a more suitable variable that could be measured on the dunes, that would allow accurate data collection while still addressing the same question.
(1 mark)
Teachers note - size is not a focused measurable variable. To measure size, other measurement would have to be taken.
List three abiotic variables that could be measured using sensors to improve the quality of the study and validity of the data collected.
(3 marks)
Only three variables are required for three marks.
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