Practise 35 exam-style questions on Maintaining biodiversity for AQA GCSE Biology. Write your answer as you would in the exam and get it marked in seconds against the mark scheme, point by point, with an AI tutor on hand if you get stuck.
35 questions
2–5 marks each
Instant marking
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20 questions, marked as you go
Sample questions with model answers
Here are 4 of the questions in this topic, each with a model answer, an explanation of why it earns the marks and the mark scheme an examiner would use.
Question 1
2 marks
Name two ecosystem services provided by biodiversity that benefit agriculture.
Model answer
Pollination by insects; pest control by predators/parasitoids; soil fertility/ nutrient cycling by decomposers; water regulation/ erosion control by vegetation.
Explanation
Biodiversity supports pollinators and natural pest control, and improves soil and water functions essential for productive agriculture.
Mark scheme
1 mark
pollination
1 mark
pest control / nutrient cycling / soil fertility / water regulation (any one)
award any one valid second service
Question 2
3 marks
Explain how bioaccumulation of pesticides up a food chain can affect top predators and reduce biodiversity.
Model answer
Pesticides taken up by plants accumulate in herbivores then predators; at each trophic level concentration increases (biomagnification), causing toxicity in top predators (reproductive failure or death) and declines in their populations reducing community diversity.
Explanation
Persistent pesticides can concentrate in predators, causing population crashes and loss of species interactions hurting ecosystem health.
Mark scheme
1 mark
pesticide taken up by producers then moves to consumers
1 mark
concentration increases at higher trophic levels (biomagnification)
1 mark
toxicity causes death / reproductive failure in top predators reducing biodiversity
Question 3
3 marks
Suggest two indicators scientists might use to measure the success of a habitat restoration project and explain why each is useful.
Model answer
Species richness (number of species) indicates recovery of biodiversity; population sizes or abundance of target species show whether populations are establishing. Soil quality (organic matter) reflects ecosystem function recovery.
Explanation
Diversity and population metrics indicate biological recovery; soil measures show functional restoration that supports long-term biodiversity.
Mark scheme
1 mark
species richness / diversity
1 mark
population size / abundance of target species or soil quality / plant cover
1 mark
explanation: shows recovery of biodiversity / populations / ecosystem function
Question 4
4 marks
Describe two monitoring methods conservationists use to track changes in animal populations and state one advantage of long-term monitoring.
Model answer
Methods: mark–recapture for mobile animals and camera traps or transect counts/sightings for others. Advantage: long-term monitoring reveals trends and effects of conservation actions or environmental change that short-term studies may miss.
Explanation
Different methods suit different species; long-term data are critical to understand population trajectories and the effectiveness of conservation measures.
Mark scheme
1 mark
mark–recapture
1 mark
camera traps / transect counts / point counts / acoustic surveys
any one method
1 mark
advantage: reveals long-term trends or effects of interventions
1 mark
advantage alternative: better statistical confidence / detect rare species
award if additional valid advantage given
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