AQA GCSE Biology
AQA GCSE Biology 4.7.1 Adaptations, Interdependence and Competition Exam Questions
Free AQA GCSE Biology exam questions for 4.7.1 Adaptations, Interdependence and Competition, with a mark scheme for every pack. Covers habitats, populations, communities and ecosystems, competition, interdependence, abiotic and biotic factors, and structural, behavioural and functional adaptations including extremophiles.
4.7.1 Adaptations, Interdependence and Competition exam questions
5 question packs of real past exam questions, each with its mark scheme. Do not stop after a few: answer as many as you can without notes, then mark every answer with the mark scheme. The more questions you do, the more quickly you will spot how examiners ask about each idea.
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About AQA GCSE Biology 4.7.1 Adaptations, Interdependence and Competition
This section opens the AQA Ecology topic, examined on Paper 2. It introduces the key vocabulary of ecology and explains what organisms compete for, how species in a community depend on each other, and how abiotic and biotic factors affect where organisms live. It also covers structural, behavioural and functional adaptations, including extremophiles. It links to natural selection in 4.6.2 and to fieldwork in 4.7.2. Examiners often give an unfamiliar organism and ask you to suggest how it is adapted, or give data and ask you to explain changes in population size.
What you need to know
- Key terms A habitat is where an organism lives; a population is all the organisms of one species in a habitat; a community is the populations of different species in a habitat; an ecosystem is the interaction of a community with the non-living (abiotic) parts of its environment.
- Competition Plants compete for light, space, water and mineral ions. Animals compete for food, mates and territory.
- Interdependence Species depend on each other for food, shelter, pollination and seed dispersal, so removing one species can affect the whole community. In a stable community all species and environmental factors are in balance so population sizes remain fairly constant.
- Abiotic factors Light intensity, temperature, moisture levels, soil pH and mineral content, wind intensity and direction, carbon dioxide levels for plants, and oxygen levels for aquatic animals.
- Biotic factors Availability of food, new predators arriving, new pathogens, and one species outcompeting another so numbers are no longer sufficient to breed.
- Adaptations Structural adaptations are physical features (thick fur, small surface area); behavioural adaptations are actions (migration, hibernation); functional adaptations relate to processes (producing concentrated urine, reproduction timing). Extremophiles live in extreme conditions such as high temperature, pressure or salt concentration, for example bacteria in deep sea vents.
Common mistakes in 4.7.1 Adaptations, Interdependence and Competition
- Confusing community and population. A population is one species; a community is all species in a habitat.
- Calling food availability an abiotic factor. Food is a biotic factor because it involves living organisms.
- Saying animals compete for water and light like plants. AQA lists food, mates and territory for animals.
- Writing vague adaptations such as 'it has fur to survive'. Link the feature to its function, for example thick fur insulates and reduces energy transfer to the surroundings.
Try three 4.7.1 Adaptations, Interdependence and Competition exam-style questions
1. Name three abiotic factors that could affect the distribution of plants in a field. (3 marks)
Show the mark scheme answer
Light intensity; temperature; soil moisture; soil pH or mineral content; wind intensity or direction; carbon dioxide level (any three)
2. Explain how a polar bear is adapted to live in the Arctic. (4 marks)
Show the mark scheme answer
Thick fur and layer of fat for insulation; large body with small surface area to volume ratio reduces energy transfer to the surroundings; white fur for camouflage when hunting; large feet spread weight on snow or ice
3. Explain why removing a predator from a community could cause the population of a plant to decrease. (3 marks)
Show the mark scheme answer
Population of the prey herbivore increases without predators; more herbivores eat more plants; plant population falls, showing interdependence
4.7.1 Adaptations, Interdependence and Competition FAQs
What does AQA GCSE Biology 4.7.1 cover?
It covers ecological terms, competition, interdependence, abiotic and biotic factors, and the structural, behavioural and functional adaptations of organisms, including extremophiles.
Which paper is 4.7.1 examined on?
Ecology is assessed on Paper 2.
How do I answer adaptation questions about unfamiliar organisms?
Pick features from the information given, say whether each is structural, behavioural or functional if asked, and explain how each one helps the organism survive in its environment.
