Case study·Hard exam skill (4/5)·No calculator
Difficulty guide
The label describes the problem, not your ability.
1/5 - Foundational
Warm-up setup; checks one basic idea.
2/5 - Routine exam skill
Normal syllabus skill; usually one main rule or interpretation.
3/5 - Standard multi-step
Exam-style problem with multiple steps or a common trap.
4/5 - Hard exam skill
High-end exam problem; combines methods carefully.
5/5 - Challenge
Stretch problem beyond normal exam pressure.
Question
A beetle population lives on green leaves. A mutation produces some brown beetles. Later, a dry season makes brown leaves common, and birds find green beetles more easily.
Total: 4 marks
(a) Which beetles now have a survival advantage? (1 mark)
(b) Why is mutation important in this case? (1 mark)
(c) Why is the dry season described as a selection pressure? (1 mark)
(d) Will the whole population change in one generation? Explain briefly. (1 mark)
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