National Quali cations Mark 2014

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N5Environmental Science

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Full name of centre Town

Forename(s) Surname Number of seat

Day Month Year Scottish candidate number

*X7267501*

*X726750101*

©

D D M M Y Y

Mark

NationalQualications2014

Date of birth

FRIDAY, 6 JUNE

9:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Total marks — 80

Attempt ALL questions.

Questions 12 and 13 each contain a choice.

Write your answers clearly in the spaces provided in this booklet. Additional space for answers and rough work is provided at the end of this booklet. If you use this space you must clearly identify the question number you are attempting. Any rough work must be written in this booklet. You should score through your rough work when you have written your final copy.

Use blue or black ink.

Before leaving the examination room you must give this booklet to the Invigilator; if you do not, you may lose all the marks for this paper.

X726/75/01

SQA

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MARKS DO NOT WRITE IN

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Page two

1. In Scotland’s Caledonian Forest a variety of birds, including the chaffinch, siskin and the Scottish crossbill, are found.

chaffinch siskin Scottish crossbill

(a) Chaffinches and siskin are in competition for food.

Name one factor, other than food, which they may compete for.

(b) The Scottish crossbill is an endangered species. State one method of conservation that applies to the Scottish crossbill.

(c) An ecosystem, such as the Caledonian Forest, has several components.

Complete the table below to identify the terms used and their definitions.

Term Definition

Biodiversity

The place where an organism lives

Community

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1

3

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Page three

1. (continued)

(d) Non-native trees within the Caledonian Forest are being felled and left lying on the forest floor.

Give one way in which this practice will benefit the native trees in the future.

Total marks

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6

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Page four

2. A group of students tested soil from their wildlife garden with a pH meter and found it to be acidic (pH 4). Over a period of fourteen weeks the students tested the soil every two weeks and added chemicals until the soil was found to be neutral (pH 7). The results are shown in the table below.

Time since addingchemicals (weeks) 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

pH 4·0 5·1 5·5 5·9 6·0 6·2 6·5 7·0

(a) (i) Using the information from the table, complete the line graph below by:

1 adding a scale and label to the horizontal (x) axis;

2 adding a scale and label to the vertical (y) axis;

3 completing the line graph to show the change in pH over time.

(Additional graph paper can be found, if required, on Page twenty-six).

(ii) Suggest one way in which the students could make the testing of the soil more reliable.

3

1

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Page five

2. (a) (continued)

(iii) pH is an example of an abiotic factor.

Name one other abiotic factor which the students could measure when testing the soil.

(iv) Measurement of pH with a pH meter can involve sources of error.

Identify a source of error when measuring soil pH and suggest how the source of error might be minimised.

Source of error

How to minimise it

(b) The pH of soil can influence the distribution and growth of wildflowers and plants. The key below can be used to identify some common wildflowers and plants found in the wildlife garden.

1 Toothed leaves Go to 2 Untoothed leaves Go to 4

2 Bright blue flowers large speedwell No bright blue flowers Go to 3

3 Aromatic water mint Not aromatic yellow bartsia

4 Purple flowers Go to 5 Yellow flowers common toadflax

5 Low, creeping plant self heal Not low, creeping marjoram

Self heal is a low, creeping plant.

Using the information in the key above, identify two other features of self heal.

1

2

Total marks

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2

9

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Page six

3. The diagram below shows a food web of some of the organisms found living in and around a disused barn.

Barn owl Cat Brown long-eared bat

Rat Mice Moths Spiders

GrainInsects

Green plants

(a) Use information from the diagram to answer the following questions.

(i) Mice can be described as omnivores.

State what is meant by the term omnivore.

(ii) Mice and spiders are in competition.

Explain why mice and spiders are in competition.

(iii) The number of mice caught by the cats is increasing.

Predict what effect this will have on the number of brown long-eared bats.

Choose one of the possible effects from the list below, and give a reason for your choice.

• Increase• Stay the same• Decrease

Effect

Reason

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Page seven

3. (continued)

(b) (i) Barn owls expel pellets of undigested material such as fur and bones. This results in a loss of energy from this food web.

Name one other way in which energy can be lost from a food web.

(ii) Name one type of organism that can break down the barn owl pellets.

(c) The owner of the barn plans to convert it into a house. Some people object to this plan on the grounds that it will decrease biodiversity.

Tick (3) the box to indicate whether you agree or disagree with the objection and give a reason to support your choice.

Agree

Disagree

Reason

Total marks

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Page eight

4. There are many species of lichen which can be found in a wide range of ecosystems. Lichens are indicators of air quality.

(a) (i) Explain why lichens are indicators of air quality.

(ii) Lichens convert light energy into chemical energy.

State the term used to identify this type of organism.

(b) The diagram below shows three types of lichen.

Crusty3·4

Leafy13·6

Shrubby10·2

Diameter(mm)

Calculate, as a simple whole number ratio, the lichen diameter.

Space for calculation

Leafy : Shrubby : Crusty

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Page nine

4. (continued)

(c) Some human activities can impact on biodiversity.

Name one human activity and explain its impact on biodiversity.

Human Activity

Impact

Total marks

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2

5

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Page ten

5. (a) The diagram below shows parts of the water cycle.

Complete the table below by naming the processes of the water cycle for parts A and C.

Part of the water cycle Process of the water cycle

A

B Precipitation

C

(b) (i) Climate change may lead to different weather patterns, altering the way water is distributed throughout the world.

State one environmental impact which may arise in the UK as a result of a change in water distribution.

2

1

B AC

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Page eleven

5. (b) (continued)

(ii) Decide if each of the following statements is True or False, and tick (3) the appropriate box.

If the statement is False, write the correct word(s) in the Correction box to replace the word underlined in the statement.

Statement True False Correction

Fertilising is the artificial application of water to the soil through various systems of tubes, pumps and sprays.

Pollution is the presence in, or introduction into, the environment of a substance which has harmful or poisonous effects.

Rocks which allow water to pass through them are described as being porous.

(c) Dams can be built to create reservoirs of water.

Describe one way in which a dam may have a positive impact on the environment.

(d) It is estimated that 10% of the Earth’s water is used for domestic purposes.

Give one way in which you can conserve water in your household.

Total marks

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3

1

1

8

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Page twelve

6. Limestone is extracted from the earth by quarrying which may impact on the environment.

(a) Tick (3) the correct box.

Limestone is a

A renewable resource

B biological resource

C physical resource.

(b) Describe the formation of limestone.

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Page thirteen

6. (continued)

(c) Limestone has many uses including the manufacture of glass. The table below shows the materials used in the manufacture of glass.

Material %

Sand 65

Sodium Carbonate (Soda) 15

Limestone 10

Recycled glass 10

Use the information from the table to complete the pie chart below.

(An additional pie chart can be found, if required, on Page twenty-six.)

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Page fourteen

6. (continued)

(d) When quarrying is no longer profitable, the extraction of limestone is halted. In some cases the disused quarries are converted into landfill sites.

As part of the Scottish Government’s Zero Waste Plan, the amount of waste going to landfill is carefully monitored.

The graph below shows the amount of waste going to landfill in Scotland from 2000–2011.

Was

te g

oing

to

land

fill

(mill

ion

tonn

es)

14

12

10

8

6

4

2

0

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

Year

Calculate the percentage decrease in waste going to landfill between 2000 and 2011.


%

(e) One of Scotland’s main landfill sites will reach its capacity by 2035. Explain ways in which the Scottish Government could help to extend the lifespan of this landfill site.

Total marks

1

1

7

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Page fifteen

7. Scotland makes use of the Earth’s resources to generate energy. The graph below shows the energy generated (GWh) from resources in Scotland.

18,000

16,000

14,000

12,000

10,000

8,000

6,000

4,000

2,000

0Nuclear Coal Gas Oil Hydro

electricWind +Other

renewables

Resource

Ener

gy g

ener

ated

in S

cotl

and

(GW

h)

(a) (i) Using the information from the graph, state the solid fossil fuel used to generate energy in Scotland.

(ii) Using the information from the graph, calculate the percentage of Scotland’s energy generated from nuclear resources. Space for calculation

%

(iii) Name one renewable resource, other than those shown in the graph, which can be used to generate energy.

Total marks

1

2

1

4

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Page sixteen

8. One of Scotland’s most valuable natural resources is its supply of freshwater, with over 51,000 km of rivers and more than 31,000 lochs.

(a) Suggest two economically important resources, other than fish, associated with Scotland’s freshwater systems.

1

2

(b) Explain why the management of Scotland’s freshwater systems should be carried out in a sustainable way.

(c) Scotland’s freshwater fish stocks are carefully managed.

Suggest two methods used to manage and sustain Scotland’s freshwater fish stocks.

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2

2

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Page seventeen

8. (continued)

The table below shows the minimum concentration of dissolved oxygen needed for survival by some fish species.

Fish speciesMinimum concentration of

dissolved oxygen needed for survival (mg/l)

Trout 3·8

Minnow 3·2

Perch 1·3

Roach 1·1

Tench 0·8

(d) Name the fish species which is least tolerant of low dissolved oxygen concentration.

(e) Name all the fish species which would be found at a dissolved oxygen concentration of 2mg/l.

(f) Name a national organisation involved in maintaining the high quality of water in Scotland’s rivers and lochs.

Total marks

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8

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Page eighteen

9. (a) Sustainable development can be interpreted as an approach to balance different and competing needs against an awareness of environmental, social and economic limitations.

Using the diagram below, complete the table by inserting the appropriate letter to match each statement.

E FB

C

DA

G

Letter Statement Example

E Social limitation Improve quality of life

Economic limitation Sustainable tourism

Sustainable development

Human impacts which account for the future

(b) Give two ways in which you can contribute to becoming a global citizen through consideration of the environment.

1

2

Total marks

2

2

4

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Page nineteen

10. The greenhouse effect is the natural process by which the atmosphere traps some of the Sun’s energy, warming the Earth’s atmosphere.

Many scientists believe some human activities result in an increase in greenhouse gases which enhances the greenhouse effect.

(a) (i) State one greenhouse gas that is produced as a result of human activities.

(ii) Local authorities are committed to reducing greenhouse gases.

Identify one sustainable approach to reducing greenhouse gases in your area. Justify your answer.

Sustainable Approach

Justification

(b) Climate change has an impact on social, economic and environmental factors.

Choose one of these factors. Circle your choice and describe the impact climate change has on this factor.

Social Economic Environmental

Impact

Total marks

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2

1

4

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Page twenty

11. The foods we consume each have a carbon footprint that has an impact on the environment. Carbon footprint is a measure of the CO2 released from production to consumption. The lower the carbon footprint, the less impact there is on the environment.

Asparagus is produced throughout the year. UK grown asparagus is only available in UK supermarkets in the early summer months. At other times of the year asparagus is sourced from outwith the UK.

The carbon footprint of asparagus when bought from a UK supermarket in summer is 125 g of CO2 released per 250 g pack, compared to 3·5 kg of CO2 per 250 g pack when bought from a UK supermarket during winter.

(a) Explain why the carbon footprint of asparagus is much greater in the winter months.

(b) Calculate by how many times greater the carbon footprint has increased in the winter months compared with the summer months.


times

1

1

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Page twenty-one

11. (continued)

(c) Temperature controlled glasshouses are being used to extend the growing season of asparagus by up to three months.

Name one abiotic factor, other than temperature, and one biotic factor which could be controlled to maximise the growth of asparagus.

Abiotic

Biotic

(d) Fruit and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet.

Give one way in which consumers can maintain a healthy diet throughout the year whilst reducing their environmental impact.

Total marks

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5

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Page twenty-two

Write your answers to questions 12 and 13 on the following pages. Diagrams may be used where appropriate.

12. (a) Wind power is making an increasingly important contribution to Scotland’s economy.

Describe the requirements for the siting of wind farms and discuss the production of energy by wind power.

OR

(b) Iron ore is an important natural resource and has many uses.

Describe the formation of iron ore, and the methods used in the extraction of iron from its ore.

13. (a) The Scottish Government’s Zero Waste Plan has targets which are to be met by 2025.

Explain the meaning of the term “sustainability” and describe approaches to waste management that are linked to sustainability.

OR

(b) Some Scottish farmers have chosen to produce crops by organic farming methods.

Explain the meaning of the term “organic farming” and describe the advantages and disadvantages of producing crops by organic methods.

7

7

7

7

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SPACE FOR ANSWERS

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SPACE FOR ANSWERS MARKS DO NOT WRITE IN

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SPACE FOR ANSWERS

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*X726750126*Page twenty-six

Additional pie chart for Question 6 (c)

Additional graph paper for Question 2 (a) (i)

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ADDITIONAL SPACE FOR ANSWERSAND ROUGH WORK

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ADDITIONAL SPACE FOR ANSWERSAND ROUGH WORK

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Question 1—92347654 AleX Studio Z/Shutterstock.com; 115305436 Tom Reichner/Shutterstock.com; 59476645 Vetapi/Shutterstock.com

Question 4(a)—120190855 yotrak/Shutterstock.com

Question 4(b)—99891038 Kurkul/Shutterstock.com; 82213975 Taina Sohlman/Shutterstock.com; 88202473 PHOTO FUN/Shutterstock.com

Question 5(a)—31528708 Shutterstock.com

Question 6(a)—150468842 Parnumas Na Phattalung/Shutterstock

Question 8—147172817 KAppleyard/Shutterstock.com

Question 10—55223521 artiomp/Shutterstock.com

Question 11—129108647 An Ngyen/Shutterstock.com

Question 11(c)—141192766 pixinoo/Shutterstock.com

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National Quali cations Mark 2014