CAIE A Level Biology 9700 · Selection and evolution

Selection and evolution: describe question

Describe5 marksStandard

In a population of birds on an island, a mutation causes some males to produce higher-pitched courtship songs than the ancestral lower-pitched song. Females are known to prefer the song type they heard from their father during a critical early learning period. Over time, the population splits into two groups that rarely interbreed, even though they occupy the same geographical area. Describe how this behavioural difference can lead to the formation of a new species via sympatric speciation.

0 words · 5 marks

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5 marks, so the mark scheme is looking for about 5 separate creditworthy points. Making the same point twice in different words earns it once.

Describe means: Say what happens or what something is like, in order and with detail. You are not being asked why. If there is data, quote it: name the trend, then give figures with units at the points where it changes.

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