The organism in the environment: Edexcel International GCSE Biology questions

Every Edexcel International GCSE Biology exam question on The organism in the environment (specification points 4.1–4.5), 2019–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.

All 73 questions on The organism in the environment, as a list

June 2025, Paper 1, Q8(a)(i) (1 mark): State what is meant by the term ecosystem. (1)
June 2025, Paper 1, Q8(a)(ii) (1 mark): State what is meant by the term community. (1)
June 2025, Paper 1, Q8(a)(iii) (1 mark): State what is meant by the term population. (1)
June 2025 (R), Paper 1, Q7(a)(ii) (1 mark): State what is meant by the term population. (1)
June 2025 (R), Paper 1, Q7(b)(i) (3 marks): Describe how the scientists could determine the number of limpets on the rocky shore. (3)
June 2025 (R), Paper 1, Q7(b)(ii) (1 mark): Give one factor the scientists should control when comparing the number of limpets per m2 each year. (1)
June 2025 (R), Paper 2, Q4(a) (2 marks): Explain what is meant by the term biodiversity. (2)
June 2025 (R), Paper 2, Q4(b)(i) (2 marks): Describe how the quadrats should be placed to obtain unbiased species numbers for each field. (2)
June 2025 (R), Paper 2, Q4(b)(ii) (3 marks): For the most frequently occurring plant species in field B, calculate the number of plants in one square metre. (3) number of plants =
June 2025 (R), Paper 2, Q4(b)(iii) (1 mark): Name the species with the greatest variation in number of plants recorded in quadrats for field B. (1) Table 1 is repeated here. Number of plants Species quadra
June 2025 (R), Paper 2, Q4(b)(iv) (5 marks): The students conclude that grazing affects the species in field A. Using information in Table 1 and your own knowledge, discuss the students’ conclusion. (5)
November 2024, Paper 1, Q7(c) (4 marks): A student wants to compare the number of individuals in seaweed populations on two different beaches. Describe how the student could carry out this investigatio
November 2024, Paper 1, Q9(c)(i) (3 marks): Explain the relationship between the number of moths and the number of wasps during the 24-month period. (3)
November 2024, Paper 1, Q9(c)(ii) (2 marks): The range in moth numbers is the difference between the highest number of moths and the lowest number of moths. Use the graph to determine the maximum range in
June 2024, Paper 2, Q1(b) (3 marks): Read the passage below. Use the information in the passage and your own knowledge to answer the questions that follow. Extinctions During the evolution of livin
June 2024, Paper 2, Q1(e) (3 marks): Read the passage below. Use the information in the passage and your own knowledge to answer the questions that follow. Extinctions During the evolution of livin
June 2024 (R), Paper 1, Q5(b)(ii) (5 marks): During the year, the scientists also measured the change in the number of hours of light each day and the change in nitrate concentration in the water near the
June 2023, Paper 1, Q2(c) (5 marks): Scientists use three different traps to collect some soil animals. These traps are a basket trap, a pitfall trap, and a cul-de-sac trap. The number of animals c
June 2023, Paper 2, Q1(d)(i) (2 marks): Read the passage below. Use the information in the passage and your own knowledge to answer the questions that follow. When the Oceans Glow In some areas of the
June 2023 (R), Paper 1, Q3(a)(ii) (1 mark): Which term describes all the organisms in the food web together with their environment? (1) A community B ecosystem C habitat D population
June 2023 (R), Paper 1, Q3(b)(i) (1 mark): State why the student placed the quadrats randomly at each location. (1)
June 2023 (R), Paper 1, Q3(b)(ii) (2 marks): Explain how the student could improve their method, to obtain a more reliable estimate of the total area of woodland covered by grass. (2)
June 2023 (R), Paper 1, Q3(b)(iii) (3 marks): The diagram shows the dimensions of the woodland. 80 m 50 m 100 m The student finds the mean percentage of the two quadrats covered by grass is 65%. Use this va
January 2023, Paper 1, Q7(b)(ii) (4 marks): Describe how a scientist could compare the population size of star grass in two areas of the ecosystem. (4)
January 2023, Paper 2, Q5(b)(ii) (1 mark): The number of different animal species living in the river was recorded as a measure of the biodiversity of animals. Give a reason why this may not be a complet
January 2023 (R), Paper 1, Q3(a)(ii) (1 mark): Which of these describes the woodland community? (1) A all the abiotic and biotic factors in the area B all the blackbirds in the area C all the different speci
January 2023 (R), Paper 2, Q3(a)(i) (1 mark): Calculate the mean number of plants of species B in Field Y. (1) mean number = per m2
January 2023 (R), Paper 2, Q3(a)(ii) (3 marks): Describe how the scientists could determine the number of each plant species per m2 in each field. (3)
January 2023 (R), Paper 2, Q3(b) (4 marks): Discuss what the results show about the distribution of species in each field and the difference in biodiversity between the two fields. (4)
January 2023 (R), Paper 2, Q3(c) (1 mark): Name an abiotic factor that could affect the distribution of the plant species. (1)
June 2022, Paper 1, Q4(a)(ii) (3 marks): Describe how you could collect data to find the mean number of producers per square metre in the ecosystem. (3)
June 2022 (R), Paper 1, Q3(a)(ii) (1 mark): State what is meant by the term ecosystem. (1)
June 2022 (R), Paper 1, Q3(b) (4 marks): Wolves were hunted in this region of North America until they became extinct in 1926. The extinction of wolves damaged the ecosystem in these ways. • the popula
June 2022 (R), Paper 1, Q3(c)(i) (2 marks): Calculate the percentage change in the wolf population between 1996 and 2004. (2) percentage change = %
June 2022 (R), Paper 1, Q3(c)(ii) (2 marks): Suggest why the wolf population changed between 2004 and 2012. (2)
June 2022 (R), Paper 1, Q3(c)(iii) (3 marks): The reintroduction of wolves caused changes in the populations of some plant species. Describe how the population size of a plant species in the region could be
June 2022 (R), Paper 2, Q4(b)(i) (2 marks): Explain what is meant by the term biodiversity. (2)
January 2022, Paper 2, Q6(d)(i) (3 marks): Describe how the scientists could have sampled the population of butterflies in the area. (3)
November 2021, Paper 2, Q6(a) (2 marks): Describe how the students would obtain random samples from each field. (2)
November 2021, Paper 2, Q6(b)(i) (1 mark): Calculate the mean number of dandelions per quadrat in field B. (1) mean number =
November 2021, Paper 2, Q6(b)(ii) (1 mark): Calculate the number of dandelions per m2 in field B. (1) number of dandelions per m2 =
November 2021, Paper 2, Q6(c) (2 marks): Describe the differences in species distribution in field A and field B. (2)
November 2021, Paper 2, Q6(d) (3 marks): A teacher suggests that there are no buttercups in field B because of poor water drainage from the field. Describe what further experiment the students could do
June 2021, Paper 1, Q5(a) (3 marks): Describe a method to measure the mean number of weeds per m2 in each field. (3)
June 2021, Paper 1, Q6(a) (1 mark): Which of these is the correct description of a community? (1) A the living organisms together with their non-living environment B the area where organisms live
June 2021, Paper 2, Q7(a) (1 mark): Give the term that describes the number of individuals of one species present in a habitat at one time. (1)
June 2021, Paper 2, Q7(b)(i) (2 marks): Complete the table by calculating the missing values. (2)
June 2021, Paper 2, Q7(b)(ii) (2 marks): Explain which field has the greater biodiversity. (2)
January 2021, Paper 1, Q4(b)(ii) (4 marks): Describe a method the scientist could use to compare the population size of the grass species at 50 metres and 100 metres from the mine. (4)
November 2020 (R), Paper 1, Q4(c)(i) (2 marks): Calculate the number of mice in the total area of woodland in year 3. (2) number of mice =
November 2020 (R), Paper 1, Q4(c)(ii) (3 marks): Suggest why there were more mice in year 4 than in the other years. (3)
November 2020 (R), Paper 1, Q4(c)(iii) (2 marks): Suggest why the number of owls was fairly constant each year. (2)
November 2020 (R), Paper 1, Q4(c)(iv) (3 marks): Suggest a method you would use to estimate the number of mice in the woodland. (3)
November 2020 (R), Paper 1, Q6(b) (3 marks): Describe a method to measure the percentage of a stone wall covered by lichen. (3)
January 2020, Paper 1, Q3(c) (5 marks): The graphs show the number of squirrels, foxes and trees in a woodland in 2010 and in 2018. 2010 2018 20 20 number of number of 15 15 organisms organisms per km
January 2020, Paper 2, Q1(c) (2 marks): Read the passage below. Use the information in the passage and your own knowledge to answer the questions that follow. Badgers and bovine tuberculosis The bacte
January 2020, Paper 2, Q1(d) (2 marks): Read the passage below. Use the information in the passage and your own knowledge to answer the questions that follow. Badgers and bovine tuberculosis The bacte
January 2020, Paper 2, Q1(e) (2 marks): Read the passage below. Use the information in the passage and your own knowledge to answer the questions that follow. Badgers and bovine tuberculosis The bacte
January 2020 (R), Paper 2, Q1(e) (5 marks): Read the passage below. Use the information in the passage and your own knowledge to answer the questions that follow. Coppicing Coppicing is a traditional wood
January 2020 (R), Paper 2, Q1(f)(i) (1 mark): Read the passage below. Use the information in the passage and your own knowledge to answer the questions that follow. Coppicing Coppicing is a traditional wood
January 2020 (R), Paper 2, Q1(f)(ii) (1 mark): Read the passage below. Use the information in the passage and your own knowledge to answer the questions that follow. Coppicing Coppicing is a traditional wood
January 2020 (R), Paper 2, Q1(g) (2 marks): Read the passage below. Use the information in the passage and your own knowledge to answer the questions that follow. Coppicing Coppicing is a traditional wood
January 2020 (R), Paper 2, Q3(a) (3 marks): Calculate the population size of the northern white rhino in 1960. (3) population size =
June 2019, Paper 2, Q1(a) (2 marks): Read the passage below. Use the information in the passage and your own knowledge to answer the questions that follow. Global warming and the Great Barrier Reef
June 2019, Paper 2, Q1(d) (3 marks): Read the passage below. Use the information in the passage and your own knowledge to answer the questions that follow. Global warming and the Great Barrier Reef
June 2019, Paper 2, Q1(e) (1 mark): Read the passage below. Use the information in the passage and your own knowledge to answer the questions that follow. Global warming and the Great Barrier Reef
June 2019 (R), Paper 1, Q2(c)(iii) (1 mark): State one biotic factor that the scientists should control. (1)
June 2019 (R), Paper 2, Q2(a)(i) (1 mark): State what is meant by the term population. (1)
June 2019 (R), Paper 2, Q2(a)(ii) (1 mark): State what is meant by the term community. (1)
June 2019 (R), Paper 2, Q2(a)(iii) (1 mark): State what is meant by the term ecosystem. (1)
June 2019 (R), Paper 2, Q2(b) (1 mark): Which of these is an abiotic factor? (1) A availability of mates B number of pathogens C number of predators D acidity of soil
June 2019 (R), Paper 2, Q2(c) (1 mark): Which apparatus would be suitable for estimating the population size of a woodland plant? (1) A potometer B quadrat C spotting tile D sweep net
June 2019 (R), Paper 2, Q2(d) (2 marks): Describe how the biodiversity of a woodland differs from the biodiversity of a farmed field of wheat plants. (2)

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