Home / iGCSE Biology (0610)-20.1 Food supply – iGCSE Style Questions Paper 3

iGCSE Biology (0610)-20.1 Food supply – iGCSE Style Questions Paper 3

IGCSE Biology (0610) Practice Questions Paper 3 - All Chapters

Question

Humans have increased food production over time.
(a) Fig. 5.1 shows how rice production increased from $1960$ to $2010$ in one country.
(i) Using the information in Fig. 5.1, state the five-year period which shows the greatest increase in rice production.

(ii) Using the information in Fig. 5.1, calculate the percentage increase in rice production from $1960$ to $1990$.
Give your answer to the nearest whole number.

Space for working.

(b) State three methods that humans use to increase crop plant production.
(c) Fig. 5.2 is a photograph of intensive farming of sheep.

(i) Describe the advantages of intensive farming of livestock.
(ii) One of the disadvantages of intensive farming of livestock is that untreated sewage from the animals can enter aquatic ecosystems.
State two effects of untreated sewage on aquatic ecosystems.
▶️ Answer/Explanation
Detailed solution

(a)(i)
Answer: $1980$ to $1985$
Explanation: To find the greatest increase, observe the vertical difference between adjacent bars on the chart. The step up from $1980$ to $1985$ is the largest visually, representing the most significant rise in production over a five-year period.

(a)(ii)
Answer: $133$ ($\%$)
Explanation:
1. Identify the production values from the graph:
– Production in $1960$: $150$ million tonnes.
– Production in $1990$: $350$ million tonnes.
2. Calculate the increase in production: $$350 – 150 = 200 \text{ million tonnes}$$
3. Calculate the percentage increase relative to the $1960$ value: $$\frac{200}{150} \times 100 = 133.33…\%$$
4. Round to the nearest whole number: $133\%$.

(b)
Answer: (Any three)
• Agricultural machinery (to improve efficiency/cover larger areas)
• Chemical fertilisers (to improve yields)
• Insecticides (to reduce pest damage)
• Herbicides (to reduce competition with weeds)
• Selective breeding (to improve crop features)
• Genetic modification (to confer resistance or improve quality)
Explanation: The syllabus lists these specific methods under Section 20.1 regarding how humans have increased food production.

(c)(i)
Answer:
• Improved efficiency of energy use (less energy lost to movement or maintaining body temperature)
• Higher yields / faster growth rates
• Easier to monitor and treat diseases
• Lower cost of production / cheaper food for consumers
Explanation: Intensive livestock production often involves keeping animals in controlled environments (indoor pens/batteries) with restricted movement. This maximizes the conversion of feed into biomass (meat/products) rather than energy being used for respiration to support movement or thermoregulation.

(c)(ii)
Answer:
• Eutrophication / increased availability of nitrates
• Reduction in dissolved oxygen (hypoxia)
• Death of aquatic organisms (e.g., fish kills)
• Increased growth of decomposers / bacteria
Explanation: Untreated sewage is rich in organic matter and nutrients. When it enters aquatic ecosystems, it promotes the rapid growth of bacteria (decomposers) which respire aerobically, depleting the water of oxygen (Section 20.3).

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