Curriculum links for ‘Big Picture: Populations’

AQA

AQA GCE Biology

3.4 Unit 4: Populations and Environment

3.4.1 The dynamic equilibrium of populations is affected by a number of factors

Populations and ecosystems.

Investigating populations.

Variation in population size.

Human populations.

EDEXCEL

Edexcel GCE Biology

Unit 4: The Natural Environment and Species Survival

3.3 and 7.3 Topic 5: On the wild side

Explain that the numbers and distribution of organisms in a habitat are controlled by biotic and abiotic factors.

Describe how to carry out a study on the ecology of a habitat to produce valid and reliable data (including the use of quadrats and transects to assess abundance and distribution of organisms and the measurement of abiotic factors, e.g. solar energy input, climate, topography, oxygen availability and edaphic factors).

OCR

OCR GCE Biology

Unit F215: Control, Genomes and Environment

5.3.1 Ecosystems

5.3.2 Populations and sustainability

There are many factors that determine the size of a population.

For economic, social and ethical reasons ecosystems may need to be carefully managed.

To support an increasing human population, we must try to use biological resources in a sustainable way.

Collection of quantitative data.

Presentation, analysis and evaluation of quantitative data.

Evaluation of data collection strategies.

SQA

SQA Advanced Higher Biology

Organisms and Evolution

Field techniques for biologists.

Sampling of wild organisms.

Monitoring populations.

Measuring and recording animal behaviour.

WJEC

WJEC GCE Biology

Unit BY4: Metabolism, Microbiology and Homeostasis

4.5 Factors controlling population size

Populations and the way in which they grow.

Graphs showing population growth.

Factors affecting population growth.

Regulation by density-dependent and density-independent factors.

Unit BY5: Environment, Genetics and Evolution

5.8 Effects of human activities and sustainability

International Baccalaureate

International Baccalaureate Diploma Biology

Topic 5: Ecology and Evolution

5.3 Populations

5.3.1 Outline how population size is affected by natality, immigration, mortality and emigration

5.3.4 List three factors that set limits to population increase

5.4.8 Explain two examples of evolution in response to environmental change; one must be antibiotic resistance in bacteria

Topic 6: Human Health and Physiology

6.3 Defence against infectious disease

6.3.8 Discuss the cause, transmission and social implications of AIDS

Topic 11: Human Health and Physiology

11.1 Defence against infectious disease

11.1.7 Discuss the benefits and dangers of vaccination

Option G1: Community Ecology

G1.3 Describe one method of random sampling, based on quadrat methods, that is used to compare the population size of two plant or two animal species

G1.4 Outline the use of a transect to correlate the distribution of plant or animal species with an abiotic variable

G1.5 Explain what is meant by the niche concept, including an organism’s spatial habitat, its feeding activities and its interactions with other species

G1.6 Outline the following interactions between species, giving two examples of each: competition, herbivory, predation, parasitism and mutualism

G1.7 Explain the principle of competitive exclusion

G1.8 Distinguish between fundamental and realised niches

Option G3: Impact of Humans on Ecosystems

G3.5 Discuss the impacts of alien species on ecosystems

Option G4: Conservation of Biodiversity

G4.1 Explain the use of biotic indices and indicator species in monitoring environmental change

Option G5: Population Ecology

G5.3 Describe one technique used to estimate the population size of an animal species based on a capture–mark–release–recapture method

Cambridge International Examinations

Cambridge International A Level Biology

18 Biodiversity, Classification and Conservation

18.1 Biodiversity

c) Explain the importance of random sampling in determining the biodiversity of an area.

d) Use suitable methods to assess the distribution and abundance of organisms in a local area.

AQA

AQA GCE Human Biology

Unit 5 HBIO5: The Air We Breathe, The Water We Drink, The Food We Eat

3.5.2 People change communities

Ecosystems and the stability of populations.

Winners and losers.

GM organisms.

OCR

OCR GCE Human Biology

Unit F224: Energy, Reproduction and Populations

4.2.4 Food, farming and populations – human impact on the environment

Discuss the factors that alter the birth rate and death rate in human populations.

Outline how the impact of the rise in human population may affect ecosystems and result in a loss of biodiversity.

AQA

AQA GCE Geography

3.1 Unit 1 GEOG1: Physical and Human Geography

Population change

Population indicators.

Population change.

Fieldwork skills.

EDEXCEL

Edexcel GCE Geography

Unit 1: Global Challenges

Topic 2: Going global

Population migration.

Fieldwork skills.

AQA

AQA GCE Environmental Science

3.4 Unit 4: Biological Resources and Sustainability

3.4.1 Human populations

The impact of individuals on the environment.

Fieldwork skills.