Explain how tool use is an adaptation in Homo sapiens.

Making and using shaped tools allowed humans to butcher carcasses, dig for roots and process food, giving access to energy-rich resources such as meat and marrow that they could not otherwise obtain.

Explain why cultural practices such as music, dance and shared ritual are considered adaptive.

They strengthen social bonds across a large group, which improves cooperation in hunting, defence and the care of the young, so members of a bonded group survive and reproduce more successfully.

What is lactose tolerance, and why is it classed as a physiological adaptation?

It is the continued production of the enzyme lactase into adulthood, which allows milk to be digested, and it is physiological because it is a change in the way the body works rather than in its structure.

Explain how lactose tolerance became common in some human populations.

In populations that herded cattle, adults able to digest milk gained extra energy, protein and calcium, so they survived and reproduced more successfully and the allele for lactase persistence increased in frequency.

OCR A-Level Biology B H422

The Developing Cell: Cell Division and Cell Differentiation

Topic overview The cell cycle and mitosis Apoptosis in growth and repair Stem cells and cell differentiation

The Developing Individual: Meiosis, Growth and Development

Topic overview Meiosis, haploid gametes and genetic variation The stages of meiosis Antenatal care and diet in pregnancy Alcohol, smoking and monitoring fetal growth Prenatal screening and karyotypes

The Development of Species: Evolution and Classification

Topic overview Classification and the species concept Evidence for classification and DNA barcoding Phylogenetic trees, hominids and the evolution of language Human adaptations, natural selection and evolution Plant adaptations and how they are investigated Measuring biodiversity and genetic diversity

Cells and Microscopy

Topic overview Microscopy and the cell theory Blood smears, staining and microscope drawings Blood cells and their structure Magnification and measuring cells Haemocytometer cell counts and dilutions Flow cytometry in blood analysis Ultrastructure of the animal cell Plant and prokaryotic cells Membrane lipids and the fluid mosaic model Movement of molecules across membranes The roles of membranes and the secretion of proteins

Water and Its Importance in Plants and Animals

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Nucleic Acids

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Patterns of Inheritance

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Population Genetics and Epigenetics

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Gene Technologies

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The Principles and Importance of Homeostasis

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The Hormonal Control of Blood Glucose and the Management of Diabetes

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Kidney Functions and Malfunctions

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Pathogenic Microorganisms

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The Immune System

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Controlling Communicable Diseases

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Photosynthesis, Food Production and Management of the Environment

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The Impact of Population Increase

Topic overview Birth rate, death rate and demographic change Human impact on ecosystems and biodiversity The importance and measurement of species biodiversity Global food security and sustainable food production

Planning and Implementing Practical Work

Topic overview Designing an investigation and controlling variables Choosing apparatus and judging whether a method will work Implementing: apparatus, units and recording results

Analysing and Evaluating Practical Results

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Practical Skills, Apparatus and Techniques

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Fertility and Assisted Reproduction

Topic overview The urinogenital systems and gonad histology Gametogenesis and the structure of the gametes Hormonal control of gametogenesis and the menstrual cycle Fertilisation and pregnancy testing The causes and issues of infertility Assisted reproduction techniques

The Effects of Ageing on the Reproductive System

Topic overview Ageing and the female reproductive system Managing the menopause Ageing and the male urinogenital system

Plant Reproduction

Topic overview The control of flowering Adaptations of flowers for pollination Fertilisation, seed formation and germination Cereals as staple foods

The Nervous System and the Identification and Consequences of Damage

Topic overview Organisation of the nervous system and nervous tissue The structure and function of the human brain The structure of motor, sensory and relay neurones Resting potential and the action potential Synapses and the integration of responses Reflexes, reaction times and their investigation Brain scans and the consequences of nervous system damage Drugs, brain function and dependency

Monitoring Visual Function

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The Effect of Ageing on the Nervous System

Topic overview Alzheimer's disease: symptoms and causes The effects of ageing on the senses and memory Investigating ageing, reaction times and memory

The Heart and Monitoring Heart Function

Topic overview The need for a mass transport system Structure and dissection of the mammalian heart The cardiac cycle Initiation and coordination of the heartbeat Heart rate, pulse rate and cardiac output Electrocardiograms and emergency cardiac treatment

Transport Systems in Mammals

Topic overview The closed double circulatory system Blood vessels and their microscopic structure Tissue fluid and capillary exchange Measuring and interpreting blood pressure

Gas Exchange in Mammals and Plants

Topic overview Tissues of the mammalian gas exchange system Gas exchange in the alveoli Pulmonary ventilation and lung volumes Expired air resuscitation Gas exchange and stomata in terrestrial plants

Transport Systems in Plants

Topic overview The need for transport systems in plants Vascular tissue in roots, stems and leaves Water uptake and movement through the plant Transpiration and Its Measurement Translocation in the Phloem

The Development of Species: Evolution and Classification

Human adaptations, natural selection and evolution

3 things to know
Components 01, 02 and 03

Overview

Recall questions on behavioural, physiological and anatomical adaptations, tool use and cultural practices, lactose tolerance, skin pigmentation, bipedalism and the costs of a large brain, natural selection, selection pressures and the sources of genetic variation.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started

Key term

What are the costs of a large brain to Homo sapiens?

Key term

Define an adaptation.

Key term

Distinguish between behavioural, physiological and anatomical adaptations.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1
Define an adaptation.
Model answer
An adaptation is an inherited feature, produced by natural selection, that increases an organism's chance of surviving and reproducing in its environment.
2
Distinguish between behavioural, physiological and anatomical adaptations.
Model answer
A behavioural adaptation is something the organism does, a physiological adaptation is a change in the way its body works internally, and an anatomical adaptation is a structural feature of its body.
3
Explain how tool use is an adaptation in Homo sapiens.
Model answer
Making and using shaped tools allowed humans to butcher carcasses, dig for roots and process food, giving access to energy-rich resources such as meat and marrow that they could not otherwise obtain.
4
Explain why cultural practices such as music, dance and shared ritual are considered adaptive.
Model answer
They strengthen social bonds across a large group, which improves cooperation in hunting, defence and the care of the young, so members of a bonded group survive and reproduce more successfully.
5
What is lactose tolerance, and why is it classed as a physiological adaptation?
Model answer
It is the continued production of the enzyme lactase into adulthood, which allows milk to be digested, and it is physiological because it is a change in the way the body works rather than in its structure.
6
Explain how lactose tolerance became common in some human populations.
Model answer
In populations that herded cattle, adults able to digest milk gained extra energy, protein and calcium, so they survived and reproduced more successfully and the allele for lactase persistence increased in frequency.

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The Developing Cell: Cell Division and Cell Differentiation

The Developing Individual: Meiosis, Growth and Development

The Development of Species: Evolution and Classification

Cells and Microscopy

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measles and .

tuberculosismalariacholera

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ABrain tissue is metabolically expensive.

BA high-quality diet is needed to sustain it.

CThe large head makes birth difficult.

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Core body temperature is normally about 37 °C.

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