Fig. 1 shows a fruiting body found by a student on a decaying log in a city park. The student also found green plants growing nearby. Scientists placed the ...
Question 1 Report
Fig. 1 shows a fruiting body found by a student on a decaying log in a city park. The student also found green plants growing nearby. Scientists placed the organism in a different group from the plants because of its structure and the way it obtains energy. The cap releases spores when conditions are suitable.
(a) Name the group of organisms to which the organism in Fig. 1 belongs. Give one visible feature of Fig. 1 that supports your answer. [2]
(b) Use the information and Fig. 1 to explain why this organism is not classified as a plant. [2]
(c) Describe three features, other than overall size, that scientists can use to place organisms into different groups. [3]
Answer Details
(a) The organism belongs to the fungi. [1 mark] A visible supporting feature is a cap, gills, stalk, or hyphae growing into the log. [1 mark]
(b) It is not classified as a plant because fungi do not contain chlorophyll or chloroplasts and therefore cannot photosynthesise. [1 mark] Instead, this fungus obtains energy from dead organic material: it digests material in the log externally and absorbs the products. [1 mark]
(c) Scientists can classify organisms using structural and life-process features, including:
- presence or absence of a nucleus; [1 mark]
- number of cells, such as unicellular or multicellular; [1 mark]
- presence and composition of a cell wall; [1 mark]
- presence or absence of chloroplasts;
- method of nutrition;
- mode of reproduction, such as production of spores.
Any three are required. [3 marks]
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