A researcher studies grey squirrels in a city park. Fig. 1 shows a squirrel burying an acorn in soil and covering it with leaves. In autumn, each squirrel i...
Question 1 Report
A researcher studies grey squirrels in a city park. Fig. 1 shows a squirrel burying an acorn in soil and covering it with leaves. In autumn, each squirrel is observed for 30 minutes.
(a) Name this food-storage behaviour. [1]
(b) Suggest two advantages of burying acorns in autumn. [2]
(c) Describe one observation that would show a squirrel remembers a cache location. [2]
Table 1 shows the number of male tree frogs calling from a pond at different water temperatures. Fig. 1 shows a male with an inflated throat sac making a call. Females move towards calling males during the breeding season.
| water temperature / degrees C | males calling |
|---|---|
| 10 | 0 |
| 15 | 4 |
| 20 | 13 |
| 25 | 14 |
(a) Describe the effect of water temperature on calling. [2]
(b) Suggest why a male frog calls. [1]
(c) Use Table 1 to suggest a suitable minimum temperature for surveying calling males. [1]
Answer Details
Squirrels: (a) This food-storage behaviour is caching, or hoarding [1].
(b) Buried acorns provide food when winter food is scarce [1] and store energy-rich food for later or reduce competition at a food source [1].
(c) A squirrel returns to a specific buried site [1] and digs up an acorn there without searching many locations [1]. This is evidence of remembering the cache location.
Frogs: (a) The number of males calling increases as water temperature rises [1], then levels off between 20°C and 25°C, with the highest value at 25°C [1].
(b) A male calls to attract a female or mate [1].
(c) A suitable minimum survey temperature is about 20°C [1], because calling is high from this temperature.
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