An incredibly well structured and detailed essay that achieved the top grade possible at A-level (A*). This encompasses all key cycles and even uses others not generally learned on the specification to give those extra marks.
For plants to produce ATP they need Carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in order to carry out
respiration. The supply of CO2 is produced from the carbon cycle. Plants are producers, which
are organisms that obtain carbon dioxide via photosynthesis and are then fed on by consumers,
for example Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), which in turn obtain the carbon containing
compounds. When the producers die they are decomposed by saprobiotic organisms which
release CO2 back into the atmosphere for other producers to then use in photosynthesis.
Carbon dioxide is used in the light independent reaction, within the calvin cycle.CO2 diffuses
into the leaf via the stomata into the stroma of the chloroplast. It is then used in photosynthesis
to combine with RuBP, which is catalysed by the enzyme RuBisCo which then produces 2GP
molecules. ATP and NADPH from the light dependant reaction are used to reduce GP to TP.
NADP is then re-synthesised to its previous state in the light dependant reaction and TP is
converted into molecules for the organism. The TP is also used to regenerate the RuBP by ATP
as the last step of the cycle.
In an animals life cycle it must be able to effectively and successfully reproduce for the ongoing
survival of the species. Meiosis is a form of cell division and replication which is required for the
parental organisms to produce gametes containing the haploid number of chromosomes,
meaning that the offspring will obtain the diploid chromosome number during fertilisation
producing a zygote. This means that future offspring will produce gametes with the correct
haploid number of chromosomes to be reproductively successful. Meiosis is therefore required
in the life cycle as it maintains the correct chromosome number in the offspring throughout
generations, in turn ensuring survival.
Asexual reproduction is part of a plants life cycle. A new stem for the plant occurs by producing
genetically identical eukaryotic cells allowing growth of the plant, via mitosis. The cell cycle
utilises mitosis to produce two daughter cells with identical chromosomes. Prophase is the first
stage where chromosomes appear in the cell and its nuclear envelope disappears. In
metaphase, the next stage, the chromosomes line up along the equator of the cell where the
spindle fibres can attach to the chromatid from the polar of the cell and during anaphase the
fibres pull the chromatids apart to separate the chromosomes to each pole of the cell. In
telophase, the nuclear envelope is remade and cytokinesis occurs in which two separate cells
with identical genetic code are formed for growth and repair of the organism.
Predator prey cycles are also influenced by the process of meiosis since it causes intraspecific
variation. This is genetic variation between individuals of the same species. Meiosis creates
variation in alleles. Before cell division actually occurs, the homologous pair of chromosomes
line up at the equator of the cell. This is independent segregation for when they separate during
anaphase one allowing crossing over to take place. This means that alleles that are passed
onto the next generation are random causing genetic variation within a species. Organisms
such as rabbits for example who may have a selection pressure of a biotic factor such as the
presence of a predator. Foxes for example may have an increased likelihood of survival if there
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