Cambridge International A Level · Marine Science (9693)

The rocky shore: Practice Questions

5 multiple-choice questions marked as you go, and 4 written questions with worked solutions. All on The rocky shore.

9 questions24 marksFree, no account

Question 1

1 mark

Which of the following describes the splash zone on a rocky shore and the primary challenge faced by its inhabitants?

Question 2

1 mark

Organisms inhabiting tide pools on the upper shore of a rocky coast must tolerate more extreme variations in salinity than those in the lower shore. Which set of conditions would cause the highest salinity stress in an upper shore tide pool during a low tide period?

Question 3

1 mark

On a typical rocky shore, the distribution of species is determined by a combination of abiotic and biotic factors. According to the syllabus, which of the following best describes the transition of these limiting factors moving from the high shore to the low shore?

Question 4

1 mark

A diagram of a rocky shore shows the vertical distribution of four different species of barnacles and molluscs. If a specific organism is found at a height of \( 5.0\text{ m} \) above the Chart Datum, and the tide height is currently \( 2.5\text{ m} \), which of the following is true regarding the abiotic stress on this organism?

Question 5

1 mark

The graph shows the daily temperature range of three rocky shore zones over a 24-hour period. Zone A shows a temperature range of \( 12^{\circ}\text{C} \) to \( 38^{\circ}\text{C} \), while Zone C shows a range of \( 14^{\circ}\text{C} \) to \( 16^{\circ}\text{C} \). Which of the following is most likely true?

Question 6

3 marks

Explain why biotic factors, such as competition for space and predation, are generally more influential in the lower shore than in the splash zone of a rocky shore.

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Question 7

5 marks

Compare the physiological or behavioral strategies used by two named organisms to survive the extreme variations in temperature and salinity found in the upper shore of a rocky shore.

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Question 8

5 marks

Analyze how the geomorphology of a coastline, such as the presence of narrow bays or estuaries, influences the tidal range and the vertical width of zonation on a rocky shore.

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Question 9

6 marks

(a) Define the littoral zone and describe how abiotic factors vary across a rocky shore from the splash zone to the lower shore.
(b) Explain why the importance of biotic factors, such as competition and predation, increases as one moves from the upper shore to the subtidal zone.
(c) Name one specific organism found in the middle shore and describe an adaptation it possesses to survive wave action.

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