B1.

6a Variation in leaves

Variation in living organisms may be inherited through the genes or may be caused by differences in the
environment. In this investigation you will gather data from leaves to compare the effect of both sources of
variation. This practical will analyse class results so it is important that everyone uses the same method of
measuring.

Prediction
1 You will compare measurements of leaves from one tree with similar measurements from leaves of other
trees of the same species. Consider what causes the variation in leaves of one tree (such as the direction
different sides of the tree face), and the variation in leaves on different trees. Will the mean and range of
variation between trees be less/ the same as/ more than the mean and range of variation for one tree?
Explain your prediction in terms of variation caused by genes and variation caused by the environment.

Apparatus
10 leaves collected from one tree ruler calipers colour chart

Method
A As a class, agree two ways to measure the leaves. You might choose length of leaf, or maximum width of
leaf. You might also consider leaf thickness, or leaf colour. As a class, discuss and agree a method for how
these measurements will be taken, e.g. length is the longest measurement from the point where the leaf
blade joins the stalk to the tip of the leaf, or which part of the leaf will be measured for thickness.
B Take 10 leaves from one bag of leaves. Record the number of the bag.
C Measure each leaf according to the agreed methods, and record the measurements. If possible record the
results in a class spreadsheet, making sure you group the results according to the bag number and by
student group.

Recording your results

2 Calculate the mean and range of leaf measurements from the 10 leaves that you measured. Do the same
for the results from each student group.

Considering your results/conclusions

3 Each bag of leaves has been collected from a different tree of the same species. For each bag, calculate
the mean and range of results for each tree.

4 Using a suitable graphing method, draw a graph to show the mean and ranges of the leaf measurements
from each student group for one tree.

5 Compare the means and ranges of the results from different student groups measuring the same tree.

a How close are the means and ranges from the different groups?

b How similar are the means and ranges from the 10-leaf samples to the mean and range calculated for
all the measurements from that tree?

c Assuming you had been able to measure all the leaves on the tree, do you think the mean from the
smaller or larger sample would be closest to the real mean of all the leaves? Explain your answer.

d What conclusions can you draw about the effect of sample size?

Sheet 1 of 2

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 B1.6a Variation in leaves

6 Using a suitable graphing method, draw a graph to show the mean and ranges of the leaf measurements
from each tree (for all the student groups).

7 Compare the mean and ranges of measurements of leaves from different trees.

a Do the ranges overlap a lot or a little?

b What effect does this have on the conclusion you can draw about the variation between trees
compared with the variation within a tree?

c How does this conclusion compare with your prediction? Explain your answer.

Evaluation
8 Describe any problems that you had collecting the data for this practical.

9 Explain how you could adjust the method to reduce the problems that you had.

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 B1.6b Variation in data

These charts and tables present data showing variation in living things. Look at the data sets and then answer
the questions below.
A B C
Key
14
Girls
10
Number of students

12 Boys

Number of students
8 Blood group Proportion of
10
population (%)
8 6
6 A 42
4
4 AB 2
2
2 B 8
0

145-146

147-148

149-150

151-152

153-154

155-156
0 O 48
free

attached

free

attached

Height (cm)
Type of earlobe

D E F
Age
90⫹ 14 7
80-89 12 6
Number of students

70-79

Number of pupils
10 5
60-69
8 4
50-59
40-49 6 3
30-39 4 2
20-29 2 1
10-19 0 0
50-54

55-59

60-64

0-9 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8

Shoe size
5m 4m 3m 2m 1m 0m 0m 1m 2m 3m 4m 5m
Number of males Number of females Mass (kg)

G H I

60

50
0.3
Number of leaves

Proportion of population

40 0.25
30 0.2
20 0.15

10 0.1
0.05
0
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18
0
Length classes of leaves/cm 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Trait value (plant height)

1 Complete the table below to show which of the data sets above show that kind of data.
Data sets showing this kind of data
normal distribution
continuous variation
discontinuous variation
qualitative data
quantitative data
characteristics caused only by genetic variation
characteristics caused only by environmental
variation
characteristics caused only by both genetic and
environmental variation

2 Look at the data in table C. With what sort of graph or chart would it be best to present this data? Explain
your choice.

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 B1.6c Adapting to temperature

Name Class Date

1 Different organisms are adapted to living in different conditions. Draw lines to link each organism with
the environment it is best adapted to live in. Note: each environment links with more than one
organism.
polar bear with
thick white fur coat
bacterium with enzymes hydrothermal vent
that work best at 75–80 °C
fish with chemical in blood
that prevents it from freezing
Weddell seal is the shortest and polar region
fattest species of seal
scaly foot snail has three
layers to shell that protects
it from high pressures and heat

2 Students collected data on the height and basic eye colour of people in their school.
a Which of these two characteristics shows continuous variation?

b Which of these two characteristics shows discontinuous variation?

3 This sketch shows the kind of graph you would get if you collected data from many people about their
mass.

B
Number of people

A C

Mass

a What is the name of this shape of curve?

b Which of the labelled points on the curve shows very few people have the greatest mass?
Circle one letter. A B C
c Which of the labelled points on the curve shows most people are of average mass?
Circle one letter. A B C
d Suggest one other characteristic that might show this same shape of curve.

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 B1.6d Variation studies

A student was studying the effects of environment on leaf size in geranium plants. She took cuttings from a
plant so that she would have two plants that were genetically identical. She planted each cutting in a separate
pot, and once both plants had roots, she placed one pot in a sunny place outside, and the other in the shade
of a large bush. She looked after each plant so that they grew well.
After six months, she measured 10 leaves from each plant. Here are her results.

Length of leaf (cm)

Shade plant 10.5 9.6 8.2 10.3 12.5 4.8 9.8 11.0 6.3

Sun plant 5.2 8.4 6.3 10.1 7.9 6.4 7.0 9.4 4.3

1 Explain why it was important to use plants grown from cuttings from one plant.

2 Which was the controlled variable in this experiment?

3 Which was the measured variable in this experiment?

4 Suggest two other variables that should have been controlled.

5 Calculate the mean (average) length of leaf for each plant.

6 Use these results to draw a conclusion about the effect of environment on leaf size.

7 a Suggest one other characteristic that could have been measured in this experiment.

b Describe how you would expect this characteristic to vary between plants grown in sun and shade.

Extra challenge
8 Explain as fully as you can the advantage to a plant of growing different sized leaves in different
environmental conditions.

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