Scientists monitored freshwater mussels during a period of hot weather.
Young mussels need at least 8.0 mg/dm³ of dissolved oxygen to survive. Adult mussels need at least 7.0 mg/dm³ of dissolved oxygen to survive.
| Water temperature in °C | Dissolved oxygen concentration in mg/dm³ |
|---|---|
| 15 | 10.0 |
| 18 | 9.2 |
| 21 | 8.4 |
| 24 | 7.6 |
Explain why the mussel population may decrease if the water remains at 24 °C, even though most of the adult mussels survive. Use the data.
82 exam-style questions on AQA GCSE Biology 7.1 Adaptations, interdependence and competition, covering 7.1.1 Communities, 7.1.2 Abiotic factors, 7.1.3 Biotic factors, and 7.1.4 Adaptations. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.