Two species of aquatic animal, species A and species B, live in two sections of a canal.
Species A requires a dissolved oxygen concentration of at least 5.0 mg/dm3. Species B requires a dissolved oxygen concentration of at least 4.5 mg/dm3.
The table shows the current lowest dissolved oxygen concentration in each section and the decrease predicted for the next month.
| Canal section | Current lowest dissolved oxygen concentration / mg/dm3\text{mg/dm}^3mg/dm3 | Predicted decrease / mg/dm3\text{mg/dm}^3mg/dm3 |
|---|---|---|
| R | 5.3 | 0.9 |
| S | 6.2 | 1.4 |
A scientist concluded:
'The predicted decrease could reduce the populations of both species in section R, but would not reduce either population in section S.'
Evaluate the scientist's conclusion.
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.