Cambridge Pre-U Syllabus - Cambridge International Examinations

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34 4. THE LIFE OF PLANTS Cambridge Pre-U Draft Plants provide us with the material to study many biological principles. We ignore them at our peril as they are the foundation of almost all food chains and provide us, directly or indirectly, with most of our food and many economically important products. This section explores several aspects of their physiology – from their highly adaptable transport systems to the great variety of methods of reproduction and ultimate reliance on sunlight. These questions may be put to candidates to stimulate discussion and prompt and direct their own researches while covering Section 4. • How do plants transport materials? • How does water get to the top of a redwood tree that is over 110 m high? • Why are plants called producers? • Why do we neglect plants ‘at our peril’? • How do plants control themselves? • Why do some plants produce flowers, seeds and fruits? 4.1 Transport in plants Content Transport of water in the xylem Transport of assimilates in the phloem Stomata – structure and function Learning outcomes Candidates should be able to: a) describe the passage of water through a dicotyledonous plant from soil to atmosphere b) describe the structure and function of the xylem of flowering plants and explain the relationship between its structure and functions c) explain the role of cohesion-tension in the transport of water in the xylem d) describe the structure and function of guard cells e) explain the mechanism of opening and closing of stomata f) explain the effect of vascular wilt diseases of plants (including Panama disease of bananas) g) describe the structure and function of phloem tissue and explain the relationship between its structure and function h) explain mass flow in phloem Practical learning outcomes Candidates should be able to: i) explain the relationship between structure and function of xylem and phloem using histological specimens from plant transport systems including prepared slides and electronmicrographs
Cambridge Pre-U Syllabus 4.2 Photosynthesis Content Light-dependent stage Light-independent stage Photorespiration Learning outcomes Candidates should be able to: a) explain the relationship between the light-dependent and light-independent stages of photosynthesis within the chloroplast of a C3 plant b) use chromatography to identify key photosynthetic pigments (limited to chlorophylls a and b, carotene and xanthophyll) and interpret absorption and action spectrum graphs c) explain the distribution of photosynthetic pigments and their function inside the C3 chloroplast d) explain that electrons may gain energy from sunlight and that this energy may be used to do work e) explain the production of ATP and reduced NADP during the light-dependent stage (including roles of photosystems 1 and 2, electron transport chain, generation of proton gradient, cyclic and non-cyclic photophosphorylation) f) explain the Calvin cycle (RuBP and fixation of carbon dioxide to form GP followed by its reduction to form triose phosphate and regeneration of RuBP) g) outline the use of Calvin cycle intermediates to generate a range of organic molecules h) discuss the importance of the enzyme rubisco and its vulnerability to competitive inhibition by oxygen during photorespiration i) outline the impact of high light intensities and temperatures on the rate of photorespiration j) explain, in outline, how C4 and CAM plants reduce the impact of photorespiration by isolating the lightindependent stages from the oxygen in the air (limited to the means used to produce spatial separation [C4] and temporal separation [CAM]. Biochemical details of the C4 pathway are not required) Practical learning outcomes Candidates should be able to: i) investigate the Hill reaction using a chloroplast suspension and DCPIP ii) investigate the structure of chloroplasts using electronmicrographs iii) carry out paper or thin layer chromatography to separate and identify key photosynthetic pigments iv) compare the leaf anatomy of C3 (e.g. Ligustrum, Triticum), C4 (e.g. Zea mays) and CAM (e.g. Crassula) plants under the light microscope 35
Page 1: Cambridge Pre-U Syllabus - DRAFT Su
Page 4 and 5: 2 © University of Cambridge Intern
Page 6 and 7: 4 Introduction Cambridge Pre-U Draf
Page 8 and 9: 6 Aims The course aims to: Cambridg
Page 10 and 11: 8 Assessment objectives Cambridge P
Page 12 and 13: 10 Description of Papers Cambridge
Page 14 and 15: 12 Curriculum Content The syllabus
Page 16 and 17: 14 Cambridge Pre-U Draft In the con
Page 18 and 19: 16 1.1 Eukaryotic cell structure Co
Page 20 and 21: 18 1.3 Cell replication Content DNA
Page 22 and 23: 20 1.5 Respiration Content ATP Chem
Page 24 and 25: 22 Cambridge Pre-U Draft Practical
Page 26 and 27: 24 2. THE ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF L
Page 28 and 29: 26 2.3 The evolution of life Conten
Page 30 and 31: 28 3. ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY Section 3 (
Page 32 and 33: 30 3.3 Nerves, muscles and behaviou
Page 34 and 35: 32 3.5 The immune system Content St
Page 38 and 39: 36 4.3 Reproduction Content Pollina
Page 40 and 41: 38 5. ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES Cambrid
Page 42 and 43: 40 5.2 Measuring and conserving bio
Page 44 and 45: 42 Cambridge Pre-U Draft Section A
Page 46 and 47: 44 Assessment of skills in Componen
Page 48 and 49: 46 Cambridge Pre-U Draft Candidates
Page 50 and 51: 48 Cambridge Pre-U Draft Sub-skill
Page 56 and 57: 54 Cambridge Pre-U Draft Skill Area
Page 58 and 59: 56 Cambridge Pre-U Draft Laboratory
Page 60 and 61: 58 Cambridge Pre-U Draft Reagents,
Page 62 and 63: 60 Appendix 2: Textbooks and IT res
Page 64 and 65: 62 Cambridge Pre-U Draft Biology Pr
Page 66 and 67: 64 Notes on the use of statistics i
Page 68 and 69: 66 Cambridge Pre-U Draft Glossary o
Page 70 and 71: 68 Appendix 4: Performance Descript
Page 72 and 73: 70 Appendix 5: Additional informati
Page 74 and 75: 72 Cambridge Pre-U Draft

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