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WAEC WASSCE Biology 2016 past questions and answers

This 2016 WAEC WASSCE Biology set has 40 practice questions. Try these 5 free sample questions, tap a question to reveal the answer and explanation. Then practise the whole 2016 set with instant marking.

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Sample WAEC WASSCE Biology 2016 questions

1. Which measure conserves many species in their natural habitats at the same time?
  1. Establishing a national park
  2. Keeping seeds in a dry laboratory store
  3. Breeding one species in a zoo only
  4. Collecting specimens for a museum

Answer: A. Establishing a national park

A national park protects organisms within their natural ecosystems and is therefore an in situ conservation measure.

2. Why can the concentration of a persistent pesticide such as DDT be greatest in a fish-eating bird?
  1. The bird absorbs DDT directly from sunlight
  2. DDT accumulates through successive levels of the food chain
  3. The bird converts water into DDT
  4. DDT is rapidly excreted by organisms at lower trophic levels

Answer: B. DDT accumulates through successive levels of the food chain

Persistent pesticide residues become more concentrated in organisms at higher trophic levels through biomagnification.

3. Why is less energy available to secondary consumers than to primary consumers in a food chain?
  1. Producers absorb all energy from consumers
  2. Energy is recycled completely at every trophic level
  3. Organisms use much energy in respiration and lose some as heat and waste
  4. Consumers do not contain any chemical energy

Answer: C. Organisms use much energy in respiration and lose some as heat and waste

Energy is lost through respiration, heat, movement and waste at each trophic transfer, so less passes to the next level.

4. Which process returns nitrogen from nitrates in the soil to the atmosphere?
  1. Nitrification
  2. Nitrogen fixation
  3. Ammonification
  4. Denitrification

Answer: D. Denitrification

Denitrifying bacteria convert soil nitrates into nitrogen gas that returns to the atmosphere.

5. A student wants to estimate the abundance of small plants in a field; which method is most suitable?
  1. Place quadrats at randomly selected points and count the plants
  2. Count only the plants beside the field gate
  3. Capture and mark every plant
  4. Measure the field's temperature once

Answer: A. Place quadrats at randomly selected points and count the plants

Random quadrat sampling provides representative counts from which plant abundance per unit area can be estimated.

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