NCEA Level 3 Biology 91606 (3.6)
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Achievement
Demonstrate understanding involves using biological ideas to describe trends in human evolution.
Achievement with Merit
Demonstrate in-depth understanding involves using biological ideas to explain how or why trends in human evolution occur.
Achievement with Excellence
Demonstrate comprehensive understanding involves linking biological ideas about trends in human evolution. The linking of ideas may involve justifying, relating, evaluating, comparing and contrasting, analysing using scientific evidence.

NCEA Level 3 Biology 91606 (3.6)
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Expected Coverage
Australopithecus has a wider pelvis than the chimpanzees which, like the human pelvis, supports the weight of the upper body over a larger area, indicating bipedalism.
The relative distance between hip and sacroiliac joint is shorter in Australopithecus and humans than it is in chimpanzees, strengthening the region transmitting body weight between them (the two joints), which also indicates bipedalism.
The Australopithecus femur has a valgus angle similar to the human femur, which enables the centre of gravity to be almost directly above the knee and a knee joint, which has greater buttressing to support the upper body being upright. This is similar to the human skeleton, but differs from the chimpanzee, which has no valgus angle, and a smaller knee joint. The chimpanzee, being a quadruped, does not need upper body support.
Selective advantages gained from bipedal locomotion are that it enables efficient movement on the ground, providing more energy for reproduction, and frees the hands to carry things and use simple tools. The associated erect stance increases cooling of the upper body and decreases exposure to sunlight in open grassland.
Question One
Achievement
Candidate:

identifies 2 features of the pelvis, knee, or femur relevant to bipedalism

makes relevant comparison s between
Australopith ecus and chimp and human

identifies relevant selective advantages of being bipedal
Merit
Candidate:
 compares TWO structures of
Australopithecus to humans and chimpanzees and explains relevance to bipedalism
 explains selective advantages of being bipedal
NØ
No response; no relevant evidence
N1
ONE partial idea
N2
ONE point
A3
TWO point s
A4
THRE
E points
M5
ONE
Merit point
M6
TWO Merit points
(including efficient locomotion)
Excellence
Candidate evaluates :

evidence for bipedalism shown by the pelvis and leg structures by drawing comparisons between
Australopithecus, chimpanzees and humans
AND selective advantages by explaining why bipedalism would be an advantage, including increase in survival/ reproduction due to energy saved
E7 E8
E Fully evaluates all ideas inc. bipedalism selection due to pressures
(e.g. climate)

NCEA Level 3 Biology 91606 (3.6)
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Expected Coverage
Question Two
Earliest known stone tool technology (2mya) associated with Homo habilis , known as Oldowan where stone pebbles were struck or chipped away on one side to produce sharp flakes for cutting.
Acheulean stone tools (1.8mya – 0.3mya) associated with H. erectus were more complex, bifacial flake tools, took longer to make. Greater cutting edges.
Their use may have involved fire.
Mousterian tools (200,000 ya) associated with H. neanderthalensis were more finely made and varied, including points, blades and scrapers, used to work with other materials.
Upper Palaeolithic tools, by comparison reflected more refined tool making techniques and greater skill in manufacture. Most edges were sharpened, other materials were used such as bone and rope and there was increased leverage using handles. Tools included hooks and harpoons.
Tool technology changed rapidly through a succession of tool industries. A Palaeolithic knife blade needed about 250 blows to make it, compared with about 100 blows for a Mousterian knife and about 50 blows to make an Acheulean hand axe, 6-10 for an Odowan hand axe.
The impact of Palaeolithic tool technology on cultural evolution would have been better hunting success with more sophisticated tools, allowing more time for social interaction/ making jewellery/ etc. The ability to build shelters and make protective clothing increased the range of their makers and perhaps the range of food.
Tools could be used for sculpture, making items of value for trading, which improved communication, and further advanced cultural evolution. Better diet (more protein) allowed for better brain development (esp. in young) and therefore further cultural advances.
Achievement
Candidate describes :

main features of earlier tool technologies
(two), or general trend

an advanced feature of
Palaeolithic tools

relationship between
Upper
Palaeolithic technology and increased skill development

links between useful / skilful tools and better survival
Merit
Candidate explains :

earlier tool technologies and compares with Upper
Palaeolithic tools (# blows, shape, material, specialised, etc)

at least ONE impact of
Upper
Palaeolithic tool technology on cultural evolution in
H. sapiens
(e.g. greater hunting success so increased food so greater brain development so increased cultural advances
OR better hunting so more time to make better tools/ jewellery/ communicat e/ make clothes, improving culture, etc)
Excellence
Candidate comprehensivel y compares / evaluates :

earlier tool technologies with Upper
Palaeolithic tool technology, with some link to impact

impacts of
(stated) Upper
Palaeolithic tool technology advancement s on cultural evolution with reasons
N2 A3 A4 M5 M6 E7 E8
NØ
No response; no relevant evidence
N1
ONE partial idea
ONE point TWO points
THREE points
ONE
Merit point
TWO
Merit points
ONE E point
TWO E points

NCEA Level 3 Biology 91606 (3.6)
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Expected Coverage
The type of evidence that could be collected from fossils is similarities and differences in the bases/ alleles in particular sections of mtDNA/ Y chromosomes/ non-coding regions etc.
Genetic comparisons can be used to look for links to or similarities between different populations that existed at the same or at different times. For example, mtDNA can be used to trace back via the female line and give a time estimate since a single common ancestor, due to its known rate of mutation. Similarities in DNA from genome analysis can identify relatedness between hominins, in this case between the Denisovans and Melanesians.
Genetic analysis gives information about the movements of hominins that cannot be learned from fossils alone, such as the mixing of ancestral
H. sapiens with the Denisovans and
Neanderthals.
This evidence does not fit with the O of A theory as it suggests populations migrated from Africa and may have mixed/interbred with other hominins already outside of Africa, instead of replacing them. However it does support the O of
A theory in that the current population living near
Denisova is not related to the ancient fossils and appears to have replaced them.
The finding that non-African populations contain up to 5% Neanderthal DNA sequences suggests gene flow between different emerging populations of hominins, which supports the multi-regional model, where different dispersals happened at varying times and gene flow between them occurred.
Question Three
Achieved
Candidate describes :

the type of genetic evidence that could be collected

a genetic comparison that can be made between populations, or makes such a comparison

the multiregional theory

describe the
OOA theory
Merit
Candidate explains :

how genetic evidence that could be collected could be used, e.g. mtDNA found in the mitochondria of cells can be used to track ancestry via the maternal line, given known mutation rates

reasons for making genetic comparisons between populations, e.g. shows dispersal direction / shows possible interbreeding / shows lineage or replacement

how a current dispersal theory relates to the evidence given, e.g. multiregional states that there is gene flow between the populations, as between the
Melanesians and
Denisovans
NØ N2 A3 A4 M5 M6
Excellence
Candidate discusses / comprehensive ly explains :

the use of genetic evidence in explaining the dispersal of hominins

with examples, how the evidence given helps to support or disprove current dispersal theories
E7 E8
No response; no relevant evidence
N1
ONE partial idea
ONE point
TWO points
THREE points
TWO
Merit points
THREE
Merit points
ONE E point
TWO
E points