Aqa gcse biology paper 2 2020 question 2.5 help???!!!!

the question:
"Farming techniques have changed in recent years.
Describe:
why more land is being used for farming
how increased farming has decreased biodiversity"

I wrote about both these points, yeah not enough to get 6 marks, but the mark scheme says that you need to talk about another factor as well as the ones listed in the question "Answers referring to only land use or only biodiversity are level 1" meaning they are capped at 3 marks.

Am I going insane, or is AQA just not with it, the examiners report was completely useless here as well and I can't find any reference to it online, i'm just hoping someone on here has some idea what's going on.

help please!

(edited 5 months ago)

Reply 1

lilyh2568

Original post by lopion

the question:
"Farming techniques have changed in recent years.
Describe:
why more land is being used for farming
how increased farming has decreased biodiversity"
I wrote about both these points, yeah not enough to get 6 marks, but the mark scheme says that you need to talk about another factor as well as the ones listed in the question "Answers referring to only land use or only biodiversity are level 1" meaning they are capped at 3 marks.
Am I going insane, or is AQA just not with it, the examiners report was completely useless here as well and I can't find any reference to it online, i'm just hoping someone on here has some idea what's going on.
help please!

screenshot of both paper and markscheme

I'm incredibly confused...

Reply 2

lilyh2568

Examiners report about it
In 02.5
most students successfully linked the need for more farmland to an increasing population needing
more food. References to the use of chemicals to enhance growth were only given very
occasionally. In terms of reduced biodiversity, few students went beyond deforestation and habitat
loss, although some suggested that the latter might result in migration of animals to find new
habitats. There were only occasional references to methane and carbon dioxide production and an
association of these with global warming. The question differentiated between students well.

Reply 3

molly.eleanor

I think you might have misunderstood what the mark scheme means?

It’s saying that you would be capped at 3 marks if you wrote about biodiversity but not about land use, or if you wrote about land use but not about biodiversity - it doesn’t mean you need to talk about other factors, just that you need to make sure to talk about both factors listed in the question :smile:

hope this helps

Reply 4

lilyh2568

Original post by molly.eleanor

I think you might have misunderstood what the mark scheme means?
It’s saying that you would be capped at 3 marks if you wrote about biodiversity but not about land use, or if you wrote about land use but not about biodiversity - it doesn’t mean you need to talk about other factors, just that you need to make sure to talk about both factors listed in the question :smile:

hope this helps

OMG thank you so much!