State the type of natural capital of which ivory is an example.

Identify two factors that have given the African elephant Red List status.

Elephants eat a variety of vegetation: grasses, shrubs, leaves and small tree seedlings. Describe the impact on a grassland ecosystem of the main large herbivore being removed.

Using Figure 1 below, calculate the annual rate of population increase for elephants in Zimbabwe from 1985 to 2005.

Figure 1   Elephant Population: Kenya compared to Zimbabwe, 1973 – 2011

The population of elephants is growing rapidly in countries such as Zimbabwe. This may lead to conservation issues.

Suggest two strategies for managing the population of elephants.

renewable;

[1 max]

population size / reduction in population size;
numbers of mature individuals / reduction in number of mature individuals;
reduction in geographic range;
increase in fragmentation of habitat;
quality of habitat;
area of occupancy;
probability of extinction / threat to habitat/species;

Two points from above required for [1 mark].
Do not credit “poor/low breeding success/rates”.
Do not award marks for activities such as hunting unless link is made to one
of the above factors eg reduction in population size.

[1 max]

the grass/plants would grow more / increased/rapid growth of grasses;
tree seedlings may grow into trees;
the area becomes more wooded/succession occurs;
other herbivores move into the niche that is now available;
increased population of other herbivores;
overeating of grass/over use of resources causing decline in population of herbivores;
food web is disrupted and impact may be felt higher up as less food available to carnivores;

[2 max]

$\left(80000-40000=40000\text{ in 20 years}\frac{40000}{20}=\right)2000$ (elephants per year);

[1 max]

cull/kill the extra elephants / allow trophy hunting to raise money and to lower population;
use contraception/methods to stop elephants reproducing successfully;
relocate the extra elephants to new areas;
enlarge the conservation areas;
create corridors to link reserves and allow movement of elephant to underpopulated areas;
use/introduction of natural predators to control/reduce population size;

[2 max]

Few candidates answered correctly; a significant number stated ‘non-renewable’ instead of ‘renewable’ as the type of natural capital for ivory.

A significant number of responses were too vague e.g. ‘hunting’ without link being made to reduction in population size.

Most candidates attained some marks for this question and understood the knock on effects of removing elephants from a grassland system.

The majority of candidates did not correctly calculated the annual rate of population increase using the data from the graph.

Responses to this question were varied; common errors included a focus on strategies to further encourage population growth of elephants or on factors which contribute to a successful conservation area.