DP Environmental Systems and Societies Questionbank

Environmental value systems differ in how they view the importance of biodiversity and this could influence a community’s approach to conservation.

Discuss how these different perspectives, including your own, may influence approaches to conservation.

Explain why Madagascar has a high number of endemic species.

With reference to Figures 3(a) and 3(b) describe the trends in Iceland’s population dynamic

With reference to Figures 9(a) and 9(b), explain the impacts of beaver dams on biodiversity within Algonquin Provincial Park.

Outline two reasons why the Swakop river is considered to be ecologically important.

Define biodiversity.

With reference to Figure 2 identify three factors that could explain the high biodiversity in Ecuador.

With reference to the data in Figure 4(a), calculate the percentage of the world’s coral species found in the Coral Triangle.

Outline the factors that contribute to total biodiversity of an ecosystem.

Outline why a reduction in the Siberian tiger’s population may increase its probability of extinction.

Define species diversity.

Discuss whether biodiversity loss or climate change is a greater threat to human societies.

Identify four reasons why the genetic diversity of a population may change over time.

Explain why Madagascar has a high number of endemic species.

With reference to Figures 3(a) and 3(b) describe the trends in Iceland’s population dynamic

State two possible causes of these past mass extinctions.

Outline how the process of natural selection is a mechanism for evolution.

With reference to Figure 2 identify three factors that could explain the high biodiversity in Ecuador.

With reference to Figures 4(b) and 4(c), suggest how fish diversity may be influenced by the habitat diversity of the Coral Triangle.

Suggest why the St Lawrence River beluga whale population has not recovered despite being given protected status in 1983.

Outline the factors that contribute to total biodiversity of an ecosystem.

Zebra stripes may reduce the ability of the biting flies to land on the zebra. Describe how natural selection may have led to the evolution of zebra stripes in response to biting flies.

With reference to Figure 2, identify when the diversity of species was lowest in the past 400 million years.

Describe what may have caused the deviation from the trend line at point X in Figure 2.

Identify the relationship between the number of continents and the diversity of species during the past 250 million years.

Describe two reasons why there is a relationship between the number of continents and the diversity of species.

Outline the role of natural selection in increasing the diversity of species.

With reference to the species listed in the resource booklet, Figure 4, identify two factors that may have contributed to their status given on the IUCN Red List.

Identify four reasons why the genetic diversity of a population may change over time.

Explain how changes in the concentration of stratospheric and tropospheric ozone in the atmosphere can affect global biodiversity.

Identify one of the criteria that may have been used by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List to classify aye-aye as endangered.

To what extent could development away from traditional lifestyles lead to greater sustainability in Madagascar?

With reference to Figures 3(a) and 3(b) describe the trends in Iceland’s population dynamic

Identify two reasons why the future size of the Atlantic puffin population is difficult to predict.

To what extent might Iceland be viewed as a role model for sustainability by other countries?

Identify two ways that human activity in Algonquin Provincial Park may affect the food web.

To what extent does Algonquin Provincial Park provide a model of sustainable management of a protected area?

Identify two ways in which the current extinction differs from mass extinctions in the past.

Explain one factor that may make a species less prone to extinction.

Justify whether or not Mesquite should be cleared from the Swakop River Valley.

Evaluate the proposal to convert an area of tropical rainforest into agricultural use.

Explain two factors which lead to a loss of marine (ocean) biodiversity.

Discuss the implications of environmental value systems in the protection of tropical biomes.

Discuss the role of humans in the destabilization of ecological systems.

Explain the causes, and the possible consequences, of the loss of a named critically endangered species.

Explain why the harvesting of a named aquatic species may be controversial.

Discuss the consequences of changing global per capita meat consumption on the conservation of ecosystems and biodiversity.

With reference to data throughout the resource booklet, to what extent would the establishment of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) benefit marine ecosystems and human societies within the Coral Triangle?

Identify four impacts on an ecosystem that may result from the introduction of an invasive species of herbivore.

Suggest why the St Lawrence River beluga whale population has not recovered despite being given protected status in 1983.

With reference to Figure 9(a), outline how the round goby both positively and negatively affects the St Lawrence River ecosystem.

With reference to information in the resource booklet, evaluate the sustainability of Canada’s management of the Large Ocean Management Area of the St Lawrence River estuary and Gulf of St Lawrence.

To what extent are strategies to promote the conservation of biodiversity successful?

Discuss the effect of hurricanes on the social and ecological development of Dominica.

Calculate the percentage of sea turtle species from Figure 4 that are critically endangered.

Outline why a reduction in the Siberian tiger’s population may increase its probability of extinction.

With reference to Figures 8(e) and 8(f), outline how the decision to remove logging roads in 2015 may benefit the tiger populations.

To what extent might it be better to consider environmental issues at a global, rather than a local level, when planning for sustainable development in Siberia?

Identify one distribution pattern of green spaces seen in Figure 4(a).

Discuss how the introduction and re-introduction of a species can affect an ecosystem.

Discuss whether biodiversity loss or climate change is a greater threat to human societies.

To what extent is the need for conservation more significant in tropical biomes?

State one criterion used to determine the IUCN Red List status of the jaguar shown in Figure 6(a).

With reference to the images in the resource booklet, Figure 4, justify your choice of one animal as the most suitable to promote conservation.

Environmental value systems differ in how they view the importance of biodiversity and this could influence a community’s approach to conservation.

Discuss how these different perspectives, including your own, may influence approaches to conservation.

With reference to Figure 6, evaluate the role of international zoos and wildlife parks in the conservation of aye-aye.

With reference to Figures 8(a), 8(b) and 8(c), suggest two reasons why Makira National Park was created in the area shown.

Explain how the protection of forests in Makira National Park may contribute to the conservation of the aquatic environment of MaMaBay.

Outline one disadvantage of increased tourism on wildlife conservation.

With reference to Figures 3(a) and 3(b) describe the trends in Iceland’s population dynamic

Identify one potential problem with the reintroduction of beavers in Europe.

With reference to Figure 10(b), explain the threats to the future existence of a small and sustainable population of wolves as a result of their protection in limited area.

To what extent does Algonquin Provincial Park provide a model of sustainable management of a protected area?

Explain one factor that may make a species less prone to extinction.

Evaluate the proposal to convert an area of tropical rainforest into agricultural use.

With reference to Figure 2 identify three factors that could explain the high biodiversity in Ecuador.

Distinguish between the concept of a “charismatic” (flagship) species and a keystone species using named examples.

Discuss the implications of environmental value systems in the protection of tropical biomes.

Explain the causes, and the possible consequences, of the loss of a named critically endangered species.

Suggest two strategies that could be used to reduce the threat to coral reefs from tourism.

With reference to Figure 8(a), outline two advantages of Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs) for providing effective conservation of marine systems.

Identify one way in which conservation efforts may have given rise to the decline in shark fin imports shown in Figure 8(d).

With reference to data throughout the resource booklet, to what extent would the establishment of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) benefit marine ecosystems and human societies within the Coral Triangle?

Discuss the potential for designing a protected forest area that allows for the harvesting of natural resources while at the same time conserving its biodiversity.

Suggest why the St Lawrence River beluga whale population has not recovered despite being given protected status in 1983.

With reference to information in the resource booklet, evaluate the sustainability of Canada’s management of the Large Ocean Management Area of the St Lawrence River estuary and Gulf of St Lawrence.

To what extent are strategies to promote the conservation of biodiversity successful?

Conservation measures for the Siberian tiger between 1940–2010 involved tagging, setting up reserves, and bans on hunting and trade.

With reference to Figures 8(a), 8(d) and 8(e), evaluate the relative success of these measures.

With reference to Figures 8(e) and 8(f), outline how the decision to remove logging roads in 2015 may benefit the tiger populations.

Identify one distribution pattern of green spaces seen in Figure 4(a).

To what extent is London a sustainable city? 

Explain how models of ecosystems might be used in species conservation.

Discuss how the introduction and re-introduction of a species can affect an ecosystem.

Discuss whether biodiversity loss or climate change is a greater threat to human societies.

To what extent is the need for conservation more significant in tropical biomes?

Explain three ways in which the development of protected areas shown in Figure 5(c) has improved the conservation of species.

Distinguish between the role of the jaguar as a keystone species and as a flagship species.

Identify two difficulties associated with establishing and maintaining wildlife corridors such as those shown in Figure 6(d).

Outline reasons for the changes in the forested areas over the period shown in Figure 7(a).

Outline one way in which the trend in tourism shown in Figure 8(d) may affect conservation efforts in Costa Rica.