Foundations
Define the concept ENVIRONMENTAL VALUE SYSTEM [1]
Worldview or paradigm that shapes the way an individual or group of people perceive and evaluate environmental issues. This will be influenced by cultural, religious, economic and socio-political context.
State the name of an ecological technique to quantify biodiversity? [1]
Simpson's Diversity Index
State the name of the organization that catagorizes species at risk? [1]
IUCN
State a natural indicator of urban air pollutants? [1]
Lichens
Distinguish between the transfer of matter and energy in closed ecosystems. [1]
Only energy can be lost/gained/exchanged/transferred with the surroiundings
Only matter is recycled / placed as an input
Outline the differences between anthropocentric and ecocentric value systems. [4]
Anthropocentrism [2 max]
a. sustainable management is a duty of human societies / environmental
manager;
b. population control given equal weight to resource use;
c. strong legal regulation by authorities / imposing environmental taxes, fees,
compensations;
d. it is moral for human societies to benefit from natural capital;
Ecocentrism [2 max]
e. nature/ecosystems should be left alone with minimal interference / deep
ecologist;
f. self-reliant communities (population controlled by carrying capacity) / use of
small-scale technology;
g. self-imposed constraint in resource use;
h. holistic world view/ spiritual dimensions to natural systems/intrinsic value /
prioritizes bio-rights;
Explain how is used the LINCOLN INDEX? [2]
Mark-recapture-release
Define biodiversity [1]
biodiversity is a broad concept encompassing the total diversity of living
systems / biodiversity includes the species, habitat and genetic diversity
within an area / the amount of biological diversity per unit area;
Identify one natural factor that contributes to photochemical smog. [1]
Local topography
High insolation
Sunlight
Wind
Thermal inversion
Identify two transformations of matter. [2]
Condensation
Evaporation
Freezing
Melting
Define the term species [1]
A group of organisms that share common characteristics and interbreed to produce fertile offspring
State the name of a group that can colonize previously uninhabited areas ? [1]
Pioneer species
State two factors that are used to determine the conservation status of a species. [2]
Population size
Degree of specialization
Distribution
Reproductive potential and behaviour
Geographical range
Thropic level
Habitat quality/fragmentation
is the area of land required to sustain a set population living to their current standard of living
State one strength and one weakness of using the ecological footprint as a model for measuring sustainability. [2]
+ good visualising tool,easy to understand by non specialist
environmental indicator, easy to compare with other areas
iconic simbol to raise awarness
-Calculations are complex, huge amounts of data (aproximation)
Not everyone in the region has the same lifestyle
Does not include all the factors that contributres to sustainability
Describe the main difference between fundamental niche and realized niche [2]
A fundamental niche describes the full range of conditions and resources in which a specie could survive and reproduce, but a realized niche describes the actual conditions and resources n which a specie exists due to biotic interactions.
Distinguish between zonation and succession [1]
Succession is the process of changes in community/ecosystem over time, whereas zonation is the process of changes over an environmental gradient/space
Outline the mechanism of natural selection. [4]
a. natural selection acts on the genetic variation of a population;
b. formed by mutations in previous generations;
c. (when environmental conditions change), some individuals will be fitter/more
advantageous than others;
d. thus will survive and reproduce at higher rates;
e. inheriting these advantageous traits to their offspring;
f. hence the frequency of that advantageous character will increase in the population;
State two factors necessary for the chemical formation of ozone in the troposphere [2]
Sunlight / UV light
NOx / Oxygen / Hydrocarbons
Explain how feedback mechanisms would be associated with an increase in mean global temperature. [3]
When there's an increase in global temperature, this is because of a positive feedback, which is the one in which the actual system destabilizes. The aim of this positive feedback is to achieve a negative feedback where the equilibrium is stable and it self-regulates.
In the case of an increase in global temperature this could be because as more air conditioning is used, more CO2 is released in the atmosphere increasing Earth's temperature.
And as temperature increases, more AC is used creating a loop when trying to stabilize the temperature.
Identify the 3 leves of pollution management [3]
1.Altering human activity (promotion of alternative lifestyles).
2.Controlling release of pollutant (strategic).
3.Clean-up and restoration of damaged systems
Outline how biomagnification occurs. [2]
Toxins are not metabolized/excreted
Toxin at lowest concentration in organisms at lowest trophic levels
Distinguish between the concept of a “charismatic” (flagship) species and a keystone species using named examples. [4]
Flagship: Panda/Tiger
used to advertise conservation/raise economic support; humans place cultural/religious value
Keystone: Otter/Jaguar/Sea star
Effect on environment/determine structure of ecosystems/other species are dependent on them
Unpopular/maybe considered pest/mostly apex predators or high trophic levels
Outline, using examples, the differences between primary and secondary pollution [4]
Primary: is active on emission of pollutant (CO2, SOx, O3, Heat, light)
Secondary: Ocurrs when primary pollutants undergo some physical or chemical change (NOx, photochemical smog, acid rain)
Outline one strength and one limitation of the demographic transition model. [2]
Strength [1 max]
provides a theoretical basis for comparing other societies;
can be applied to a wide range of societies;
allows predictions to be made regarding transitions / population growth;
it is based on historical data;
indicates relationship between multiple factors;
Weakness [1 max]:
many assumptions are made to make the model / relationships are quite
simplistic;
Eurocentric model might not apply to all countries;
does not take into account events such as migration/war/rapid spread of disease
that may have limited impact on populations;