THE AGA KHAN ACADEMY HYDERABAD

DP 1
Candidate Name
SUBJECT AND LEVEL: ESS/SL
DATE:
Teacher’s Name
TIME: 2 hours

QUESTION AND ANSWER BOOKLET: INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES:

 Write your Name in the boxes above.
 Do not open this examination paper until instructed to do so.
 Section A: answer all the questions
 Answers must be written within the answer boxes provided.
 Section B: answer all the questions
 The maximum mark for this examination paper is [65 marks].

CANDIDATE

Section Question  Complete the candidate box (on the left)

with the section(s)/option(s) and
question(s) answered. If all questions have
been answered, state ALL.

1
 Section A
Answer all questions.
1. Figure 1 contains an ancient Chinese proverb.

Fig 1: Proverb by Chinese Poet Kuan Tzu 500 BC

(a) The poet Kuan Tzu could be seen as an ecocentrist or a technocentrist. Justify whether
you think his views are ecocentric or technocentric. [3]

Kuan Tzu is clearly an ecocentrist because he is describing the way one must act in order
to improve the environment in a natural way.

These ways are sowing seed, planting trees, and educating people; all three have no
negative affect on the environment.

He cannot possible be viewed as a technocentrist based on this quote because he does not
imply any use of technology or the statement of humans as the managers of the earth.

Use these ideas by providing evidence from the quote

An ecocentric viewpoint integrates social, spiritual and environmental dimensions into a

holistic ideal. It puts ecology and nature as central to humanity and emphasizes a less
materialistic approach to life with greater self-sufficiency of societies. An ecocentric
viewpoint prioritizes biorights, emphasizes the importance of education and encourages
self-restraint in human behaviour

2
(b). Define ‘Environmental value system’. [1]

An EVS is a worldview or paradigm that shapes the way an individual, or group of people,
perceives and evaluates environmental issues, influenced by cultural, religious, economic
and sociopolitical contexts.

( c) Outline two factors (inputs) which may affect individual’s environmental philosophy
(out puts). [4]
inputs - education,cultural influences, religious doctrine, media)
outputs - decisions, perspectives, courses of action determined by processing these inputs.

(d). As an Environmental manager evaluate a solution in response to the growing concern

over air pollution by burning firecrackers during festivities. [2]

Environmental managers: no radical political agenda but promote working to create change
within the existing social and political structures. Current economic growth can be
sustained if environmental issues are managed by legal means or political agreement.
(believe that the environment can be used if manage properly)

Use the above ideas with respect to Environmental issue ( firecrackers)

2. Figure 2 below shows an example of a lake ecosystem

3
 Fig 2: Representation of Lake Ecosystem
(i) State the source of energy for this ecosystem. [1]

Sun/sunlight/insolation/solar energy

(ii) Draw a food chain with reference to Figure 2 consisting of three trophic levels. [1]

Producer- Primary consumer----secondary consumer -------------Tertiary consumer

(iii) Identify two possible effects of removing trout on this ecosystem. [2]

 Changes to Lower trophic level species

 Changes to Producers

 Changes to food availability ( interspecific/intraspecific competition)

4
  Any major changes that might lead to collapse

(iv). Distinguish between niche and habitat. Provide an example for each. [4]

habitat is the kind of (biotic and abiotic) environment in which a species normally lives;

eg lions are found in tropical grasslands;

whereas its niche refers to all its interactions with its (biotic and abiotic) environment;

eg the prey that it eats / its vulnerability to parasites / access to fresh water;

habitat may be shared by many species / niche is more limited to a single species;

eg different cat species inhabit tropical grasslands but only lions hunt in groups and

so tend to take larger prey;

3. Fig 3 shows the relationship between Arctic fox and Snow hare.

Source:http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/ocr_gateway/
understanding_environment/interdependencerev2.shtml

5
(i).Name the type of interaction between the Lynx and Hares. [1]

Predation / Prey predatory relationship

(ii).Describe the population growth curve between Lynx and Hares in terms of numbers and
rates. [2]
S curve/Fluctuates/Sigmoid , increase/decreases

Numbers/growth rate in relationship with predation pattern

(iii). Explain the concept of limiting factors and carrying capacity in the context of

population growth. [4]

Limiting factors are the factors that limit the distribution or numbers of a particular
population.
Limiting factors are environmental factors which slow down population growth. Limiting
factors will slow population growth as it approaches the carrying capacity of the system.
for plants: light, nutrients, water, carbon dioxide, and temperature
●● for animals: space, food, mates, nesting sites, and water.
Populations have an upper level or extent to the numbers that can be sustained in a
given environment
- carrying capacity is the term used to describe the maximum number of individuals of a
species that can be sustained by an environment. The carrying capacity of a population is
affected by various limiting factors, such as:
the availability of food and water
territorial space
predation
disease
availability of mates.

Some factors that limit the size of populations depend on the density of the population,
whereas others do not. Density-dependent factors are those that lower the birth rate or
raise the death rate as a population grows. In contrast, density-independent factors are
those which affect a population irrespective of population density. Factors affected by
population density include supply of food and water, predation, parasites, and
communicable
disease (e.g. influenza). Factors not related to population density include climate (e.g.
precipitation and humidity) and natural disasters (e.g. fire and flood).

6
Section B
Answer All the questions.

4. a) Distinguish between mutualism and parasitism with reference to a named species. [4]

b).Explain the view that the environment can have its own intrinsic value. [7]

Different EVSs view the different components of the biosphere (the living part of the Earth)
in very different ways, and attribute to them different values. For example, indigenous
farmers using shifting cultivation in the Amazonian rainforest in Brazil would see the
rainforest as a natural resource that should be used in a way that
minimizes human impact on the environment (i.e. an ecocentrist EVS), whereas city-dwellers
in Brasilia (federal capital of Brazil) are more likely to see the rainforest as a resource to be
exploited for economic gain, and underestimate the true value of pristine rainforest (i.e. a
technocentrist EVS). Intrinsic values may also vary between different EVSs (case studies,
pages 14–15). An intrinsic value is one that has an inherent worth, irrespective of economic
considerations (Chapter 8, pages 418–419), such as the belief that all life on Earth has a right
to exist. For example, a visitor to a friend’s garden in the summer may value the abundance
of insect life not seen in their city home, whereas the owner appreciates the services provided
by the insects in sustaining the garden, such as woodlice that recycle fallen leaves and bees
that pollinate the flowers. Intrinsic values include values based on cultural, aesthetic, and
bequest significance (i.e. of value to children and grandchildren).

Define intrinsic value

Outline how resources can be valued
Discuss the intrinsic value of two named examples
Identify the issues with determining the value of natural capital
Resources can be valued in several ways;
Economic: Having marketable goods and services (timber, food)
7
Ecological: Providing life support services (gas exchange by forests)
Scientific: useful applications (medicines)

These are examples of resources being valued ¨instrumentally¨.

Resources can also be valued ¨intrinsically¨. This means that a resource is valued for its
cultural, esthetic, spiritual or philosophical (moral) value and are valued regardless of their
potential use to humans.

Attempts are being made to acknowledge diverse valuations of nature (for example,
biodiversity, rate of depletion of natural resources) so that they may be weighed more
rigorously against more common economic values (for example, gross national product
(GNP)). However, some argue that these valuations are impossible to quantify and price
realistically. Not surprisingly, much of the sustainability debate centres on the problem of
how to weigh conflicting values in our treatment of natural capital.

c) Discuss the environmental value systems of two named societies .

[9]

The development of environmental movements is often viewed from a very western

perspective. We are going to investigate a couple of examples that will help broaden our
understanding of how different societies across the world relate to the environment.

The societies chosen should demonstrate significant differences

 First Nation Americans and European pioneers operating frontier economics, which
involved exploitation of seemingly unlimited resources
 Buddhist and Judaeo-Christian societies and Communist and capitalist societies.
Native American Communal property (no one owns property)
 Subsistence economy
 Barter for goods
 Low impact technologies
 Politically come to a consensus democratically
 Laws are handed down through oral tradition
 Matrinineal decent
 Extended families and low population density
 Polytheistic and animals, plants and nature objects have a spirituality.

Buddhism believed that

 Suffering exists
 Suffering arises from attachment to desires
8
  Suffering ceases when attachment to desire ceases
 Buddhism believe living in balance with nature, therefore they tend to be more
ecocentric and have philosophy very similar to that of the deep ecologists.
 Also Buddhism's vegetarian diet would benefit the environment as well.
Judaeo-Christian believes that
 Nature was created by God for mankind
 Man are in charge of the nature.

The philosophy is closer towards anthropocentric (having responsibility to provide
better stewardship) or Cornucopians (we can do whatever we want to the planet
because God gave it to us)

Capitalism
 heavily based in private business
 private business blamed for environmental degradation
 maximize profit at the expense of the environment
 checks and balance to ensure sound use of resources
 allows free speak and environmental awareness
 find it difficult to reduce environmental abuse

Communism
 meant to distribute the wealth evenly, but they may have used resources without care
 victims of the "Tragedy of Commons"
 free speech not allowed
 find it difficult to reduce environmental abuse

5. a). Outline the process of photosynthesis and Respiration in terms of inputs, outputs, and
energy transformations. [4]

Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants convert light energy from the Sun into
useable chemical
energy stored in organic matter.

In terms of inputs, outputs, and energy transformations, photosynthesis can be summarized as

follows.
●● Inputs – sunlight as energy source, carbon dioxide, and water.
●●Outputs – glucose, used as an energy source for the plant and as the basic starting material
for other organic molecules (e.g. cellulose,starch);
– oxygen, released to the atmosphere through stomata.

9
●●Transformations – the energy change is from light energy into stored chemical energy, and
thus the chemical energy is stored in organic matter (i.e. carbohydrates, fats, and proteins).
Chlorophyll is needed to capture certain visible wavelengths of sunlight energy and allow this
energy to be transformed into chemical energy.

Respiration is the conversion of organic matter into carbon dioxide and water in all living
organisms, releasing energy.
Respiration can be summarized as follows
●● Inputs – organic matter (glucose) and oxygen.
●● Processes – oxidation processes inside cells.
●●Outputs – release of energy for work and heat.
●●Transformations – the energy transformation is from stored chemical energy into kinetic
energy and heat. Energy is released in a form available for use by living organisms, but much
is also eventually lost as heat

b).Explain the implications of the laws of thermodynamics to ecological systems [7]

Natural systems can never actually be isolated because there must always be an input of
energy for work (to replace energy that is dissipated).
The maintenance of order in living systems requires a constant input of energy to replace
available energy lost through inefficient transfers.
Although matter can be recycled, energy cannot, and once available energy has been lost
from a system in the form of heat energy it cannot be made available again.
One way energy enters an ecosystem is as sunlight energy. This sunlight energy is then
changed into biomass by photosynthesis: this process captures sunlight energy and
transforms it into chemical energy.
Chemical energy in producers is passed along food chains as biomass, or transformed into
heat during respiration.
Available energy is used to do work such as growth, movement, and making complex
molecules.
As we know from the second law of thermodynamics, the transfer and transformation of
energy is inefficient with all energy ultimately being lost into the environment as heat.
This is why food chains tend to be short.
Endotherms have a low NPE ( Net Production Efficiency) and use more energy for heat and
respiration than ectotherms, so most endotherms have to eat more often than ectotherms to
get the energy they need for survival.

10
c).Discuss why attitudes towards the environment change over time. Refer to named
historical influences in your answer
[9]
significant events can change attitudes

e.g. Bhopal showed people how dangerous factories can be;

people’s attitudes can change due to significant books/films which raise awareness e.g.

Silent Spring/Inconvenient Truth;

on first discovering/inventing a resource or product we are more likely to see benefits than

potential problems, which emerge later

e.g. technology of the car was initially seen as an entirely positive thing;

environmental pressure groups help to raise awareness by distributing leaflets/staging events

e.g. Greenpeace; environmental attitudes can become politically mainstream when economic

consequences of pollution are seen e.g. Stern report and global warming;

school curricula can reflect/promote changing attitudes

e.g. Environmental Systems and Societies;

changing technologies can help to spread new attitudes

e.g. internet/blogs/YouTube;

international organizations e.g. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) can raise

profile of environmental issues through conferences;

and in setting targets which will filter down through national government strategies

e.g. Agenda 21 / Millennium Development Goals

11