LPCUWC ESS Past Paper Drill – 3.

3: Threats to Biodiversity Name:

ESS Past Paper Drill

– 3.3: Threats to Biodiversity
Q.1 - IBDP ESS 2011 May Paper 2 Q. 1(d), 1(f)

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Q.2 - IBDP ESS 2011 May Paper 2 Q. 5(c)

Discuss, with reference to two contrasting environmental problems, the technocentric belief that
technology may provide solutions to environmental problems. [8]

Q.3 - IBDP ESS 2011 November Paper 1 Q. 3(d), (e), (f)

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(d) Suggest three causes of changes in farmland bird populations. [3]

(e) Outline the concept of an indicator species. [2]

(f) The Corn Bunting, the Grey Partridge, the Linnet and the Yellowhammer are all birds with Red
List conservation status. Other than reduction in population size, list two factors which are used to
determine a species’ Red List conservation status. [2]

Q.4 - IBDP ESS 2011 November Paper 2 Q. 3(a)

Outline the reasons why tropical rainforests should be conserved. [4]

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Q.5 - IBDP ESS 2012 May Paper 1 Q. 2(d)

(i) State which organism(s) would still be present if the pH of the lake was reduced to 5.0. [1]

(ii) Explain why the populations of remaining organisms in the lake may decline in the long
term.[2]

Q.6 - IBDP ESS 2012 May Paper 2 Q. 1(a), (b), (c)

Figure 1. World map showing the location of Iraq

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(a) With reference to Figure 3, identify the type of biome found in Iraq. [1]

desert

(b) (i) Figure 4 shows the Red List conservation status of eight species from the marshes. List two
factors used to determine a species’ Red List conservation status. [1]

population size/ quality of habitate

(ii) Outline two forms of natural income that are obtained from the marshes. [2]

drinking water/ food from fish

run-off evaporation

river Tigris infiltration

Q.7 - IBDP ESS 2012 May Paper 2 Q. 4 (c)

State whether you believe global warming or biodiversity loss represents the bigger threat in the
glotbal warminng is a bigger threat than biodiversity
future. Justify your viewpoint. [9]
e.g. global warming is the bigger threat because:
it will have big effects e.g. melting ice caps/shifting biomes/changing the world's weather/
flooding land;
its effects will be more widespread than biodiversity/every country will be affected;
whereas the loss of diversity in, e.g. a tropical rainforest, may have little direct impact on
people elsewhere;
larger numbers of people will be affected e.g. Bangladeshi delta region low-lying and densely
populated affected by sea level rises;
it will affect a bigger range of human activity, such as food supply/living space, health/disease;
it will lead to biodiversity loss as well (whereas loss of diversity will not cause global
warming);
many biodiversity hotspots are particularly vulnerable e.g. coral reefs; it has a higher public/
global profile;
it can lead to significant social consequences e.g. wars / mass migrations; 9
is harder to solve than biodiversity loss which can be helped by e.g. seedbanks; current rate of
warming is unprecedented, whereas there have been mass extinctions in the past and the biodiversity
has recovered;
it may lead to positive feedback loops/potentially devastating tipping points/exponential change;
LPCUWC ESS Past Paper Drill – 3.3: Threats to Biodiversity Name:

Q.8 - IBDP ESS 2012 November Paper 1 Q. 2 (b)

State one impact of an invasive species on the functioning of an aquatic ecosystem. [1]

loss of bioddiversity

Q.9 - IBDP ESS 2012 November Paper 2 Q. 2

Q.10 - IBDP ESS 2013 May Paper 1 Q. 4 (b)

Explain, giving two reasons, why biodiversity is lower in a desert ecosystem than in a tropical
rainforest. [2]

Q.11 - IBDP ESS 2013 May Paper 2 Q. 1 (b) (iii), (iv)

About half of all albatross species are either endangered or critically endangered on the Red List.

(iii) State the purpose of the Red List. [1]

to identiy speciciese
requireing some level of
conservation eg legislation to stop/reduce hunting;
international agreements to control trade in endangered species eg
CITES; policing and enforcement of legislation/controls (eg hunting
(iv) List two possible threats to albatross ban); legislation to reduce pollution;
community involvement/education/awareness could improve value placed
species. [1] on species;
improved land management/restoration could reduce habitat
degradation/fragmentation/loss;
eating plastic captive breeding/re-introduction programmes could increase numbers;
gene/seed bank to store genetic material to allow for later
food limited due to overfishing reintroduction; setting up a national park/nature reserve;
effective reserve/national
park
Q.12 - IBDP ESS 2013 May Paper 2 Q. 4 (b)
design/management (includes
corridors/size/shape/edge effects etc);

Outline two reasons for the extinction of a named species and suggest how intervention measures
can improve the conservation status of a species. [8] white rhino in uganada

low species number could lead to non-viable population/reduced successful breeding/small gene pool;
habitat degradation/fragmentation/loss eg logging could lead to loss of food and shelter;
increased competition/predation/disease due to human interference (eg invasive/non-native species) or environmental change (eg natural 10
disasters); natural hazards eg volcanoes/wildfires can reduce species numbers and habitat; pollution can degrade the habitat eg
greenhouse gas and global warming could reduce habitat range in Arctic regions for polar bears;
pollutants can bioaccumulate eg some pesticides can biomagnify up the food chain especially affecting successful breeding of species
high in the food chain; hunting/overfishing by humans can reduce breeding numbers;
If no named extinct species or an incorrect species do NOT award mark for this part.
LPCUWC ESS Past Paper Drill – 3.3: Threats to Biodiversity Name:

Q.13 - IBDP ESS 2014 May Paper 1 Q. 1 (a) (v)

Predict how the introduction of a non-native species may affect this lake ecosystem. [2]

outcompete local species

intro of disease

Q.14 - IBDP ESS 2014 May Paper 1 Q. 3 (a) (i) (ii)

(a) (i) Identify one method that may have been used to estimate the size of this gorilla population.
[1]

(ii) State two possible factors that may have led to the gorillas being endangered. [1]

Q.15 - IBDP ESS 2014 May Paper 2 Q. 3 (a)

Describe two factors that may be used to determine a species’ Red List status and how each may be
affected by human activity. [4]
population size deforstation
numbers of mature individals pollution
quality of habitate trase in rare species

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Q.16 - IBDP ESS 2015 Nov Paper 2 Q. 1 (d)

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mature slowley so the population take a while to increase

Q.17 - IBDP ESS 2016 May Paper 2 Q. 5 (a)

have been realtviely constnat over long period

relatively low as extinction was balanced by rates. of speciation
associated with relatviely sudden changes in natural global cycles ex: ice age

Q.18 - IBDP ESS 2016 Nov Paper 1 Q. 2 (c)

they have a number of havitates so if a population is affected in one haabitate by disease the
specieis will still survive in another habitat

Q.19 - IBDP ESS 2016 Nov Paper 2 Q. 4 (b)

fac tor: global warming

explanation:
leads to higher ocean temperatures to which mant amarine specieis are sensitive
some specieis cannot adeapt quickly which leads to loss in biodiversity
change temperature may reduce productitivy leading to loss of diversity in the food web
higher tem may lead to coral death affecting whole food web

factor: pollution from plastic

explanation:
tiny pieces of plstic ingested by organimss caryy POPs absorb in food chain
marine organisms become entnagled in plastic
birds ingest plastic causing starvation
Q.20 - IBDP ESS 2017 Nov Paper 2 Q. 5 (c)

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

biomes. [9]

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ESS Past Paper Solutions

– 3.3: Threats to Biodiversity
Q.1 - IBDP ESS 2011 May Paper 2 Q. 1(d), 1(f)

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Q.2 - IBDP ESS 2011 May Paper 2 Q. 5(c)

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Q.3 - IBDP ESS 2011 November Paper 1 Q. 3(d), (e), (f)

Q.4 - IBDP ESS 2011 November Paper 2 Q. 3(a)

Q.5 - IBDP ESS 2012 May Paper

1 Q. 2(d)

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Q.6 - IBDP ESS 2012 May Paper 2 Q. 1(a), (b), (c)

Q.7 - IBDP ESS 2012 May Paper 2 Q. 4 (c)

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Q.8 - IBDP ESS 2012 November Paper 1 Q. 2 (b)

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LPCUWC ESS Past Paper Drill – 3.3: Threats to Biodiversity Name:

Q.9 - IBDP ESS 2012 November Paper 2 Q. 2

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LPCUWC ESS Past Paper Drill – 3.3: Threats to Biodiversity Name:

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LPCUWC ESS Past Paper Drill – 3.3: Threats to Biodiversity Name:

Q.10 - IBDP ESS 2013 May Paper 1 Q. 4 (b)

Q.11 - IBDP ESS 2013 May Paper 2 Q. 1 (b)

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Q.12 - IBDP ESS 2013 May Paper 2 Q. 4 (b)

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LPCUWC ESS Past Paper Drill – 3.3: Threats to Biodiversity Name:

Q.13 - IBDP ESS 2014 May Paper 1 Q. 1 (a) (v)

Q.14 - IBDP ESS 2014 May Paper 1 Q. 3 (a) (i) (ii)

Q.15 - IBDP ESS 2014 May Paper 2 Q. 3 (a)

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LPCUWC ESS Past Paper Drill – 3.3: Threats to Biodiversity Name:

Q.16 - IBDP ESS 2015 Nov Paper 2 Q. 1 (d)

Q.17 - IBDP ESS 2016 May Paper 2 Q. 5 (a)

Q.18 - IBDP ESS 2016 Nov Paper 1 Q. 2 (c)

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Q.19 - IBDP ESS 2016 Nov Paper 2 Q. 4 (b)

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LPCUWC ESS Past Paper Drill – 3.3: Threats to Biodiversity Name:

Q.20 - IBDP ESS 2017 Nov Paper 2 Q. 5 (c)

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