Essay Questions 1.

(a) (b)

Environmental Systems and Societies Topic 1

(4)

Describe the role of greenhouse gases in maintaining mean global temperature. Discuss the impact of global warming. Consider the potential effect on biomes, global agriculture and human society.
(7)

(c)

Predictive models of climate change may give very different results. Explain this statement with reference to the limitations of models and the contrasting arguments about global warming.
(6) Expression of ideas (3) (Total ! mar"s)

...loss of biological diversity around the world, from a multitude of causes, is correlated with decreasing productivity, increasing fragility in systems and increasing exposure of farming families to uncertainty, poverty and hunger. !eversing these trends will re"uire a huge effort to understand the ecological, economic and social problems, while at the same time educating people from all wal#s of life $ producer, consumer, scientist, policy ma#er and farmer.% &'ood and (griculture )rgani*ation ('())+. (a) ,ith reference to examples of specific ecosystems you have studied, outline the factors which can lead to a loss in biodiversity.
(6)

(b)

Describe and explain the relationship between biodiversity and increasing fragility% in ecosystems.
(#)

(c)

Evaluate the importance of educating people from all wal#s of life% in reversing the loss of biodiversity.
(7) Expression of ideas ( ) (Total ! mar"s)

3.

...there is constant interchange of - various #inds within each system, not only between the organisms but between the organic and inorganic. .hese ecosystems, as we may call them, are of ... various #inds and si*es.% .ansley (/012) (a) (b) Compare the characteristics of ecosystems and social systems.
(#)

Describe how populations of individual species interact within an ecosystem, using named examples to support your answer.
(6)

(c)

Explain the relationship between climate and net primary productivity in two contrasting biomes you have studied.
(7) Expression of ideas ( ) (Total ! mar"s)

4.

(a) (b)

Describe the typical features of a climax community.

(4)

,ith reference to a named ecosystem describe the natural and human threats it faces and discuss the conse"uences for its future e"uilibrium.
(1!)

(c)

Explain, with the aid of an example, the role of feedbac# mechanisms in the regulation of ecosystem e"uilibrium.
(4) Expression of ideas ( ) (Total ! mar"s)

#.

(a)

Describe the role of soil in the transfer and transformation of water and nitrogen within an ecosystem.
(#)

(b)

Compare soil management strategies in a named commercial farming system with those in a named subsistence farming system.
($)

(c)

Discuss how viewing soils as systems can help farmers to understand and reduce the causes of soil degradation.
(#) Expression of ideas ( ) (Total ! mar"s)

6.

3ome people believe that population control should be given e"ual weight to resource use in environmental management. (a) Discuss, with reference to the statement above, the relationships which exist between human population growth, resource consumption and carrying capacity.
(#)

(b)

Describe and compare the role of density4dependent and density4independent factors in the regulation of animal populations.
(4)

(c)

Explain why an understanding of e"uilibrium is important for the successful management of ecosystems. 5n your answer you should refer to examples of ecosystems where this e"uilibrium has been upset by human activities.
(%) Expression of ideas ( ) (Total ! mar"s)