IB Biology SL 4.2.10 Plastic Pollution
Practise explaining how marine plastic harms wildlife through ingestion, entanglement and persistent accumulation.
- Syllabus
- First assessment 2025
- Course
- Biology SL
- Level
- SL
Practise explaining how marine plastic harms wildlife through ingestion, entanglement and persistent accumulation.
Data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) indicates that the population numbers of many mammal species are decreasing. The chart shows reasons for the decrease and the number of species in each category of danger.

Explain the impact of plastic waste on Laysan albatrosses (Phoebastria immutabilis).
a. adults/young ingest plastic «which is indigestible»
b. plastic damages/fills stomach «can lead to starvation and death»
c. plastic blocks intestine so food cannot be digested «can lead to starvation and death»
d. adults/young can become entangled in plastic and so they drown/choke/suffocate
Marking guidance:
Allow other verifiable effect of plastic
"Can kill the birds" is too vague and worth [0]
2 max