IB ESS HL 3.2.13 Hl Biosphere Integrity Planetary Boundary Questions
Explain the biosphere-integrity planetary boundary and assess human pressure against it.
- Syllabus
- First assessment 2026
- Course
- ESS HL
- Level
- HL
Exam points
- describe the long-term pattern of relatively low extinction rates interrupted by major mass-extinction peaks
- explain how natural events and human activities differ as causes of past and current extinction-rate increases
- interpret the current anthropogenic extinction peak as a possible sixth mass extinction and link it to biodiversity loss
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IB ESS HL 3.2.13 Hl Biosphere Integrity Planetary Boundary Questions question 1
[Maximum number: 4]
Outline how global rates of extinction have changed over time.
global rates of extinction have been relatively constant over long periods; ...and relatively low as extinction was balanced by rates of speciation;
there have been major peaks / 5 mass extinctions with unusually high extinction rates; ... associated with relatively sudden changes in natural global cycles eg ice age/volcanic activity/plate tectonics; ...or catastrophic events eg, Asteroid impact;
...most recent/current peak is anthropogenic / 6th mass extinction due to human causes;
eg hunting/urbanisation/global warming/habitat destruction;
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