IB ESS HL 3.2 Human Impacts on Biodiversity Question Bank

Practise IB ESS HL 3.2 by evaluating threat evidence, invasive-species control, hotspot conservation and biosphere-integrity risks.

Exam points

Analyse Red List percentages and criteria to compare taxa and explain status changes.
Evaluate species vulnerability from range, life history, pollution, climate and exploitation.
Evaluate invasive-species removal and conservation interventions against ecological evidence and limitations.
Justify hotspot conservation using endemism, habitat diversity, human threat and urgency.
Evaluate biosphere-integrity risk using extinction trends, keystone effects and human causes.

Covered syllabus points

3.2.1—Threats to biodiversity 3.2.2—Multiple human impacts 3.2.3—Invasive alien species 3.2.4—IUCN Red List 3.2.5—Conservation status benefits 3.2.6—Species case studies 3.2.7—Tragedy of the commons 3.2.8 (HL)—Biodiversity hotspots 3.2.9 (HL)—Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs)3.2.10 (HL)—KBA conflicts 3.2.11 (HL)—Traditional indigenous land management 3.2.12 (HL)—Environmental justice in conservation 3.2.13 (HL)—Biosphere integrity planetary boundary

[Maximum number: 7]

Figure:Global biodiversity extinction-risk categories

Figure:Changes in species extinction risk from 1980 to 2015

(a)

State the category with the lowest approximate percentage of threatened species in the extinction-risk chart shown above.

[ 1 ]

(b)

Outline two reasons why amphibians have the highest approximate percentage of threatened species, as shown in the extinction-risk chart shown above.

[ 2 ]

(c)

Using the extinction-risk chart shown above, state the approximate percentage of sharks and rays that are threatened.

[ 1 ]

(d)

Outline three reasons why the trend for corals is different to the other categories shown in the species-extinction trend chart shown above.

[ 3 ]

[Maximum number: 9]

The introduction of a species into an ecosystem could be considered a form of pollution. Discuss this statement.

[Maximum number: 1]

Figure:Conservation status of indigenous species groups in New Zealand

With reference to Figure: Conservation status of indigenous species groups in New Zealand, identify the group of species most 'at risk of becoming threatened'.

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Covered syllabus points

3.2 Human impact on biodiversity question 1

Question (a)

Question (b)

Question (c)

Question (d)

3.2 Human impact on biodiversity question 2

3.2 Human impact on biodiversity question 3