IB ESS HL 3.3 Conservation and Regeneration Question Bank

[Maximum number: 9]

(a)

Figure:Condor cape and Chumash traditional dance

Figure:Tourists watching condors on the Californian coast

Tejon Ranch is a 1000 km² home for California condors and an important biodiversity hotspot.
In 2008 the company agreed with environmental NGOs to preserve 90% of the property, including condor feeding grounds, while development could occur on the remaining 10%.

Figure:Fact file on the California condor

- Figure: Fact file on the California condor: California condors are scavengers and eat large amounts of carrion.
- They are among the world's rarest birds; 2012 counts estimated 405 total, including 226 wild and 179 captive.
- They are critically endangered and may travel up to 250 km in search of carrion.
- They mature and reproduce slowly, breeding at 6-8 years old and laying only one egg every two years.
- They are significant to many Californian Native American groups and traditional myths.

Figure:Chumash cultural relationship with condors

- Figure: Chumash cultural relationship with condors: Chumash people historically lived in central and southern coastal California; their descendants still live there.
- Old cave paintings show people wearing condor feathers for ceremonies and dances.
- Condors were once sacrificed during rituals; a legend says if the condor becomes extinct, so too will the Chumash.

Identify two arguments for the conservation of California condors.

[ 2 ]

(b)

Table for roles in the conservation of California condors

Figure:Northwest Condor Watch Facebook page

Northwest Condor Watch is a communication space that links communities caring about returning condors to their northern home range.

Tejon Ranch is a 1000 km² home for California condors and an important biodiversity hotspot.
In 2008 the company agreed with environmental NGOs to preserve 90% of the property, including condor feeding grounds, while development could occur on the remaining 10%.

Figure:Ridley-Tree Condor Preservation Act

- Figure: Ridley-Tree Condor Preservation Act: the Ridley-Tree Condor Preservation Act made it illegal in 2008 to use lead bullets for hunting deer, bear and elk in designated California condor range.
- The act applies only in California; neighbouring states still allow lead bullets for game hunting.
- Organisations such as the National Rifle Association oppose the lead bullet ban.

Figure:California condor captive breeding programme

- Figure: California condor captive breeding programme: removing eggs can make the mother lay another, increasing the total number of eggs, but some chicks then need hand rearing.
- Chicks are fed with condor-like glove puppets to prevent attachment to humans.
- Captive-bred condors have been trained to avoid power lines and people, reducing deaths due to power lines.
- The programme costs about $\mathrm{US}\$5$ million per year, roughly $\mathrm{US}\$13{,}000$ per bird.
- The aim is three populations: wild California, wild Arizona and captive, each with 150 birds and at least 15 breeding pairs.

With reference to the resource booklet, complete the table by identifying one way in which each of the following are playing a role in the conservation of California condors.

[ 3 ]

Individuals or organizations	How they are playing a role in the conservation of Californian condors.
Individual citizens	paying for National conservation programmes through taxes/joining NGOs;
The Government of the state of California	passing legislation on lead bullets/enforcing conservation policy;
NGO	NGOs lobbying government/raising awareness/running ecotourism initiatives;

(c)

Figure:Condor chick hand-reared using a condor puppet

Figure:Condor breeding centre and release sites

Figure:Change in California condor population over time

Figure:Lead and non-lead bullets after impact

Tejon Ranch is a 1000 km² home for California condors and an important biodiversity hotspot.
In 2008 the company agreed with environmental NGOs to preserve 90% of the property, including condor feeding grounds, while development could occur on the remaining 10%.

Figure:California condor captive breeding programme

- Figure: California condor captive breeding programme: removing eggs can make the mother lay another, increasing the total number of eggs, but some chicks then need hand rearing.
- Chicks are fed with condor-like glove puppets to prevent attachment to humans.
- Captive-bred condors have been trained to avoid power lines and people, reducing deaths due to power lines.
- The programme costs about $\mathrm{US}\$5$ million per year, roughly $\mathrm{US}\$13{,}000$ per bird.
- The aim is three populations: wild California, wild Arizona and captive, each with 150 birds and at least 15 breeding pairs.

Figure:Ridley-Tree Condor Preservation Act

- Figure: Ridley-Tree Condor Preservation Act: the Ridley-Tree Condor Preservation Act made it illegal in 2008 to use lead bullets for hunting deer, bear and elk in designated California condor range.
- The act applies only in California; neighbouring states still allow lead bullets for game hunting.
- Organisations such as the National Rifle Association oppose the lead bullet ban.

Using evidence from the resource booklet evaluate the success of the conservation programme for California condors.

[ 4 ]

[Maximum number: 2]

Construction of a dead hedge

Figure 11(a): Conservation in Beijing
Beijing Zoo maintains an active breeding programme that recently produced over 1000 surviving offspring of nearly 100 species in one year, including critically endangered species and giant panda.
The Beijing Gardening and Greening Bureau plans to plant at least one dead hedge in each city park; dead hedges use pruning/forestry waste and provide habitat for small mammals and reptiles.

(a)

With reference to Figures 11(a) and 11(b), outline one advantage of Beijing Zoo's approach to conservation compared with that of Beijing Gardening and Greening Bureau.

[ 1 ]

(b)

With reference to Figures 11(a) and 11(b), outline one advantage of Beijing Gardening and Greening Bureau's approach to conservation compared with that of Beijing Zoo.

[ 1 ]

[Maximum number: 4]

(a)

Distinguish between the role of the jaguar as a keystone species and as a flagship species.

[ 2 ]

(b)

Figure 6(d): The Barbilla Corridor within the larger international network connecting jaguar populations

Figure:The Barbilla Corridor within the larger international network connecting jaguar populations

Identify two difficulties associated with establishing and maintaining wildlife corridors such as those shown in Figure 6(d).

[ 2 ]

[Maximum number: 2]

Figure:Condor cape and Chumash traditional dance

Figure:Tourists watching condors on the Californian coast

Tejon Ranch is a 1000 km² home for California condors and an important biodiversity hotspot.
In 2008 the company agreed with environmental NGOs to preserve 90% of the property, including condor feeding grounds, while development could occur on the remaining 10%.

Figure:Fact file on the California condor

- Figure: Fact file on the California condor: California condors are scavengers and eat large amounts of carrion.
- They are among the world's rarest birds; 2012 counts estimated 405 total, including 226 wild and 179 captive.
- They are critically endangered and may travel up to 250 km in search of carrion.
- They mature and reproduce slowly, breeding at 6-8 years old and laying only one egg every two years.
- They are significant to many Californian Native American groups and traditional myths.

Figure:Chumash cultural relationship with condors

- Figure: Chumash cultural relationship with condors: Chumash people historically lived in central and southern coastal California; their descendants still live there.
- Old cave paintings show people wearing condor feathers for ceremonies and dances.
- Condors were once sacrificed during rituals; a legend says if the condor becomes extinct, so too will the Chumash.

Identify two arguments for the conservation of California condors.

[Maximum number: 2]

Distinguish between the role of the jaguar as a keystone species and as a flagship species.

[Maximum number: 2]

Suggest two strategies that could be used to reduce the threat to coral reefs from tourism.

[Maximum number: 3]

Figure:Protected corridor proposal to connect Mindo cloud forest with other Ecuadorian reserves

With reference to Figure 11, evaluate the potential effectiveness of the proposed southern corridor for wildlife conservation.

[Maximum number: 2]

Figure:Beaver-dam succession sequence — panel A

Figure: Beaver-dam succession sequence — panel B

Figure: Beaver-dam succession sequence — panel C

Figure: Beaver-dam succession sequence — panel D

Figure 7(a): Fact file on North American beavers
• One family per square km of river. Family groups have two adults and up to three young (kits) born each year between April and June.
• Mortality rates are high due to severe weather, lack of suitable habitats and predation.
• Population estimated at 250 million before fur trade hunting; about 9 million today.
• Feed on tree bark.
• Build lodges from wood and mud for eating, sleeping and raising young; remain in lodges during winter; protect their lodge from other beavers.
• Beavers are being reintroduced in Europe to help restore wetlands.

Figure 9(a): Dossier sobre la función de los castores en el ecosistema (role of beavers in the ecosystem)
• Beavers build dams from sticks, creating ponds and slowing river flow.
• Ponds are less suitable for river fish such as brook trout, but provide new habitats for aquatic plants, dragonfly larvae, bullfrogs and other fish.
• Flooding can kill riverside trees when roots are submerged, creating more bird nesting sites.
• Marshy areas may form at pond edges. Grasses and sedges colonize nutrient-rich pond silt to form beaver meadow.
• Beaver meadows have more light, higher soil moisture, more nitrogen and different vegetation from adjacent river-edge forest.
• Dams may collapse after heavy rain or spring thaw, or if the beaver maintaining the dam is taken by a predator.

(a)

Identify one benefit of the reintroduction of beavers in Europe.

[ 1 ]

(b)

Identify one potential problem with the reintroduction of beavers in Europe.

[ 1 ]

[Maximum number: 1]

Figure:Drop in demand for shark fins in Hong Kong and mainland China

Figure 8(a): Conservation within the Coral Triangle
• The Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF) is an agreement between all six nations in the area with the objectives of:
• ensuring food security and a sustainable livelihood of residents of the Coral Triangle
• protecting the unique ecosystem and marine species within the Coral Triangle.
• Conservation projects in the Coral Triangle involve collaboration between national governments, regional organisations, non-governmental organisations, private companies and local communities.
• Popular approaches to encourage sustainable use of the sea and its resources include creation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and networks of Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs).
• MPAs are usually managed by national and local government whereas LMMAs are more likely to be managed by the local community.
• These designated areas are often classified according to their use or the restrictions placed on them, such as “no-take zones” where no fishing is allowed or “tourism zones” that can be used for recreation but where other activities such as fishing are banned.
• Some zones allow restricted activity, such as use by local fishermen using only traditional fishing methods or during certain times of the year.
• Research has shown that over time in a well-managed MPA there is an increase in fish size, fish numbers and overall biodiversity.
• There are currently over 1000 MPAs within the Coral Triangle.
• The Coral Triangle Initiative aims to designate 20 % of each of the main habitats within the Coral Triangle as MPAs by 2020.

Identify one way in which conservation efforts may have given rise to the decline in shark fin imports shown in Figure 8(d).

[Maximum number: 9]

Justify the role of different environmental value systems (EVSs) in deciding between species based and habitat based conservation strategies.

Answers may demonstrate:
• understanding concepts & terminology of ex situ/in situ conservation; ecocentric/anthropocentric and technocentric value systems; biorights; intrinsic value; deep ecology; cornucopian values; stewardship; keystone species; flagship species; reserves; zoos; breeding/re-introduction programmes; gene banks; etc
• breadth in addressing and linking a range of in situ/ex situ conservation strategies with different value systems/perspectives on the nature of living things/species.
• examples of different value systems; different perspectives on living things and different in situ & ex situ conservation strategies.
• balanced analysis evaluating the relative merits and demerits of different value systems and their perspectives on in situ v ex situ conservation.
• a conclusion that is consistent with, and supported by analysis and examples given e.g. While ecocentrics are more likely to value the hands-off approach possible with in situ conservation there are certain cases where a natural habitat is so degraded the only way forward for conserving a given species is the more technocentric ex situ conservation.

The following guide for using the markbands suggests certain features that may be offered in responses. The five headings coincide with the criteria in each of the markbands (although ESS terminology has been conflated with "understanding concepts"). This guide simply provides some possible inclusions and should not be seen as requisite or comprehensive. It outlines the kind of elements to look for when deciding on the appropriate markband and the specific mark within that band.
Section B, part (c) markbands are shown below.

Marks	Level descriptor
0	The response does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below and is not relevant to the question.
1–3	The response contains: • minimal evidence of knowledge and understanding of ESS issues or concepts • fragmented knowledge statements poorly linked to the context of the question • some appropriate use of ESS terminology • no examples where required, or examples with insufficient explanation/relevance • superficial analysis that amounts to no more than a list of facts/ideas • judgments/conclusions that are vague or not supported by evidence/argument.
4–6	The response contains: • some evidence of sound knowledge and understanding of ESS issues and concepts • knowledge statements effectively linked to the context of the question • largely appropriate use of ESS terminology • some use of relevant examples where required, but with limited explanation • clear analysis that shows a degree of balance • some clear judgments/conclusions, supported by limited evidence/arguments.
7–9	The response contains: • substantial evidence of sound knowledge and understanding of ESS issues and concepts • a wide breadth of knowledge statements effectively linked with each other, and to the context of the question • consistently appropriate and precise use of ESS terminology • effective use of pertinent, well-explained examples, where required, showing some originality • thorough, well-balanced, insightful analysis • explicit judgments/conclusions that are well-supported by evidence/arguments and that include some critical reflection.

Section B, part (c) markbands (official MS p18)

[Maximum number: 8]

Using named examples, discuss the impact of intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations on the preservation of ecosystems.

Marking guidance:

Award [1 max] for correctly identifying eg of both intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations (Full credit can be given to responses that refer to one or more examples of each):
eg UNEP=IGO and WWF=NGO;
Award [7 max] for discussing impact of named IGOs and NGOs, [5 max] for responses where no examples of actions/impacts are given (eg Biodiversity Convention;
orang-utans;
Palani Hills;
as below).
IGOs have an impact when directing/advising government policy / setting agreements/treaties;
IGOs eg UNEP is actively involved in negotiations for eg Biodiversity Convention thus preserving important habitats;
IGOs often have less impact than NGOs on a local level in protecting ecosystems; ...because they have a more global perspective / because they have less influence over local communities;
intergovernmental agreements eg CITES / Ramsar Convention have global influence but take a long time to make a difference;
NGOs eg WWF are based world-wide and raise funds to support ecosystem conservation/protection eg orang-utans in Malaysia;
...particularly active/effective in LEDCs that lack funding / less able to implement measures from IGOs;
usually their impact comes through high media visibility/public profile amongst the general population;
...but in large organizations a great deal of money goes to maintain the organization itself, rather than actually impacting environmental issues;
smaller, local NGOs, can bring about more rapid and lasting change due to good community links;
...but struggle to raise funds to buy equipment/pay staffing etc necessary for effective impact;
greatest impact may be achieved when NGOs work in cooperation with IGOs;
eg Palani Hills Conservation Council and Vatakanal Conservation Trust in South India are examples of NGOs that have worked closely with forestry service to improve watershed protection;
...and provide education for local people to improve the success of their projects;
If responses give incorrect eg of IGO or NGO (eg a GO) apply ECF (ie do not award mark for eg but credit any further points that are consistent with IGO or NGO) and award [ 5 max] for whole question.
Accept other reasonable responses of equivalent significance, validity & relevance

[Maximum number: 4]

Figure:Fact file on Nootka lupin

Figure: Fact file on Nootka lupin
Nootka lupin is native to North America and was introduced to Iceland to stop soil erosion in 1885. It is invasive, spreads quickly and outcompetes native flora. The Ministry of Environment recommended eradication in highlands above 400 m, national parks and conservation areas. Removal methods include grazing, herbicides, hand pulling and mowing. Public participation is encouraged.

With reference to Figures: Stages of soil degradation and vegetation-cover change in Iceland, Fact file on Nootka lupin and Known distribution of Nootka lupin in 2010 explain the problems associated with land restoration in Iceland.

[Maximum number: 3]

1947	Russia banned hunting of tigers
1975	International trade in tigers and tiger parts banned through the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
1992	The Siberian Tiger Project began attaching radio-collars to wild tigers to improve understanding of tiger ecology
2007	Udege National Park and Zov Tigra National Park were created
2010	Tiger protection was increased through policing and enforcement

Table:Siberian tiger conservation measures

Figure:Siberian tiger population in Russia

Figure:Causes of tiger mortality in and near Sikhote-Alin Biosphere Reserve, 1992-2005

Conservation measures for the Siberian tiger between 1940 and 2010 involved tagging, reserves, and bans on hunting and trade.

With reference to the conservation timeline, tiger-population chart and mortality chart, evaluate the relative success of these measures.

[Maximum number: 9]

With reference to named examples, evaluate the role of ecotourism as part of the conservation strategy for species and habitats.

Answers may demonstrate:
- understanding concepts & terminology of conservation; biodiversity; ecotourism; national parks; wild life sanctuaries; local business/employment/hospitality; environmental impacts; ownership; legislation; funding; flagship species etc.;
- breadth in addressing and linking range of ecotourism sites/endeavours with conservation objectives and their degree of success.
- examples of ecotourism associated with conservation projects etc.
- balanced analysis evaluating extent to which ecotourism contributes positively and negatively to the aims of conservation.
- a conclusion that is consistent with, and supported by analysis and examples given e.g. While the attraction of large numbers of people will inevitably bring some stress to natural systems, economics is such that the conservation of large areas of habitat has a significant cost that can only be met through ecotourism.

Marks	Level descriptor
0	The response does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below and is not relevant to the question.
1–3	The response contains: • minimal evidence of knowledge and understanding of ESS issues or concepts • fragmented knowledge statements poorly linked to the context of the question • some appropriate use of ESS terminology • no examples where required, or examples with insufficient explanation/relevance • superficial analysis that amounts to no more than a list of facts/ideas • judgments/conclusions that are vague or not supported by evidence/argument.
4–6	The response contains: • some evidence of sound knowledge and understanding of ESS issues and concepts • knowledge statements effectively linked to the context of the question • largely appropriate use of ESS terminology • some use of relevant examples where required, but with limited explanation • clear analysis that shows a degree of balance • some clear judgments/conclusions, supported by limited evidence/arguments.
7–9	The response contains: • substantial evidence of sound knowledge and understanding of ESS issues and concepts • a wide breadth of knowledge statements effectively linked with each other, and to the context of the question • consistently appropriate and precise use of ESS terminology • effective use of pertinent, well-explained examples, where required, showing some originality • thorough, well-balanced, insightful analysis • explicit judgments/conclusions that are well-supported by evidence/arguments and that include some critical reflection.

Assessment criteria for the 9-mark extended response

IB ESS HL 3.3 Conservation and Regeneration Questions

Exam points

Covered syllabus points

Covered syllabus points

Question 1

Question (a)

Question (b)

Question (c)

Question 2

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Question (b)

Question 3

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Question 4

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Question 6

Question 7

Question 8

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Question 9

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Question 11

Question 12

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Question 14