IB ESS SL 1.2.1 Systems definition Question Bank

A community of trees in a woodland has the following features of a system: individuals/species of trees are the components of the system; these components are interrelated/interdependent/form an integrated whole; eg may regulate populations through competition / contribute to succession of community;
it has flows/transfers of matter/energy between components/storages; eg leaf fall may provide nutrients through decomposition to other trees / pollination/genes/food storage in seeds / glucose is transported from leaves around tree;
components carry out processes/transformations; eg photosynthesis/respiration/growth;
it is an open system exchanging matter and energy with surroundings;
eg absorption of solar energy / provision of nutrients for non-tree species (NB mark for either example of matter or energy, not both);
it has feedback mechanisms to maintain equilibrium/balanced inputs and outputs; eg more seed production → more competition between seedlings → fewer viable offspring / death of trees → more light entering canopy → more tree growth;

Marking guidance:

Award [1] for each correct suggestion, up to [7 max].
Award [4 max] for identifying relevant generic features of system (given above) and [4 max] for examples of these within a tree community (beware of responses that are looking at entire woodland ecosystem as a system rather than the tree community alone). Credit alternative examples of equivalent validity/relevance and detail.