1.

(a)

Baseline study: [2 max]

a baseline study seeks to measure existing conditions prior to the
implementation of a project in order to have a standard of
comparison once the project is completed;
baseline studies are used to determine potential impacts on
the environment of a project;
Biotic: [2 max]
use of transects to determine cover/abundance of fauna and flora;
use of quadrats to measure species abundance and diversity
(application of diversity indices);
use of Lincoln Index/capture-mark-release-recapture to
determine numbers of different animal species;
determination of biomass by removal and drying of plant tissue;
Accept other reasonable answers.
Abiotic: [2 max]
testing of water for various parameters (e.g. nitrates/dissolved
solids/BOD/DO) using testing kits and/or electrodes of various types;
air speed and direction using anemometers;
determination of soil pH using universal indicators;
determination of water flow throughout year using flow weirs;
Accept other reasonable answers.

(b)

the ecological footprint will increase; (must be included for full marks).
availability of cash leads to greater purchasing power;
consequent increase in consumer good acquisition;
production of these goods requires energy that may release CO 2 thus
increasing footprint;
money allows people to buy more animal protein from grain
fed animals, so the footprint increases;
as people enter a consumer society and turn away from
subsistence level lifestyles footprint increases;
money may allow access to better homes resulting in less
need for locally produced firewood thus decreasing footprint;
Accept other reasonable answers.

(c)

6 max

6 max

reuse, recycling and re-manufacture reduce need for raw material;

reduces stress on a finite resource;
aluminum requires far less energy to recycle than to produce;
produces less waste;
employs people (possibly no net loss of employment);
creates environmental awareness;
reduce need to intervene rivers for hydroelectric power;
5 max
Accept other reasonable answers.
Expression of ideas [3 max]
[20]

2.

(a)

(b)

use of global resources at a rate that allows natural regeneration;

and minimizes damage to the environment;
Give credit if concept of replenishable capital is mentioned.

Give full credit for either a brief discussion of several human

actions or a full discussion of one. Credit should be given
for use of examples / case studies.
Allow [5] for how resource has been managed unsustainably
and [5] for consequences for ecosystems.
soil resources
human actions could include:
overgrazing;
deforestation;
unsustainable irrigation;
land pollution;
acid deposition;
Or a more detailed discussion of one or more of these.

5 max

consequences could include:

soil degradation;
loss of soil structure;
desertification;
soil erosion;
loss of organic matter and consequences for primary productivity;
effects of acid deposition on nutrient content of soils;
loss of soil organisms;

5 max

water resources
human actions could include abstraction of ground water;
pollution;
eutrophication;
increased demand for water;
wastage of water resources;
Or a detailed discussion of one or more of these.

5 max

consequences could include:

loss of habitat;
role of water in soil formation and consequences for soil formation
if water shortage occurs (e.g. increased rates of salinisation;
increased rates of soil erosion as water table is lowered);
eutrophication consequences on aquatic ecosystem;
impact of pollutants on aquatic fauna (e.g. mutations, progressive,
concentration of pollutants along the food chain);
impact of pollutants on flora e.g. impact of acid rain on coniferous forests;

5 max

(c)

Soil resources
suggest possible soil conservation methods:
soil conditioners;
wind reduction techniques;
cultivation techniques;
efforts to stop plowing marginal lands;
crop rotation;
Credit should be given if reference is made to
specific farming systems.

5 max

OR
Water resources
suggest more sustainable practices;
reducing water use;
recycling;
metering water;
pollution monitoring or control;
e.g. with respect to eutrophication;
Credit should be given if reference is made to
specific case studies.

5 max

[20]

3.

(a)

natural capital is a term sometimes used by economists for natural

resources that, if appropriately managed, can produce a natural
income of goods and services;
the natural capital of a forest might provide a continuing natural
income of timber, game, water and recreation;
sustainability using global resources at a rate that allows
natural regeneration and minimizes damage to the environment;
e.g. a system of harvesting renewable resources at a rate that
will be replaced by natural growth might be considered to
demonstrate sustainability;
Wilson is advocating that countries should adopt this approach
when assessing their resource base;
5
Answers which do not refer to the statement should be awarded [4 max].

(b)

Water [7 max] or [6 max]

water is replenishable natural capital (it is nonliving but is dependent
on the solar engine for renewal);
but globally it is being used at a faster rate than it can be replenished;
only a small fraction of the Earths water supply is available as a
readily usable resource for humans;
there are growing demands on water resources as populations increase;
societies become more affluent and expectations rise;
irrigation, industrialization and domestic demand are all increasing;
withdrawal of water from underground aquifers is often occurring
at a faster rate than it can be replenished;
this has led to falling water tables;
degradation of water supplies through pollution reduces the
amounts which are available to us;
global warming may disrupt rainfall patterns and supplies and make
matters worse;
a lot of water is wasted or used inefficiently;
Give credit for named examples and case studies.
Soil [6 max] or [7 max]
soils are renewable in that they will regenerate naturally given
enough time;
however, misuse of soils by a variety of human activities is leading to
degradation of soil resources at a faster rate than they can cope with;
examples of unsustainable practice with regard to soils include:
overgrazing where the trampling and feeding of livestock leads to
loss of vegetation, and exposure of underlying soil;
deforestation removing vegetation;
overcultivation leading to a loss of soil fertility and structure;
all leave top soil vulnerable to erosion by wind and water;
excessive irrigation can lead to salinization and toxification;
13 max
Expression of ideas [2 max]
[20]

4.

(a)

(i)
(ii)

(b)

feedback that tends to damp down/neutralize/counteract

any deviation from an equilibrium, and promotes stability;

feedback that amplifies/increases change (it leads to

exponential deviation away from equilibrium);

most ecosystems contain inbuilt checks and balances;

without internal balance an ecosystem would spiral out of control;
without negative feedback no ecosystem could be self-sustaining;

1 max

(c)
sm oke

ste a m / w a te r v a p o u r / w a te r

coal
c o ld w a te r
Three correct [2], one or two correct [1].

energy /
e le c tr ic ity
w a rm w a te r
2 max
[5]

5.

(a)

(i)

(ii)

(b)

(c)

cheapest = gas;
most expensive = wind offshore;
Both needed for [1].

gas is cheap because it is relatively plentiful;

it can be burned directly without the need for refining;
technology is already in place to access the gas and burn it
in existing gas fired power stations;

1 max

wind offshore technology is still at the experimental stage;

easily disrupted by rough seas;
can interrupt shipping lines;

1 max

organic waste decomposes and gives off methane gas which can
be burned;
waste can be burned directly to generate energy e.g. burning straw;

(i)

likely to be much higher;

Accept lower if justification given in (ii) is appropriate
e.g. better technology;
new reserves discovered; price subsidised by governments
to enable fossil fuels to compete with renewables.

(ii)

(d)

as stocks become depleted, easiest/most accessible resources

will already have been mined;
leaving resources most difficult to access which are more
costly to reach;
scarcity of resources will push costs up;
environmental taxes to compensate for global warming will
make fossil fuels more expensive;
2 max

advantages:
HEP does not involve release of pollutants;
turbines can be switched on whenever energy is needed;
dams may be multipurpose e.g. for leisure, irrigation or fishing;
renewable source (i.e. will not run out);
relatively cheap to run (once initial construction completed);
disadvantages:
vast areas may be flooded involving loss of habitats, farmland
and/or displacement of people;
cost of building dams may be high leading to huge debts;
dams may restrict flows of sediment affecting ecosystems
or farming downstream;
may disrupt fish migratory paths;
may lead to increased erosion rates downstream;
dams silt up;
[2 max] for advantages and [2 max] for disadvantages.

(e)

4 max

the more renewable energy resources that are used, the smaller the
ecological footprint of a population;
because in calculating ecological footprint amount of land required
for absorbing waste carbon dioxide from fossil fuels is included;

2
[14]

6.

(a)
Energy source

Advantage

Disadvantage

natural gas;

plentiful supply at
present/cheaper than
burning coal or oil;

burning releases carbon

dioxide/non-renewable;

wind;

renewable resource/once only available when wind

turbines built it is cheap; blows/not always near
population centres;

Award [1 max] for natural gas/wind.

Award [1] for each pair of correct responses of advantages and/or
disadvantages.
Do not credit cheap with no qualifier.
Accept any reasonable advantages or disadvantages.
Credit advantages and disadvantages for an incorrect source to
avoid error carried forward.

3 max

(b)

(c)

(d)

inertia/satisfied with existing system;

country wishes to increase diversity of energy sources;
pressure to meet quotas for renewable energy;
some resources not continuously available;
country does not have that resource e.g. HEP, near sea for wave;
Accept other reasonable responses.
people are selfish/inertia/tragedy of the commons;
people desire a better lifestyle which is equated with wanting
more e.g. bigger car/having a fridge;
poor design of equipment/buildings e.g. standby on electrical
equipment/phantom loads;
education; (do not accept dont know better)

2 max

2 max

environmental systems increase their disorder/all energy ends

up as heat;
environmental systems increase their order so go against the law
for a short time;
1 max
Do not credit answers which just state the second law without relating
it to environmental systems.
[8]