COLEGIO PERUANO BRITÁNICO

Diploma Programme

Environmental Systems & Societies

IB TWO
Paper 1

Scheduled date: October 27, 2020

Time allowed: 60 minutes
Teacher:

Name:
Alexa Accinelli

____________________________________________________________________________
Instructions:
 Write your name in the above space.
 Do not open this examination paper until instructed to do so.
 Email your paper immediately after the time has expired.
 A calculator is required for this paper..
 The maximum mark for this examination paper is 35.

Final Mark (/35) School Grade (/20)

Percentage (%) IB Grade Equivalent (/7)

Environmental systems and societies
Standard level
Paper 1

Tuesday 27 October 2020 (morning)

1 hour

Instructions

 Do not open this examination paper until instructed to do so.

 Answer all questions. Refer to the resource booklet which accompanies this question paper.
 Answers must be written within the answer boxes provided.
 A calculator is required for this paper.
 The maximum mark for this examination paper is [35 marks].

7 pages
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Answer all questions. Answers must be written within the answer boxes provided.

1. (a) Using Figure 4(a), identify an ecosystem that has an average net primary productivity
above 30 000 kJ m–2 a–1. [1]

Tropical Rainforest

(b) Suggest one reason for the zonation seen in Figure 5(b). [1]

Due to the light intensity or wind exposure

(c) Estuaries are one of the most productive ecosystems in the world, but only account for
3 % of global productivity.

State one reason why this occurs. [1]

This could be due to the energy flow.

(d) Outline why estuaries are highly productive ecosystems. [3]

Estuaries are very productive ecosystems these are very productive in plant matter it has a lot of
organic matter and nutrients thanks to water. They have a lot of access to food, water, and people.
Estuaries are very populated areas.
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2. (a) Using Figure 6(c), identify a food chain in the St Lawrence River ecosystem that has
five trophic levels. [1]

Phytoplankton  Zooplankton  Crabs  Halibut  Beluga whale

(b) Using Figure 7, state the St Lawrence beluga whale population in 1920 and 1940. [1]

1920: 6000
1940: 2000

(c) Calculate the percent decrease in beluga whale numbers from 1920 to 1940. [1]

6000 – 2000 = 4000

4000 / 6000 * 100 = 66.6%

(d) With reference to Figure 8, explain why the beluga whale is more at risk from toxic
pollutants, such as heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants (POPs), than most
other organisms in its food web. [3]

Well, looking back at figure 6(c) The Beluga Whale is the last trophic level in its food web in St
Lawrence. Therefore, there is barely a threat to these whales in their habitat. On the other hand, in
figure 8 we can see that the list of threats to the Beluga whale is higher in naming pollutions, like
heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants, untreated sewage, microplastic and mud
accumulation. This gives us a clear view that the Beluga whale’s major threat is the pollution in the
St Lawrence river.

(This question continues on the following page)

Turn over
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(Question 2 continued)

(e) Suggest why the St Lawrence River beluga whale population has not recovered
despite being given protected status in 1983. [4]

There can be many reasons for why the Beluga whale population has not increased, even though
the Beluga whale has “protected status” since 1983, pollution can’t be very much controlled
therefore, pollution can still be affecting this species. Also, there can be more human disturbance
such as under water noises. On the other hand, the beluga whales could have migrated due to the
discomfort and threat of the St Lawrence river.

3. (a) Using Figures 9(a) and 9(b), identify one feature of the round goby that shows it is an
r-selected species. [1]

“Females lay eggs three times a year; up to 5000 eggs at a time.” This feature clearly indicates that
the round goby is an r-selected species.

(b) With reference to Figure 9(a), outline how the round goby both positively and
negatively affects the St Lawrence River ecosystem. [3]

Negativley, the Round gobies can out-compete native species from the St Lawrence river due to
the “best egg-laying sites. Also, the eat the eggs of other fish leaving a reducesd population of
other species.

Positively: they are a food source for some native fish. Also, they have a lto of offspring increasing
their species population.

(This question continues on the following page)

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(Question 3 continued)

(c) With reference to Figure 9(a), explain why the realized niche of the mottled sculpin has
changed in recent years. [3]

Well, the round goby fish outcompetes the native mottled sculpin in egg-laying. This could be the
main reason to why its niche has changed throughout the years.

4. (a) Using Figure 11(b), estimate the highest concentrations of coliform bacteria
(in units/100 mL) found in the St Lawrence River one day after the untreated sewage
was released. [1]

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(b) Outline an environmental problem that may result from the release of untreated sewage
into a river. [2]

This can highly contaminate the water as well as harming the wildlife and the living species in the
water. Also, there can be flooding or leaking which could then contaminate other water sources
causing them to become polluted and this affects then the population of people living near the
river.

(This question continues on the following page)

Turn over
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(Question 4 continued)

(c) With reference to Figures 10, 11(a) and 11(b), describe a method to monitor the impact
of the release of untreated sewage into the St Lawrence River ecosystem. [3]

Well, they first reléased “a Little” amount of untreated sewage I to the ocean and monitered that
the whater pollution was back to normal within days, their method to control people was to warn
them to not get in and called this action a friendly solution (this was not friendly at all) then they
believed it was a good idea to throw much much more amount of untreated sewage contaminating
about 80% of their river.

5. With reference to information in the resource booklet, evaluate the sustainability of

Canada’s management of the Large Ocean Management Area of the St Lawrence River
estuary and
Gulf of St Lawrence. [6]

Well, with reference to the information given in the resource booklet I can identify that the
management of Large Oceans of the St Lawrence River is not that good, going over to figure 10,
in November they discharged 110 million liters of untreated sewage into their river, they
completely contaminated their river and started a path to many consequences. Also, this affects
their species, so for example the major threats for the Beluga whale is pollution and one of the
main points is the untreated sewage, and even though they throwed 110 millions of liters to the
river in 2016 when supposedly the beluga whales were under “protected status” and this is the
major reason why the population of this species doesn’t increase. In conclusion, the management
in St Lawrence for their river estuary is not good at all they need to develop new methods to
maintain their river in good status.
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