Biomes, Zonation & Succession (DP IB Environmental Systems & Societies (ESS): SL)

Exam Questions

1 hour10 questions
1a3 marks

Outline what is meant by the term biome.

1b2 marks

Insolation is the amount of solar radiation received by given area of land in a given time period. It is one of the main factors governing the distribution of biomes.

State the other two.

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2a5 marks

List the five major classes that all biomes can be grouped into.

2b2 marks

State two biomes that fall within the 'forest' class of biomes.

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33 marks

Define zonation in the context of ecological systems.

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4a2 marks

Complete the following sentence:

Global atmospheric circulation can be described as a worldwide system of winds moving solar heat energy from the __________ to the __________ to reach a balance in temperature.

4b2 marks

Complete the following sentence:

Air always moves from areas of __________ pressure to areas of __________ pressure and this movement of air generates wind.

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1a2 marks

The figure below shows how the dominant vegetation and crop production changes with altitude in the Andes mountain range in South America.

crops-in-andes

i)

The changes in dominant vegetation shows a distinct pattern. State the ecological term used to describe this pattern.

[1]

ii)

Outline how global warming might affect the pattern of natural vegetation shown above.

[1]

1b3 marks

Using the figure in part (a), discuss how rising temperatures caused by global warming may affect the food production systems of Andean communities living at an altitude of around 2 500 m.

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2a3 marks

Distinguish between the following two biomes: tundra and tropical rainforest.

2b4 marks

Explain how the atmospheric system influences the distribution of biomes.

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3a3 marks

Outline how species diversity increases towards the later stages of succession.

3b4 marks

Describe the processes involved in the formation of fertile soils from bare rock.

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4a5 marks

Complete the table below by writing either 'low' or 'high' in each of the empty boxes.

Feature

r-strategist species

K-strategist species

Reproductive rate

 

 

Growth rate

 

 

Investment in offspring (parental care)

 

 

Survival rate

 

 

Level of specialisation

 

 

4b3 marks

Discuss the factors contributing to the low resilience of coniferous forest monocultures.

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17 marks

The biomass, biodiversity and productivity of an ecosystem change as the ecosystem undergoes succession.

Explain how.

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29 marks

To what extent is the resilience of different biomes influenced by their levels of primary productivity?

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