Biodiversity & ecosystem sustainability

Look at Fig. 1 in the Resource Booklet.

Name the hot desert which covers the largest area on Fig. 1.

Describe the distribution of hot deserts shown on Fig. 1.

State two climate features associated with hot desert ecosystems.

Describe how animals adapt to live in a hot desert ecosystem.

Look at Fig. 2 in the Resource Booklet.

Explain how the nutrient cycle operates in a coral reef ecosystem.

CASE STUDY

Threats to tropical rainforest biodiversity

Tropical rainforest studied:........

* Explain how threats to biodiversity affect interdependence in a tropical rainforest.

Look at the table below, which shows climate data for a hot desert ecosystem.

Climate data for a hot desert ecosystem

State the mode for the rainfall data.

Calculate the mean annual rainfall. Give your answer to one decimal place.

Identify two features of the climate data which are typical of a hot desert ecosystem.

Explain how plants are adapted to the climate of a hot desert ecosystem.

Explain briefly two threats to the biodiversity of tropical rainforests.

CASE STUDY

Tropical rainforest interdependence

Tropical rainforest you have studied:........

Explain the interdependence of climate, soil and plants in tropical rainforest ecosystems.

Study Fig. 2 in the separate Resource Booklet, which shows plants in different ecosystems.

Which photograph in Fig. 2 shows plants in a temperate forest ecosystem?

Explain one threat to the biodiversity of coral reefs.

Explain one way in which climate and plants are interdependent in a tropical rainforest.

* CASE STUDY – a tropical rainforest

Tropical rainforest studied:........

For one named tropical rainforest, examine the value of the tropical rainforest to humans and the planet.

Spelling, punctuation and grammar and the use of specialist terminology

Study Fig. 1 in the separate Resource Booklet, which shows part of a hot desert ecosystem.

Explain how the wood rat is connected to other components of the ecosystem shown in Fig. 1.

Study the table below which shows climate data for a tropical rainforest.

Calculate the total annual rainfall.

State the mode for the temperature data.

Identify one feature of the climate data shown in the table above that is typical of a tropical rainforest.

* CASE STUDY – threats to coral reef biodiversity

Coral reef studied:........

To what extent is human activity threatening the biodiversity of coral reefs?

Spelling, punctuation and grammar and the use of specialist terminology

Study Fig. 1 in the separate Resource Booklet, a climate graph for Barrow in the USA.

Use the climate graph, Fig. 1, to complete the data table below:

Name one ecosystem, other than polar regions, which would also have low annual precipitation.

Explain why it is difficult for plants to grow in polar ecosystems.

Explain the water cycle in the tropical rainforest.

* CASE STUDY – Coral reef management

Name of coral reef studied:........

Evaluate the sustainability of attempts to manage threats to biodiversity in a coral reef.

Study Fig. 1, a map showing the global distribution of tropical rainforests.

Describe the distribution of tropical rainforests shown on Fig. 1.

State two climatic conditions needed for a tropical rainforest to grow.

Calculate the percentage loss of rainforest area for Colombia.

Give your answer to one decimal place........

How might sustainable use and management explain why some countries have lower rates of rainforest loss?

Study Fig. 2, which shows the water cycle in a tropical rainforest.

Using Fig. 2, explain two ways in which cutting down trees changes the water cycle.

CASE STUDY – Coral reef interdependence

For one named coral reef, explain the interdependence of climate, plants and animals.

Coral reef studied:........

Study Fig. 6 in the separate Resource Booklet, a map of Costa Rica.

What is the approximate distance from the capital, San Jose to the northern town of Liberia?

A 50 km B 140 km C 165 km D 500 km

Using information from Fig. 6, describe the location of Costa Rica.

Study Fig. 7 in the separate Resource Booklet, rainforest cover in Costa Rica.

Describe the changes in rainforest cover in Costa Rica between 1940 and 2005.

Explain two reasons for the changes you have described.

In 2010, forests covered 31 percent of the world’s land surface, at 4030 million hectares. Between 1990 and 2010, 135 million hectares of previously forested land was removed.

Calculate the percentage of the world’s land surface covered by forests in 1990 to the nearest whole number. You must show your working out.

Explain how the management of tropical rainforests can influence the sustainable development of a country.