Example of the use of "define" in a question

Question: Define the term 'negative feedback'.

Answer: Negative feedback promotes stability in a system, it reverses the change and returns the system to the original state of equilibrium. e.g. predator prey relationships.

You do not have to give an example but if you know one, write it down.

Example of the use of "draw" in a question

Question: Draw a graph to show the predator/prey relationship.

Answer:

Predator/prey graph.

Example of the use of "label" in a question

Question: Label four more trophic levels on Figure 1, "T5: Quaternary consumer" has been given as an example.

Figure 1. Oceanic food chain showing trophic levels.

Answer

Figure 1. Oceanic food chain showing trophic levels. (Answer)

Example of the use of "list" in a question

Question: List three factors that the ICUN use to determine the Red List conservation status of a species.

Answer:

• Population size
• Population size reduction
• Geographical range
• Extent of habitat fragmentation
• Quality of habitat
• Probability of extinction

You would only have to give three of these responses. You may want to add one extra but do not waste your time giving too much information as it will not get you extra marks.

Example of the use of "measure" in a question

Question: Using Figure 2, measure the increase in human population after the industrial revolution to the year 2000.

Figure 2. World population growth and period of the industrial revolution.

Answer: 5.5 billion (5,000,000,000) + 0.25 billion.

Example of the use of "state" in a question

Question: State the NSP of the grasshopper shown in Figure 3.

Answer: 33 joules / 33 j

You do not have to give units (unless requested to in the question) but it is better to give them in all your answers.

Figure 3. Secondary productivity in a grasshopper.

Example of the use of "annotate" in a question

Question: Annotate Figure 1 to show population growth according to the s-shaped curve.

Figure 1. The S-shaped population curve.

Answer:

Figure 1. The S-shaped population curve. (answer)

With population growth curves it is a good idea to put in the carrying capacity.

Example of the use of "apply" in a question

Question: Photochemical smog occurs when sunlight activates reactions between nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) resulting in the formation of ozone and peroxyacyl nitrates (PAN). VOCs are carbon based compounds with a low boiling point such as propane, butane and formaldehydes.

Apply the pollution management model (Figure 2) to the problem of photochemical smog.

Figure 2. Stages of pollution management.

Answer:

Alter the activity that produces the pollutant:

• Decrease individual car usage; rather walk, cycle, use public transport or share vehicles (i.e. share transit or car pool).

Control the release of the pollutant through legislation:

• Create vehicle free zones or park and ride schemes.

Clean up the pollutant and restore the system:

• Reforestation or re-vegetation of areas damaged by photochemical smog.

Example of the use of "calculate" in a question

Question: Using the formulae below calculate the Simpsons Diversity index for The Meadow in Table 1.

D=N(N−1)/∑n(n−1)

Table 1. Comparison of diversity.

Number of individuals in the species (n)

Answer:

Simpson Diversity Index for The Meadow:

D = 150(149) / (50(49) + 50(49) + 50(49))

D = 22,350 / (2,450 + 2,450 + 2,450)

D = 22,350 / 7,350

D = 3.04

Example of the use of "describe" in a question

Question: Using an example of your choice describe how negative feedback maintains balance in an ecosystem.

Answer: Predator (fox) prey (rabbit) negative feedback.

If the rabbit population increases, it means more food for the foxes. That will mean more fox cubs survive and the fox population increases. Many foxes increase the predation rate on rabbits, so the rabbit population will decline. Less rabbits mean less food for foxes, fewer cubs survive and the fox population declines. Therefore the fox and rabbit population are kept in check and the system is in balance.

OR

Figure 3. Predator prey negative feedback loop.

You can sometimes answer these questions with a diagram. Either of these responses is good.

Example of the use of "distinguish" in a question

Question: With the use of examples distinguish between r-strategist and K-strategist species.

Answer:

• K-strategists produce very few offspring which they then care for whereas r-strategists produce large numbers of offspring and they invest little or no parental care in them.
• K-strategists tend to be larger animals such as elephants whereas r-strategist are smaller animals like mice.
• K-strategists mature late and reproduce slowly (have a long gestation period, e.g. humans) whereas r-strategist mature early and reproduce quickly (have a short gestation period).
• K-strategists are niche specialists whereas r-strategist are niche generalists.

There are many more that you could add to this list.

Example of the use of "estimate" in a question

Question: Figure 4 shows the world energy consumption in TWh / year. Estimate the world energy consumption from hydro power in 2000.

Figure 4. World energy consumption.

(Source: Wikimedia)

Answer: 2500 TWh per year (+ 250)

Example of the use of "identify" in a question

Question: Figure 5 shows a food web. Identify which letters represent primary consumers.

Figure 5. Food web.

Answer: B, F and H

Example of the use of "interpret" in a question

Question: Figure 6 shows the relationship between human population growth and species extinction from 1800 to 2010. How would you interpret this graph?

Figure 6. Species extinction and human population.

Graph source: Scott, J.M. 2008. Threats to Biological Diversity: Global, Continental, Local. U.S. Geological Survey, Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife, Research Unit, University Of Idaho.

Answer: Human population and species extinction rate increased slowly between 1800 and 1920. As human population growth accelerated, so did the species extinction rate - the two are positively correlated. This is because, as human population increases, the pressure on the natural habitat increases. Loss or degradation of habitat, killing species for food, collecting species as pets and many other activities are killing species off.

Example of the use of "outline" in a question

Question: Outline three key features of a protected area.

Answer: Key features of a successful protected area are:

• Community support and involvement - if local people are involved they are more likely to help to conserve biodiversity.
• Adequate funding - protected areas need money to pay for staff, land and research.
• Increasing understanding through research on the ecosystems.
• Education to make more people aware of the need for species and to promote sustainable use of resources.
• A management plan to ensure effective management and to enhance or maintain habitats and species.
• Legislation and effective enforcement e.g. park rangers to deter/arrest poachers or illegal loggers.
• Legal status - protected areas must be a legal entity to provide support for conservation efforts e.g. National Park.
• Variety of biodiversity in the area - so that more than one species is protected.

Example of the use of "analyse" in a question

Question: Analyse the impact of the second law of thermodynamics on the length of a food chain.

Answer: The second law of thermodynamics is the law of entropy, i.e. that disorder will increase in a system. The conversion of energy along the food chain is only 10% efficient, so by the time the energy gets to the third or fourth trophic level, there is very little energy available to the organisms. Fewer and fewer organisms can be supported at each trophic level and the food chain can only reach three or four trophic levels.

Example of the use of "comment" in a question

Question: Figure 1 shows levels of ozone above Northern America in 1984 and 1997. Comment on the significance of this data to humans.

Figure 1. Levels of ozone above Northern America in 1984 and 1997.

Answer: Stratospheric ozone levels are lower in 1997 than 1984. Stratospheric ozone is important as it absorbs UV-B and UV-C. UV-B is harmful to human health so a reduction in the amount of stratospheric ozone will have a detrimental effects such as:

• Sunburn and premature aging of the skin.
• Skin cancers.
• Cataracts which can lead to blindness.
• Immune-suppression which increases the risk of infections.
• Reduction in-crop production subsequent to food shortages.
• Reduced phytoplankton growth which could have an impact on human food supply.

Example of the use of "compare and contrast" in a question

Question: Compare and contrast the use of landfills and incineration as methods for dealing with solid domestic waste.

Answer:

Similarities:

• Both produce gases, incinerators produce dioxin and furan and landfill produces methane.
• Both can be used to generate electricity – incinerators burn waste that produces energy and in landfills the methane can be collected.
• Both cause property devaluation in the immediate area as they are ugly and smelly.
• Both make use of heavy vehicles that cause traffic problems and may damage local roads.

Differences:

• Incinerators reduce the volume of waste by up to 85%, but landfill does not.
• Landfill is a cheap method of waste disposal whereas incinerators have a high setup cost.
• Incinerators are good for dealing with clinical waste and hazardous materials, landfill is not.

Example of the use of "construct" in a question

Question: Construct a graph to show a type I survivorship curve for K-strategists.

Answer:

Figure 2. Graph to show type I survivorship curve for K-strategists.

Example of the use of "deduce" in a question

Question: Figure 3 shows a woodland food web. Deduce what would happen if the rabbit was removed from the system.

Figure 3. Food web for a grassland ecosystem.

Answer: If the rabbit was removed from the system there would be more grass due to reduced grazing as well as potentially reduced food source for the hawk. Without the rabbits the hawk would prey on the mice and snakes more frequently. Less mice would also mean less food for the snakes so their numbers would decrease due to a lack of prey and higher predation rates.

Example of the use of "demonstrate" in a question

Question: The quote below is by Chief Seattle (Chief of the Dkhw’Duw’Absh tribe). Demonstrate how this could be considered an ecocentric viewpoint.

"Man does not weave this web of life. He is merely a strand of it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself."

Answer: Ecocentrics take a nature-centered view in which environmental, social and spiritual aspects are integrated. Chief Seattle is saying that man is part of the web of life, so he is integrated with everything else in the web. He reinforces this when he says "whatever he does to the web he does to himself".

Example of the use of "derive" in a question

Question: Table 1 shows the population of two countries. Derive the difference in the number of babies that will be born in each country.

Answer: The difference in the number of births between the two countries will be country B that will have 2475 more births than country A.

Country A: (5,000/1,000) × 5 = 25

Country B: 500,000/1,000) × 5 = 2,500

Example of the use of "design" in a question

Question: Design a method that could be used to assess the number of fish in a pond.

Answer: This can be done using the Lincoln index as follows:

1. Using a fishing net, catch as many fish as you can in 30 minutes. Keep them in a large tank filled with pond water.
2. Mark the fish by clipping a small portion of their dorsal fin.
3. Record the number of marked fish.
4. Release the fish back into the pond and allow them sufficient time to reintegrate into the population (one week to a month).
5. Resample the population as described in 1.
6. Record the number of fish that are marked and unmarked.
7. Use the following formula to calculate the total population:

N = n1 × n2 / m2

Where

N = total population.

n1 = number of animals marked in the first capture and released.

n2 = number of animals recaptured (second sample).

m2 = number of animals marked in the recapture (second sample).

Example of the use of "determine" in a question

Question: Table 2 shows the population increase for selected countries between 1985 and 2015. Determine which country had the highest % increase over that period.

Answer: Lebanon has the highest percentage increase (94.7%).

Calculate:

% increase = ((2015 population - 1985 population)/1985 population) × 100

Lebanon population increases =

((6185-3177)/3177) × 100 =

(3008/3177) × 100 =

94.68%

Examiner Tip

With these type of questions you will usually be given a table of figures where:

• Some options will be "obvious". In this table that would be China or India because they are always considered to be the countries with population growth problems.
• One is obviously not the answer. In this table it is Japan because the increase is so small.

If you are good with numbers look at the figures carefully and eliminate some options.

• India has a large increase - not far off doubling.
• Lebanon's population has nearly doubled.
• China has a small increase.
• Check your guesses by doing the calculations on India and Lebanon.

If you are not good with figures, simply do the calculations.

Example of the use of "discuss" in a question

Question: Using relevant examples, discuss the relationship between the level of economic development of a country and the size of its ecological footprint.

Answer:

Ecological footprint will increase as a country becomes more developed. For example, the USA has an ecological footprint of 8 gha/person whereas Bangladesh's has only 0.62 gha/person.

This is because MEDCs have:

• A lot of technological advancements that use energy, like computers, mobile phones and household appliances.
• They are consumer-based societies that like to have new gadgets, new cars and big houses - all of which use a lot of resources.
• Consumer-based societies generate a lot of waste.
• They often have a meat-based diet which uses a lot of land to feed the animals.
• They travel a lot using private cars and fly to exotic destinations for holidays.

This could be a very lengthy response, so check out 8.4.2 for some other possible responses.

Example of the use of "evaluate" in a question

Question: Eutrophication is the enrichment of water bodies through the addition of nitrates and phosphates. Evaluate one named management strategy for dealing with eutrophication.

Answer: There are many ways to manage eutrophication. One is to use organic instead of inorganic fertilizers.

The advantages of organic fertilizers are:

• They release nitrates slower than most artificial fertilizers so the plants have time to absorb the nutrients instead of them being washed away into the water bodies.
• It is a good way to use animal waste.
• They are cheaper than inorganic fertilizers.

The disadvantages are:

• They are smelly and people in the area may object.
• The farmer cannot know exactly how much of each nutrient the plants are receiving.
• The farmer needs specialized equipment for spreading organic fertilisers.

Example of the use of "explain" in a question

Question: Technology can both increase or decrease the ecological footprint. Explain how this is possible.

Answer: Technology can increase the ecological footprint (EF) because:

• People have access to lots of gadgets like mobile phones, laptops and tablets and they use resources and electricity in their manufacturing.
• Increased demand for technology and the desire to have the latest model of everything, this means:
  • More pollution
  • More resources are used.
  • More waste in the solid domestic waste stream.

Technology can decrease the ecological footprint because:

• It develops things to reduce pollution such as catalytic convertors and pollution is part of the EF. So less pollution is a lower EF.
• Renewable energy sources such as wind power are reducing our use of fossil fuels.
• Agricultural advances such as irrigation/chemicals increases productivity/unit area so less land is needed to feed the population.
• Increased energy efficiencies mean less CO2 waste from power generation.
• Hybrid cars or cars that run on alternative fuel are being developed so less fossil fuels are burnt and less CO2 are produced.
• We now produce energy from waste so burn less fossil fuels.
• We recycle waste so less raw materials are used.

Example of the use of "examine" in a question

Question: Examine the relationship shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4. DDT usage and malaria cases in South America.

Answer: The graph suggests that there is a direct relationship between the use of DDT and the prevalence of malaria cases in South America. No spraying shows an increase in malaria cases whereas increased spraying shows a drop in the cases of malaria. This could be the use of selective data - maybe there are some countries where spraying has continued, but malaria has not dropped.

Example of the use of "predict" in a question

Question: (i) Figure 5 shows the UN population projections from 1990 - 2050. Predict what the world population will be by 2050.

Figure 5. The UN population projections from 1990 - 2050.

Answer: There is no single right answer here and you can predict either 7.25 billion, 9 billion or 10.75 billion.

This question would be part (i) and is very likely to be followed by a justify as part (ii) - see next command term.

Example of the use of "justify" in a question

Question: Justify your response to (i) (the predict question above)

Answer: You would have to give one of these responses depending on answer to the predict question.

EITHER

The world population will be about 7.25 billion by the year 2050 because:

• The death rate will increase due to:
  • An increase in the AIDS epidemic.
  • A growing aging population.
  • Increase in lifestyle diseases e.g. heart disease or diabetes type-2.
  • Starvation due to a lack of global food production.
• The birth rates will fall as people realise the problems of over population.

OR

The world population will be around 9 billion by the year 2050 because the death rates may increase a little due to an increase in lifestyle diseases and a growing aging population. Birth rates may increase slightly as the population is increasing and that means more babies will be born.

OR

The world population will increase to 10.75 billion by the year 2050 because death rates will fall dramatically as medical advances will find a cure for most of the killer diseases. Birth rates will remain high due to the growing population in LEDCs and the population momentum that causes. A large young population means many births.

Examiner Tip

Although this seems contradictory, any of these responses could add marks because reasons are given for the choices.

Example of the use of "sketch" in a question

Question: Use a sketch to show a r-strategist population growth curve.

Answer: r-strategist typically follow a j-shaped population growth curve.

Figure 6. The J-shaped population growth curve of r-strategists.

Example of the use of "suggest" in a question

Question: Suggest one method to alleviate the problems of soil erosion caused by water.

Answer:

Capturing water as it flows using techniques such as:

• Terracing along steep hillsides. This can be expensive to construct and maintain but is effective at reducing erosion.
• Furrow diking which involves creating furrows with small ridges to capture the water.
• Contour tillage where ploughing occurs across the slope and along the natural contours of the land.
• Strip cropping along steep slopes follow the contour of the land using alternating strips of crops e.g. corn and hay or soybean and alfalfa.
• Buffer strips that are permanent vegetation. They can be located at the edge of a field (e.g. grassland or shrub strips that intercept runoff) or within the field (e.g. grassed waterways which are shallow ditches that collect and divert the water).

Increasing infiltration of water into the soil by improving soil structure and moisture retention capacity through:

• The addition of organic matter e.g. manure.
• Mulching using materials such as straw, grass and wood chips to cover the soil surface which also reduces evaporation.
• Avoiding compaction.
• Conservation tillage in which residue from the previous crop is left on the soil surface. This also reduces wind erosion.

You would not have to give all these responses.

Example of the use of "to what extent" in a question

Question: The following quote by Kevin McCloud paints a bleak picture for the future. To what extent do your agree with his sentiments.

We are borrowing money from future generations. We are borrowing the carbon impact, the resource impact from future generations to get stuff cheap now. We have swept the dirt and dust from our society under the carpet - but this carpet is on the other side of the planet.

Kevin McCloud

Answer:

This is another question where you can answer any way - you can agree, disagree or do both.

Agree

The quote suggests that we are not living sustainably. Every single person on this planet depends on the Earth’s ecosystems and the services they provide. As human populations have grown, so has the demand for natural capital and the impact on ecosystems - that is what McCloud is talking about when we says we are borrowing carbon from future generations and sweeping dirt under the carpet. There is no carpet to sweep it under, we just move the trash to another place.

Disagree

The quote does not look at the problem from a technocentric view. As Boserup pointed out: "Necessity is the mother of invention". According to her we will always stay just ahead of collapse. Human are smart and inventive we will find solutions before ecosystems are destroyed.

Both

The quote is true because we are putting a lot of pressure on the earth and the Millennium Ecosystem assessment showed that:

1. 60% of the ecosystems studied were being used unsustainably.
2. Changes were becoming so extensive that ecosystems were reaching tipping points and the consequences were hard to predict.
3. Ecosystem degradation was impacting the poorer countries more.

However, people are becoming more aware of the issues and we are beginning to change our attitudes by using renewable energy, thinking about what we buy and driving electric cars.