lvlr0/+OU, ¡( I ,,

G9
INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE
ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS

Subsidiary Level

Monday 13 May 1996 (afternoon)

Paper 1 t hour 3O minutes

This examination paper consists of 4 compulsory questions.

The maximum mark for each Question is 10.

The maximum mark for this paper is 40.

This examination paper consists of 6 pages.

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES

DO NOT open this examinat¡on paper unt¡l ¡nstructed to do so.

Answer ALL questions.

EXAMINATION MATERIALS

Required/Essential:

Millimetre square graph paper

Allowed/Optional:

Electronic calculator (neither programmable nor graphic display calculators are allowed)
A simple translating dictionary for candidates not working in their own language

22-6270
 -2- Me6/460/S(r)

l. The dogwhelk (Nucella lapilus) is a mollusc found on roc§ shores in the Northern
Atlantic. It is a carnivore feeding on other molluscs and barnacles which live on
the shore. In recent years it has been observed that female adult dogwhelks are
becoming sterile in waters that have been polluted with a paint that contains tin.
This paint, called TBT, is used to keep the hulls of boats clean.

Diagram of shell of
Nucello lapilus
showing how length
of shell (L) is
measured.

A group of students collected the following data on dogwhelks when sampling

Shell length I (mm) Frequency (No. of dogwhelks)

l l-15 58

tG20 156

2t-25 187

2G30 60

3l-35 22

3H0 4

(a) Plot the above data in a suitable form on the graph paper provided. [3 marks]
(b) Why was shell length measured in this survey? Il mark]

(c) Give two possible explanations for the small number of dogwhelks collected
with a shell length of G-l0 mm. [2 marks]

(d) Suggest why so few large dogwhelks (over 36 mm) were observed. [2 marksJ

(e) If TBT affects dogwhelks, why do you think they were the first organisms to
show the harmful effect of this paint? [2 marks]
 _3 _ M96/460/S(l)

2. Herons (Ardea cinerea) are largg wading birds which live in colonies by shallow
fresh water. Their main source of food is fish. In Britain, the number of birds in a
breeding population of herons was found to be constant from year to year but,
after a particularly hard winter, the number of herons decreased. In the years
following, the heron population gradually increased to its former level. The
diagram below shows some of the relationships between population density and
the factors and interactions affecting it.

Box A Box B
Density dependent Density dependent factors
intraspecific external to the heron
interactions population

Box D
Population density of herons

I
Box C
A heron

Density independent
environmental factors

(a) Suggest a reason why the heron population fell after a hard winter. [1 markJ
(b) For density dependent intraspecif,c interactions (Box A),
(i) define the term;

(ii) give one example of this type of interaction;

(iii) using your example, explain the relationship between the interaction and
the population density of herons. [3 marksJ
(c) For density dependent external factors (Box B),
(i) define the term;

(ii) give one example of this type bf factor;

(iii) using your example, explain the relationship between the factor and the
population density of herons.
[3 marksJ
(d) For density independent environmental factors (Box C),
(i) define the term;

(ii) give one example of this type of factor;

(iii) using your example, explain the relationship between the factor and the
population density of herons.
[3 marks]
22-62'70 Turn over
 The diagrams below show the nitrogen budgets over a cultivation
cycle for
(i) a typical saltwater fish farm with salmon, and
(ii) a mussel long line rearing farm.
Adu.lt salmon eat squid and small fish when^not in captivity. In
fish farms, salmon
are kept
in caqe-s suspended under the surface of thi waiár and rea pirí"ts. irr"
composition of fish food pellets is shown below in Table l.
In long line rearing farms, mussel cultures are suspended on lines beneath
rafts in
the sea. Mussels are filter feeders, taking microscopic organisms rrom
tt eseu;ri;

(i) Pellet feeding N t00% ln harvested ñsh

N 620/0

Dissolved in water
Currents

->
Water
exchange
N 13%

Sedimentatio¡ Nutrient

(ii) In harvested mussels

.'§rr-
a'-ol )-
".Ít-+
N 100% N 45%
Natural Dissolved
feed in water
Currents ü
N Nutrient
E=+ 30%
regeneration
Water Sedimentation
exchange

Table I

Constituent of fish food Percentage

fish meal 25
dried milk 5
meat and bone meal l5
wheatmeal 30
minerals, vitamins, salt 25

22-6270
 ¡rurr.rrrrr, §f¡,

(a) State the main diflerences between the nutrient budgets of the two farms [3 nurksJ
(b) What is meant by nutrient regeneration? p markJ
(c) Write quantitative equations showing clearty all the inputs and outputs of
nitrogen for each farm. [2 marksJ
(d) Compare the economic and environmental costs and benefits, considering
only inputs and outputs, of the two farms. [4 marksJ

22-6270 Turn over

4. A model representing the relationship- between total number of species and energy
-
flow through an ecosystem produces the following graptr:-

Number of
species 25

20

Energy flow

E_ Energy flow through ecosystem if there were no human impact.

(a) Explain briefly how energy enters an ecosystem and what is meant by energy
flow through the ecosystem.
[4 marksJ
(b) uqing.the. graph of th-e model above, estimate the approximate percentage
reduction in nirmber of species predicted as a result of iruman activity.
fi markJ
(c) Explain how a r€duction in the energy flow through a system may lead to the
extinction of some species.
[2 marksJ
(d) With b¡ief explanations, give three examples of different human activities that
may either divert energy from, or prévent energy flow through, natural
ecosystems.
[3 marksJ

22-62t0