Managing climate change and conservationEdexcel A-Level Biology A: Mind map

Exam questions on Managing climate change and conservation

1. A council plans to convert 200 hectares of intensively farmed land in the English Midlands into native broadleaf woodland, planting oak, ash and hazel. The scheme is intended to help meet a national target to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide while providing a habitat for wildlife and a place for recreation. The farmer who currently grows crops on the land will lose income.
   Explain how planting the woodland can reduce the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.2 marks
2. A South American country produces bioethanol from sugar cane, grown on land that was previously cattle pasture, and biodiesel from oil palm, some of which is grown on land cleared from tropical rainforest. Supporters say that biofuels are carbon neutral and are a sustainable alternative to petrol and diesel. Critics point out that biofuel crops compete with food crops and wildlife for land.
   Suggest two ways in which biofuel production could be made more sustainable.2 marks
3. Two reports on climate change were published in the same month. Report X, written by a group of university climate scientists, appeared in a peer-reviewed journal and concluded that human activity is the main cause of recent warming. Report Y, produced by a trade association funded by coal and oil companies, argued that human activity has only a small effect and that no action is needed. A government minister must decide which report to use as the basis for a new policy to cut net carbon dioxide emissions.
   Explain why the source of each report should be considered when deciding how far to trust its conclusions.3 marks