3.3 Conservation and regenerationIB Environmental Systems and Societies HL: Subtopic test

1. 1
   The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, on an island in the Norwegian Arctic, was opened in 2008. Its rock chambers are kept at about −18 °C and hold more than a million seed samples of crop varieties sent by seed banks around the world, as a back-up in case a national collection is lost to war, disaster or mismanagement. The seeds are not planted out, but can be withdrawn and grown if needed. Some species, such as many tropical trees, have seeds that cannot be dried and frozen.

   (a)

   How is the Svalbard Global Seed Vault best classified?

   [1 mark]

   • AAn in situ, habitat-based conservation strategy
   • BA rewilding project
   • CAn ex situ, species-based conservation strategy
   • DA national park

   (b)

   Which is a limitation of seed banks as a conservation strategy?

   [1 mark]

   • AThey do not conserve the habitat or the interactions between species, and some seeds cannot be stored
   • BThey protect the species only while the seeds are growing in the wild
   • CThey cannot hold the seeds of crop plants
   • DThey increase the rate of habitat destruction

   (c)

   Outline two arguments for preserving traditional crop varieties and crop wild relatives.

   [2 marks]

   Total for question 1: 4 marks

2. 2
   In 1982 the International Whaling Commission (IWC), a body of member governments, agreed a pause on commercial whaling that took effect in 1986. Some whale populations have since recovered. Norway lodged an objection and continues commercial whaling, and Iceland has also whaled. Japan left the IWC in 2019 and resumed commercial whaling in its own waters. Non-governmental organisations such as Greenpeace have campaigned against whaling using photographs and film that have been widely shared in the media, and can raise funds from public donations.

   (a)

   Which factor best explains why the IWC could not stop all commercial whaling?

   [1 mark]

   • AThe IWC has no member governments
   • BWhales are not protected by any international agreement
   • CMedia coverage prevented the moratorium working
   • DDiplomatic constraints: its decisions cannot be enforced on member governments that object or leave

   (b)

   Why can a non-governmental organisation such as Greenpeace often respond to a conservation threat faster than an intergovernmental body?

   [1 mark]

   • ANGOs have greater legal authority than governments
   • BIt does not have to negotiate with governments and can launch media campaigns and use donations immediately
   • CNGOs never need funds
   • DNGOs always have more political influence than governments

   (c)

   Explain how the use of media can increase the success of an organisation's conservation campaign.

   [2 marks]

   Total for question 2: 4 marks

3. 3
   Mountain gorillas live in the Virunga Massif, which spans Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Virunga Massif population was counted at 480 gorillas in 2010 and at 604 in 2016. In Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park, tourists pay about 1,500 US dollars for a permit to spend one hour with a habituated gorilla group, with only a small number of visitors allowed per group each day. A share of the park's tourism revenue, about 10%, is paid to nearby communities.

   (a)

   Calculate the percentage increase in the number of mountain gorillas in the Virunga Massif between 2010 and 2016, to 1 decimal place.

   [3 marks]

   (b)

   Evaluate gorilla tourism as a way of conserving mountain gorillas and supporting local communities.

   [4 marks]

   Total for question 3: 7 marks

4. 4
   Between 1995 and 1997, 41 grey wolves from Canada and Montana were released into Yellowstone National Park in the United States, where wolves had been hunted to extinction in the 1920s. Elk, no longer hunted by wolves, had overgrazed willow and aspen along the rivers. After the wolves returned, elk numbers fell and elk spent less time grazing in open river valleys. Willow and aspen regrew in some areas, beavers returned in greater numbers and built dams, and songbirds and fish increased in some streams. Ranchers around the park have reported livestock losses, and some scientists dispute how much of the recovery is due to wolves rather than other factors.

   (a)

   Explain how positive feedback loops that enhance biodiversity can be triggered by rewilding, using Yellowstone as an example.

   [6 marks]

   (b)

   Discuss the benefits and limitations of rewilding projects, and how their success should be assessed.

   [6 marks]

   Total for question 4: 12 marks

End of questions