Summary Case Studies Master List for IB ESS: All chapters included
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Course
IB Environmental Systems and Societies SL
Institution
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1.1 Environmental Value Systems 3 important events for the environmental movement
1.4 Sustainability
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment: gave a scientific appraisal of the conditions and trends
in the world’s ecosystems and the services they provide using environmental indicators.
Quantitative factors are biodiversity, pollution, population, climate. Findings: Humans
changes ecosystems more in the past 50 years than ever, damaging the environment (which
will affect future generations), improving living conditions of some and increasing poverty in
other populations. Restoring ecosystems while meeting increasing demands for services
can be achieved by policies and practices must change as humans are depleting Earth’s
natural capital at a faster rate that it can recover. It may be possible to reverse the changes
as long as action is taken quickly and seriously
Renewable: renewable energy is energy derived from natural sources that are replenished
at a higher rate than they are consumed. These include solar energy, wind, falling water,
the heat of the earth (geothermal), plant materials (biomass), waves, ocean currents,
temperature differences in the oceans and the energy of the tides
Non renewable: non-renewable energy, are those energy resources that are exhaustible
relative to the human lifespan. They include oil, natural gas, coal, and nuclear energy
Replenishable: These are the resources, which get regenerated or renewed via
mechanical, physical, or chemical methods. These resources arise from natural resources
and are replenished constantly. They include biomass energy (such as ethanol),
hydropower, geothermal power, wind energy, and solar energy
1.5 Humans and pollution DDT and Malaria
2.1 Species and Population
Fundamental vs Realized niche: sparrows in a forest, their population feeds on berries that
abundantly grow on the bushes. The fundamental niche for the sparrows would be the areas
of the bushes in which there are berries and the floor where the berries may fall. However,
other species such as mice live on the forest ground causing an Interspecific competition to
happen and for little to no berries to be left on the floor. Since it is impossible for the
fundamental niche of the sparrows to happen, they are met with a realised niche which
consists only of the branches of the bushes.
2.2 Communities and Ecosystems
, The accumulation of a certain material in the bodies of creatures at various trophic levels of
a food chain is known as biomagnification. The buildup of the chemical DDT in
zooplanktons is one instance of biomagnification in action. These zooplankton are
consumed by small fish like trout. Trout are eaten by sea lamprey, which are then eaten by
the Bald Eagle that is located in the highest place in the tropical level. Therefore, the
organism at the highest trophic level accumulates hazardous compounds like DDT to the
greatest degree.
An example of bioaccumulation is the buildup of toxic substances in birds like pigeons from
exposure to pollutants like nitrogen oxides released from moving vehicles.
2.3 Flows of Energy and Matter
Human activities have greatly increased carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and
nitrogen levels in the biosphere. Altered biogeochemical cycles combined with climate
change increase the vulnerability of biodiversity, food security, human health, and water
quality to a changing climate. Human activities have increased atmospheric carbon dioxide
by about 40% over pre-industrial levels and more than doubled the amount of nitrogen
available to ecosystems. Similar trends have been observed for phosphorus and other
elements, and these changes have major consequences for biogeochemical cycles and
climate change. Altered biogeochemical cycles together with climate change increase the
vulnerability of biodiversity, food security, human health, and water quality to changing
climate. However, natural and managed shifts in major biogeochemical cycles can help limit
rates of climate change.
2.4 Biomes, Zonation, Succession
When an environmental condition changes over a long distance, communities are arranged
or patterned in bands according to zonation. The extensive dispersion of vegetation by
latitude and elevation is an example of zonation. The main factor in control is the climate,
and plant zones found on the sides of tall tropical mountains resemble those that are found
at sea level between the tropics and the poles.
- Bare rock comes grass, pioneer community as it is the first species to emerge.
- Grass later evolves into shrubs, an intermediate species due to the growth of moss
which results in soil formation and fertilization.
- More nutrient rich soil helps shrubs evolve into small trees (intermediate species).
- Finally, the climax community characterized by the growth and domination of trees.
One case study with named pioneer, intermediate and climax species for secondary
succession
In areas where a previous community has been destroyed, secondary succession occurs
(e.g. after forest fires). Because soil and a seed bank are present, secondary succession
proceeds more quickly than primary succession. The first pioneer species, such as lichens,
develop after secondary succession and supply the grass with nutrients obtained from
photosynthesis after decomposing. Then, intermediate species like shrubs and plants start
to show up, and the climax communities, which are other trees, start to happen, leading to
the formation of a steady-state equilibrium.
Compare and contrast r and k strategists with examples.
Compare biomes: desert, tundra, tropical forest and temperate forest.
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