ESS HL Topic 1-4 Revision pt 1/3

Analyze how the three principles of the circular economy (eliminating waste and pollution, circulating products and materials, and regenerating nature) might conflict with traditional economic growth indicators. Which economic model would be most effective in measuring true progress within a circular economy framework?

• Gross Domestic Product (GDP) focused models that measure total economic output

• Green GDP models that subtract environmental costs from traditional GDP

• Doughnut economics model that integrates social foundations and ecological ceilings

• Purely market-based models emphasizing efficiency and technological innovation

Ecological efficiency measures the percentage of energy received by one trophic level that is passed to the next. In a marine ecosystem, calculate the ecological efficiency if primary producers contain 750,000 kJ/m²/year of energy and primary consumers contain 60,000 kJ/m²/year. What implications does this efficiency have for sustainable aquaculture production?

• 8% efficiency; suggests aquaculture should focus on herbivorous species for greater sustainability

• 12.5% efficiency; suggests carnivorous aquaculture can be equally sustainable with proper management

• 8% efficiency; suggests carnivorous aquaculture is most sustainable due to higher energy concentration

• 12.5% efficiency; suggests efficiency is too low to support sustainable aquaculture of any type

The planetary boundary for nitrogen cycling has been crossed due to anthropogenic activities. Compare the impacts of the Haber process for fertilizer production with natural nitrogen fixation, and explain why this boundary crossing might be more difficult to address than carbon emissions.

• The Haber process has minimal environmental impact; the boundary crossing is primarily from livestock production

• Haber process disrupts natural cycles but is essential for food security; unlike carbon, reducing nitrogen use creates immediate food security concerns

• Natural nitrogen fixation is more disruptive than the Haber process; the boundary is crossed due to natural variability

• The Haber process is easily replaceable; carbon emissions are more difficult to address due to infrastructure requirements

The development of cladograms has revolutionized our understanding of evolutionary relationships. How does cladistic analysis differ from traditional taxonomic classification, and what are the implications for biodiversity conservation in the Anthropocene?

• Cladistics focus only on genetic relationships; this limits conservation to genetically distinct species and ignores ecological functions

• Cladistics show evolutionary relationships based on shared derived characteristics; this helps identify distinct evolutionary lineages requiring protection

• Cladistics and traditional taxonomy are identical; both systems are equally effective for conservation planning

• Cladistics consider only morphological features; this undermines conservation efforts by ignoring genetic diversity

Thermohaline circulation systems drive the ocean conveyor belt that distributes heat globally. How might climate change alter this system, and what cascading effects might occur in marine food webs and coastal communities in the North Atlantic?

• Increased sea temperature will accelerate circulation; this will benefit marine productivity and coastal communities

• Changes in salinity and temperature may slow circulation; this would reduce upwelling, decrease productivity, and impact fisheries

• Climate change will have minimal effect on thermohaline circulation; coastal impacts will be limited to sea level rise

• Thermohaline circulation will be enhanced in the North Atlantic; this will increase marine productivity but cause more severe coastal storms

El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) affects global weather patterns and marine ecosystems. Compare the mechanisms of El Niño and La Niña events and analyze how climate change might affect their frequency, intensity, and predictability. What are the implications for aquaculture in the Pacific region?

• Climate change will decrease ENSO variability; aquaculture will benefit from more stable conditions

• Climate change will increase ENSO intensity but not frequency; aquaculture must adapt to occasional extreme conditions

• Climate change will increase both frequency and intensity of ENSO events; aquaculture will face greater unpredictability and potential system collapses

• Climate change will shift ENSO patterns geographically; aquaculture will need to relocate northward

The biotic index provides an indirect measure of water quality based on indicator species. Compare the Trent biotic index with chemical water quality measurements, and analyze the advantages and limitations of each when assessing the effectiveness of water pollution mitigation strategies.

• Chemical measurements are always more accurate; biotic indices have no scientific validity for assessment

• Biotic indices reflect long-term conditions and biological impacts; chemical measurements provide precise data on current conditions

• Biotic indices and chemical measurements are redundant; either can be used with equal effectiveness

• Chemical measurements are only useful for industrial pollutants; biotic indices are only useful for agricultural pollution

Analyse the relationship between genetic diversity and artificial selection in agricultural crops. How does the reduction of genetic diversity through modern agricultural practices affect ecosystem resilience and food security in a changing climate, and what management strategies could address these vulnerabilities?

• Artificial selection increases genetic diversity; this enhances resilience and requires no management intervention

• Genetic diversity reduction increases crop productivity; this outweighs resilience concerns

• Reduced genetic diversity increases vulnerability; seed banks and landrace conservation can preserve genetic resources

• Artificial selection has no effect on genetic diversity; climate impacts on agriculture are unrelated to genetics

In cladistic analysis, a shared derived characteristic (synapomorphy) is used to establish evolutionary relationships. How do cladograms differ from traditional taxonomic hierarchies, and what challenges does this create for conservation efforts focused on preserving evolutionary history?

• Cladograms show fewer relationships than traditional taxonomy; this limits conservation planning

• Cladograms represent evolutionary relationships not reflected in Linnaean taxonomy; this helps identify unique evolutionary lineages

• Cladograms and traditional taxonomy show identical relationships; there are no implications for conservation

• Cladograms are based only on genetic analysis; this undermines conservation of morphologically distinct species

The fundamental niche of a species differs from its realized niche due to limiting factors. Using specific examples of competitive exclusion between two closely related species, analyze how climate change might affect niche partitioning and competitive relationships in a forest ecosystem.

• Climate change will expand fundamental niches but not affect realized niches; competitive relationships will remain stable

• Climate change will alter both fundamental and realized niches; this may disrupt established competitive relationships and create novel ecosystems

• Climate change affects only the fundamental niche; realized niches are determined solely by biotic factors unrelated to climate

• Climate change will reduce all niches equally; competitive relationships will intensify but maintain current patterns