environmental science and society ex… · external assessment 2017 environmental science and...

Tasmanian Certificate of Education External Assessment 2017

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE and SOCIETY

(ESS315114)

PART 1 Time: 36 minutes

Candidate Instructions

1. You MUST make sure that your responses to the questions in this examination paper will show your achievement in the criterion being assessed.

2. Answer ALL questions. Answers must be written in the spaces provided on the examination paper.

3. You should make sure you answer all parts within each question so that the criterion can be assessed.

4. This examination is 3 hours in length.

5. It is recommended that you spend approximately 36 minutes in total answering the questions in this booklet.

6. The 2017 External Examination Information Sheet for Environmental Science and Society can be used throughout the examination.

7. All written responses must be in English.

On the basis of your performance in this examination, the examiners will provide results on the following criterion taken from the course statement:

Criterion 2 Develop, interpret and evaluate experiments and investigations.

© Copyright for part(s) of this examination may be held by individuals and/or organisations other than the Office of Tasmanian Assessment, Standards and Certification.

PLACE YOUR CANDIDATE LABEL HERE

Pages: 12 Questions: 4 Attachments: Information Sheet

Section Total: /33

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Question 1

A couple own a small farm, which contains an orchard with 12 apricot trees. In an attempt to become more sustainable they wished to experiment with the use of their grey water (the water from the sinks, dishwasher, shower, bath and washing machine) to irrigate the apricot trees. They hoped that the extra nutrients in the grey water would increase the annual yield of apricots and that the other substances in this water would not harm the trees. They set up the experiment as shown below, with 6 trees irrigated from the grey water and another 6 trees irrigated from their rainwater tank.

(a) State the independent variable in this experiment. (1 mark)

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(b) State the dependent variable in this experiment. (1 mark)

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(c) Write a hypothesis for this experiment using the variables you have identified above. (2 marks)

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irrigation from rainwater tank

irrigation from greywater tank

apricot orchard

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Question 1 (continued)

(d) Explain why the couple irrigated 6 trees from their rainwater tank. (2 marks)

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(e) Identify two nutrients that are likely to be present in the grey water and outline a method to test for these nutrients. (3 marks)

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(f) Identify a biotic factor in the grey water that could prove to be a health hazard and therefore needs to be monitored. (1 mark)

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Question 2

Below is an aerial photo of a small rocky island and the nearby coastline which are a designated marine reserve. The island is only exposed at low tide, as shown in the aerial photo below. A scientist was required to make a survey of the underwater marine organisms (biota) surrounding this island. The island is 500 m from the sandy shoreline and 800 m from the drop off into deep water.

(a) Describe a combination of methods by which the scientist could accurately record the underwater marine organisms within the reserve. (6 marks)

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(b) The scientist planned to repeat the survey each year for 10 years.

(i) Give the term used to describe the initial data that was collected. (1 mark)

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(ii) State a reason for collecting the data regularly over a long period of time. (1 mark)

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Question 3

Gorse is a plant species that was introduced to Tasmania as an ornamental plant because of its attractive bright yellow flowers. It also has dense foliage with sharp spikey leaves, so it proved useful as hedges for fencing farms in the early days of settlement in the Tasmanian Midlands. Today, gorse is considered an environmental weed because it has taken over large areas of productive farmland.

Gorse in flower

(a) Outline a remote sensing technique that could be used to estimate the total area of productive farmland in the Tasmanian Midlands that is infested with gorse. (3 marks)

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(b) Briefly outline how the accuracy of the estimated area of gorse could be checked. (2 marks) ..........................................................................................................................................

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An environmental benefit of gorse is that the thorny bushes provide shelter for the Eastern Barred Bandicoot (Parameles gunnii), which is preyed upon by feral cats. A scientist decided that it was important to estimate the population of bandicoots before some areas were cleared of gorse.

Eastern Barred Bandicoot

(c) State a method for estimating the size of the bandicoot population. (1 mark) ..........................................................................................................................................

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(d) State two methods of determining if feral cats do actually prey upon bandicoots. (2 marks) ..........................................................................................................................................

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Question 4

A number of countries considered the prospect that instead of eating fish caught in Antarctic waters, it would be better to eat the krill that the fish feed upon. Penguins also feed on krill and scientists were concerned that harvesting krill would reduce penguin numbers. Scientists tried two methods to determine the amount of krill penguins take from the ocean: Method 1: Penguins returning from the ocean were forced to swallow fresh water, turned upside down and made to vomit their gut contents. The number of krill was then counted. Method 2: Penguins were tagged with a surgically implanted microchip and forced to cross a weighbridge leaving and entering the penguin colony. This recorded the individual penguin, and by comparing the mass before and after feeding, an estimate of the krill catch could be made.

An Adelie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) being scanned for identification and weighed as it leaves its colony to

feed.

Mobile phone download of the data for a single penguin crossing.


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(a) State, giving a reason, whether the data shown on the mobile phone was for a penguin that was leaving or returning to the colony. (1 mark) ..........................................................................................................................................

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The following graph was drawn from the data for an individual penguin investigated by Method 2.

(b) Estimate the number of times the penguin returns from feeding. (1 mark) ..........................................................................................................................................

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(c) Suggest a reason for the large drop in weight near the end of October. (1 mark) ..........................................................................................................................................

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Annual average penguin weight

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(d) Compare the advantages and disadvantages of the two methods of investigation. (4 marks)

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This question paper and any materials associated with this examination (including answer booklets, cover sheets, rough note paper, or information sheets) remain the property of the Office of Tasmanian Assessment, Standards and Certification.



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Criterion 5 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of ecological processes.




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Question 5

A scientist made the following notes for their observations of the behavior and feeding patterns of organisms in the Antarctic over a summer visit.

29/11 - Crabeater Seals basking on ice flows.

30/11 - Get a sample of Crabeater faeces. Reveals only krill and no crab fragments.

30/11 - Adelie Penguins starting to come ashore and congregating on iceflows.

2/12 - Leopard Seal takes an Adelie Penguin whilst it was coming ashore.

5/12 - Leopard Seal takes a Crabeater Seal Pup.

18/12 - Killer whales hunting seals at the ice edge.

27/12 - An Adelie Penguin is caught and gut contents are examined to find krill and small fish.

28/12 - Observation of zooplankton reveals phytoplankton present in their gut.

28/12 - Dissection of krill reveals phytoplankton and zooplankton present in their gut.

28/12 - Dissection of small fish also reveals phytoplankton and zooplankton present in their gut.

(a) Construct a food-web for this ecosystem. (4 marks)


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(b) State the name of the producers in this food web. (1 mark)

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(c) State the trophic level for the Adelie Penguin. (1 mark)

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Question 6

Re-wilding is the name of a controversial management strategy where predators are re-introduced to ecosystems. Lynx (Lynx lynx), a medium sized, predatory cat, has been re-introduced to control the population of Red Deer (Cervus elephus) in the island nation of Great Britain. Lynx were hunted to extinction on the island several thousand years ago. At that time humans also hunted Red Deer sustainably.

Lynx European Red Deer

The change in population of any organism can be represented by the mathematical equation:

r = ( b - d ) + ( i - e )

(a) Use the equation to explain the increase in the population of Red Deer in recent times. (4 marks)

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(b) (i) On the axes below draw a population curve for the Red Deer over the three periods indicated. (3 marks)

(ii) Explain the trends shown on your population curve. (3 marks)

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(c) Outline why re-introducing the Lynx is preferable to repeatedly culling (humans shooting) the Red Deer. (2 marks)

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When Red Deer were hunted by humans for food

When Red Deer were no longer hunted for food

Red D

eer Pop

ulation

After the re-introduction of the Lynx

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Question 7

The biomass pyramid diagrams below show the situation for a population of humans living as hunter-gatherers in a forest ecosystem and a population of humans dependent upon farming crops and domesticated animals.

(a) Explain why the humans have been included in two trophic levels. (1 mark)

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(b) In the agricultural ecosystem, compare the amount of energy derived from the cereal crops with the amount derived from eating the sheep and goats. (1 mark)

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Forest Ecosystem

Agricultural Ecosystem

Humans

Humans

Humans

Humans



(c) Explain why the population of humans is greater in the agricultural ecosystem compared to the forest ecosystem. (2 marks)

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(d) State the initial source of energy in each of these systems. (1 mark)

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The farmers in the agricultural ecosystem need to defend their goats and sheep from attacks by wolves. Often they will use domestic dogs as guard dogs and also to help round up the flocks.

(e) Complete the table below by giving the type of relationship that exists between the species stated. The first line is completed as an example from the forest ecosystem. (3 marks)

Species Interaction Relationship

Large predators and humans predation

wolves or humans eating sheep

sheepdogs and humans

wolves and sheep

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Question 8

The following is a diagram showing the processes on an intertidal rock platform.

(a) State the name of Process A. (1 mark)

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(b) Name a substance containing carbon that is passed up the food chain at either B or C. (1 mark)

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(c) (i) Give the name of the process that is represented by the three upward arrows. (1 mark)

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(ii) State the name of the substance indicated by the three upward arrows. (1 mark)

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predatory seastars

atmosphere

cyanobacteria (blue green algae)

grazing molluscs

carbon dioxide

B

C

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Question 9

The diagram below shows the distribution of several species of Tasmanian Mountain Shrimps and includes a photograph of one species, Anaspides tasmaniae.

Anaspides tasmaniae lives in mountain streams and in cave streams. Anaspides spinulae eats detritus on the bottom of Lake St Clair. Paranaspides lacustris eats algae growing on submerged water plants in the Great Lake. Allanaspides helenomus and Allanaspides hickmani live in freshwater crayfish burrows.

(a) Name the species that has the greatest range of tolerance. (1 mark)

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(b) Name the two species that are likely to encounter the most competition. (1 mark)

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(c) Anaspides spinulae and Paranaspides lacustris both live in lakes. Using the information provided, account for why the two species cannot occupy the same niche. (3 marks) ..........................................................................................................................................

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Criterion 6 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of changes to ecosystems, locally and

globally.




Section Total: /36


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Question 10

Tunbridge is a small rural settlement in the Tasmanian Midlands about halfway between Hobart and Launceston. A Tasmanian botanist identified the fact that:

“Tunbridge Cemetery has the highest biodiversity of native grasses in Australia.”

Tunbridge Cemetery

(a) Explain what is meant by the above statement; “highest biodiversity of native grasses”. (2 marks)

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(b) State a reason for the biodiversity in the cemetery at Tunbridge. (1 mark)

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Question 11

In Australia, National Parks were created to protect native flora and fauna as well as to showcase Australia’s spectacular landscape. Recently, many environmental scientists have formed the opinion that the area set aside as national parks is inadequate for the long-term conservation of the plant communities that live in them. In southeastern Australia many national parks are small and completely surrounded by agricultural land or urbanisation.

A map of Victoria’s National Parks Scientists are suggesting to governments that the size of national parks and other reserves should be increased and wildlife corridors between various national parks be created. These wildlife corridors would be areas of bushland rehabilitated from farmland, mostly running in a north-south direction as shown in the schematic diagram below.


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National Park B

National Park A

Wildlife corridor

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(a) Explain why scientists believe that many plant species may go extinct in these small national parks over coming decades. (2 marks)

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(b) Explain why scientists are suggesting the creation of wildlife corridors between national parks. (2 marks) ..........................................................................................................................................

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Question 12 Indigenous or Aboriginal Tasmanians have inhabited this island for over 40 000 years. Aboriginal stories reveal changes to the environment at the end of the last ice age, about 12 000 years ago.

(a) Outline two changes that Aboriginals would have observed in the landscape between the end of the last ice age and European settlement. (4 marks)

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Tasmanian Aboriginals hunted animals on the grasslands of South Western Tasmania. These grasslands were maintained by frequent burning that encouraged the growth of new shoots that attracted grazing animals. As a result of European settlement this practice ended.

(b) Describe the changes to the Tasmanian vegetation that would have occurred when this regular burning stopped. (2 marks)

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Question 13 Australian Federal Government Legislation exists to protect native species by assigning threatened species to a category for example, Extinct, Endangered, Vulnerable etc. Conservation efforts aimed at saving Australia’s native mammal species have concentrated on eliminating and excluding introduced species before the native animals are re-introduced to a particular area.

(a) State two examples of introduced species that threaten Australian native mammals in different ways. Identify how they are a threat to these native species. (2 marks)

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(b) Using one of your examples from (a) above, explain why this introduced species has become so established. (2 marks) ..........................................................................................................................................

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(c) One method of control of introduced species involves the introduction of a second introduced species. State the name of this method of control. (1 mark)

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Question 14

The Australian continent has the greatest diversity of flowering plants on Earth. These plants are pollinated by insects and birds; mostly honeyeaters. Many species of honeyeaters are omnivorous; they feed on both nectar and insects as shown in the food web below.

New Holland Honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae) feeding on nectar

Whilst there is nearly always some plant species in flower at any particular time of the year, most flower in Spring. In Winter, the number of birds decreases but in Spring the insect populations and bird populations increase.

(a) Explain why insect numbers are lower in Winter. (1 mark)

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(b) List two reasons why the populations of birds increase again in Spring. (2 marks)

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Plant nectar

Insects

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(c) State what would happen to the various plant species if no birds survived the Winter. (1 mark) ..........................................................................................................................................

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(d) Suggest how the Orange Bellied Parrot (Neophema chrysogaster) survives the cold weather and the food shortages of the Tasmanian winter. (1 mark)

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Question 15 A group of scientists carried out an experiment where they measured the thickness and make-up of the exoskeleton (the hard outside shell) of the prawn species, Lysmata californica. The prawns were placed in two treatment tanks, according to the conditions shown below.

(a) State which of the two pH values given is the most acidic. (1 mark) .......................................................................................................................................... ..........................................................................................................................................

(b) Explain why the tank with the lower pH was set up with a higher concentration of

carbon dioxide. (2 marks) .......................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................... ..........................................................................................................................................

As a follow up experiment the scientists suggested that the experiment be repeated at 20oC. (c) State the reason for setting up an experiment at a higher temperature. (1 mark)

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Lysmata californica was chosen for this experiment because it is a popular aquarium species that is easy to maintain in a tank. The scientists made a suggestion that future studies should include commercially harvested prawn species. (d) Discuss the relevance of this study to the commercial harvesting of prawns. (3 marks)

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Tank pH Atmospheric CO2

above tank (ppm) Temperature (oC)

1 7.99 462 18.7 2 7.53 1297 18.7

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Question 16

Scientists chronicle the Earth’s geological history in ages: the Carboniferous was when the Earth’s main coal deposits were formed and the Jurassic is the “Age of the Dinosaurs”. Recently scientists have begun to call the modern era the Anthropocene, “The Age of Humans”.

Identify one climatic change and one other major change to the planet and outline the evidence of these changes that would be observed thousands of years into the future, which can be attributed solely to the actions of humans. (6 marks)

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Criterion 7 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of how humans depend and impact on

ecosystems.




Section Total: /34


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Question 17

The total area drained by a river is called its catchment. As the river flows from its source to its mouth, the water it contains is put to different uses. Likewise at each stage of its flow there are likely to be environmental problems arising from the water usage at that particular point.

(a) Complete the table below. For each of the stages in a river’s course, state a different use for the water and outline a problem that is caused by that water use. (6 marks)

River Stage Possible Water Usage Potential Environmental Problem

Headwaters in pristine bushland

Cleared land upstream

Flatland downstream

Deep water near the river mouth

(b) State the term used to describe the benefits that humans derive from the environment. (1 mark)

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Question 18

In the 1970s, population biologist Paul Erhlich and economist John Holdren proposed that human impact on the environment was a combination of population size, personal wealth and technology.

(a) Give an example and explain how each of these factors contributes to the impact of humans on the environment. (6 marks)

Population: .......................................................................................................................

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(b) Explain why calculating a person’s Ecological Footprint is a better measure of impact than just considering population size, personal wealth and technology. (3 marks)

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Question 19

Tasmania’s forest resources are viewed in different ways, by different people, depending upon their personal values or political outlook. Deep Green conservationists believe that the forests belong to all humanity and that the forests should be preserved for their own sake and the sake of the species that live there. Green Politicians believe that because the forests are on public land they belong to all Tasmanians. Successive Tasmanian governments have argued that this public asset should be used to create jobs even though the profits go to private companies. Forestry Tasmania believes in managing for multiple uses: camping, fishing, bushwalking, mountain biking and horse riding as well as timber harvesting. (a) Given these differences in attitudes, can the Tasmanian native forests be considered a

Commons? Explain. (3 marks) ..........................................................................................................................................

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(b) Discuss whether logging of Tasmania’s old growth forests could be considered a ‘Tragedy of the Commons’. (3 marks) ..........................................................................................................................................

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Question 20

The following diagram outlines four possible consequences of using chemical pesticides. Each pesticide A,B,C and D has a different consequence.

Identify and explain the process illustrated for each of the four pesticides. (6 marks)

Pesticide A: ................................................................................................................................

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Pesticide B: ................................................................................................................................

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Pesticide A Pesticide B Pesticide C Pesticide D

A number of species are killed as a result of using this pesticide

Species higher in the food chain are killed

Eventually the target species population recovers

Species just above the

target species in the food

chain survive

Most of the target

species dies

Combines with other

substances in the

environment

Many species die



Pesticide C: ...............................................................................................................................

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Pesticide D: ...............................................................................................................................

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Question 21

Currently there is concern about the eutrophication caused by aquaculture in Macquarie Harbour, on Tasmania’s west coast.

Fish pens in Macquarie Harbour

Explain how salmon aquaculture can lead to eutrophication and outline how this problem is impacted by global warming. (6 marks)

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Criterion 8 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of principles for the ecologically sustainable

management of the environment.




Section Total: /37


Question 22

Australian Federal Government Legislation exists to protect native species by assigning threatened species to a category for example, Extinct, Endangered, Vulnerable etc.

(a) State the piece of legislation that is concerned with preserving Australia’s threatened species. (1 mark)

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(b) This legislation is concerned with the protection of whole communities in a stated ‘ecosystems approach’. Explain why it is much more important to protect the whole ecosystem rather than just concentrating on saving one species. (3 marks)

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The Greater Bilby (Marcrotis lagotis) is a native species listed as endangered but whose conservation has been addressed by a moderately successful public awareness campaign replacing the traditional Easter Bunny with a chocolate Easter Bilby.

Question 22 continues.

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(c) Explain how a public awareness campaign might help with the conservation of a species such as the Bilby. (3 marks) ..........................................................................................................................................

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Question 23

Tasmania has significant wetland areas that provide habitat for migratory wading birds that spend summer in Tasmania and winter in the Northern Hemisphere. Because other countries are involved in the management of these species they are the subject to an international agreement.

The sharp-tailed (Calidris acuminata) sandpiper breeds in north Asia and migrates to SE Australia in winter

(a) State the name of the International Agreement that concerns itself with wetlands. (1 mark)

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(b) Identify the level of Government in Australia; Federal, State or Local, that would be signatory to this agreement. (1 mark)

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(c) If the wetlands are protected in a National Park, identify the level of Government in Australia; Federal, State or Local, responsible for upholding this agreement. (1 mark)

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(d) State a compulsory measure the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service would be required to undertake to protect wetland species and their habitat. (1 mark)

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Question 24

Before community awareness of environmental concerns was focused on sustainability, there was a lot of discussion about Zero Population Growth (ZPG) as the answer to global environmental problems. Advocates of ZPG urged couples to have on average only 2.3 children and this would just replace the adults in the population and allow for some accidental deaths before young people reached breeding age. ZPG seems to have fallen out of fashion with economists still advocating a growth economy. Discuss ZPG with relation to the three Ethical Considerations concerned with the Principles of Sustainability shown below. (6 marks) (a) Intergenerational Equity

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(b) Intragenerational Equity

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(c) Ecological Integrity (Intraspecific Equity)

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Question 25

A Tasmanian tourism company recently purchased some rural land that contained a number of caves. The company proposed a plan to build a small accommodation facility and develop the caves for self-guided adventure tourism. Before the development can proceed, the developer needs to approach the Local Council and the Tasmanian State Government for planning approval.

(a) State one important condition that the developer must fulfil before approval of the development can be granted. (1 mark)

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In any development such as this the developer must identify the stakeholders and the concerns that these stakeholders may have with the development.

(b) List two stakeholders and outline any possible concerns that these groups or individuals may have in relation to this development. (4 marks)

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The process is designed to protect the environment and must outline the measures that will be taken to minimise the impact on the environment.

(c) Identify a significant potential environmental impact for both the accommodation and the cave development, and briefly describe a solution to the problem you have identified. (4 marks) The accommodation proposal:

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The cave development:

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Question 26

Before the Tasmanian Government gives its approval to a mining proposal within the state, it draws up a legal contract. These contracts contain provisions for Strategies to ensure the sustainability of mining ventures.

Identify and explain how a different Sustainability Strategy is used by the: (4 marks)

(a) Mining company

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(b) Tasmanian State Government

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Question 27

There are two possible schemes for implementing a price on carbon: a carbon tax and an emissions trading system.

(a) Explain the differences between these two models and how each of them might operate to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. (6 marks)

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(b) State a reason why these schemes talk about a price on carbon, a solid non-metal element rather than carbon dioxide, the gas that is altering the atmosphere. (1 mark)

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