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WorksheetsFinal Exam IB ESS Year One 2026 Syllabus
Total questions: 120
Worksheet time: 44mins
Al Gore was heavily influenced by the book Silent Spring (Rachel Carson's book regarding the effects of pesticides on wildlife and how it was passed along the food chain) to become more involved in environmental issues. He produced a documentary called An Inconvenient Truth that raises awareness of climate change. George Bush was the current president, and his response was that we should focus on technologies that enable us to live better lives and protect the environment. What type of viewpoint is this?
Anthropocentric
Technocentric
Ecocentric
All of the above
The amount of land and water that is required to support a human population at a given standard of living
Natural income
Sustainability
Natural Capital
Ecological footprint
All of the following are factors that affect an ecosystems stability except?
Climate and limiting factors
Biodiversity
Natural disasters
Nutrient stores
Trophic Complexity
The ability of an ecosystem to recover after a disturbance
Resistance
Stability
Resilience
Reaction
The amount of water in a toilet is what type of feedback?
Positive feedback
Negative feedback
The increase in disorder and randomness in a system is what law?
Jude Law
1st law of thermodynamics
2nd law of thermodynamics
3rd law of thermodynamics
The Universe is an example of what type of system
Closed System
Open System
Isolated System
System of a down
Define biogradable pollutant
Do not breakdown easily and are insoluble in water
Recyclable material
pollutants that will breakdown or decompose
Compostable material
Which is the most consistent with a cornucopian view
Carry on with development because technology will save us
Population control and resource management of equal importance.
No development, nature has intrinsic value
Communities keep development in check
With the rapidly growing human population and constant new pressures on the environment it gradually becomes more difficult to maintain sustainability. Choose the sentence which best explains what sustainability is.
The exploitation of resources at such rate which allows for their natural replenishment and the recovery of the ecosystem affected by their use.
The maximum population size that an area can support without detrimental effects.
Engaging in the prevention of negative effects of human activities on the Earth’s resources through localised actions (recycling of waste, reduction in electricity consumption etc.).
The area of land needed to provide all of the resources for a person’s lifestyle and to dispose of all their wastes.
human-centered value system that places humans as the central species and assesses the environment from an exclusively human perspective
ecocentric
anthropocentric
technocentric
Nature-centered value system that views people as being under nature's control rather than in control of it.
ecocentric
anthropocentric
technocentric
technology-based value system that believes the brain power of humans will enable us to control the environment
ecocentric
anthropocentric
technocentric
A group of ecosystems with similar climates.
equator
poles
deep ocean
biome
Energy cannot be created nor destroyed, only converted from one form to another. Which Law is this?
First Law of Thermodynamics
Second Law of Thermodynamics
Third Law of Thermodynamics
First Law of Fusion
Which law remarks that the availability of energy to carry out processes becomes reduced as it moves through a system and entropy increases?
First Law of Thermodynamics
Second Law of Thermodynamics
Third Law of Thermodynamics
Murphy's Law
This is also known as dynamic equilibrium and is a stable form of equilibrium that allows a system to return to its steady state after a disturbance.
steady-state equilibrium
unstable equilibrium
feedback
static equilibrium
A group of the same species of organism living in the same place
Hang out
Pod
Density
Population
Choose all abiotic factors of an environment
temperature
sunlight
parasites
primary producers
wind
The sum total of a population's use of the biotic and abiotic resources of its habitat constitutes its
evolution.
range.
niche.
environment.
In a hypothetical food chain (grass --> grasshoppers --> sparrows --> hawks) the grasshoppers are considered .... (Choose 2 answers)
primary producers.
secondary producers.
primary consumers.
secondary consumers.
herbivores
Which law of thermodynamics explains the shape of an ecological pyramid of energy?
1st law
2nd law
3rd law
Select the inputs to photosynthesis.
CO2
H2O
Glucose
O2
Sunlight
Density-dependent factors, such as contagious disease or parasites, act as a ____________ feedback mechanism by bringing the population size back to equilibrium.
Positive
Negative
Neutral
What term could be described as an equilibrium?
pioneer species
primary succession
secondary succession
climax community
Which biome covers most of the land mass near Earth's equator?
Desert
Grassland
Tropical rainforest
Temperate forest
__________ primary productivity = the organic materials that remain after photosynthetic organisms in the ecosystem have used some of these compounds for their cellular energy needs (cellular respiration).
Gross
Total
Net
Secondary
What are some of the things that influence an individual's Environmental Value System (EVS)?
The cost of fuel
Religious beliefs
Family influence
What kind of house you own
The total set of greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by an individual, organization, event or product.
ozone layer
coral bleaching
ecological footprint
carbon footprint
This is defined as an assemblage of parts and the relationships between them that enable them to work together to form a functioning whole.
system
biome
coral reef
transformations
System that exchanges both matter and energy with its surroundings.
open system
closed system
isolated system
Light energy becoming electrical energy in a solar panel. Decomposition of leaf litter into inorganic materials. Burning coal to produce heat and light. Light energy becoming glucose molecules through photosynthesis.
transfer
transformation
This is an ADVANTAGE of using models.
models may be oversimplified so accuracy is lost
models allow complex systems to be simplified
models and predictions depend on the skills and experience of the model makers
models can be manipulated for financial or political gain
This describes natural resources that produce sustainable income of goods and services
natural income
ecocentric
resilience
natural capital
The minimum amount of change within a system that will destabilize it and cause it to reach a new equilibrium or stable state.
tipping point
resilience
sustainability
feedback
Exponential population growth can be described as
growth when resources are limited
a j-shaped curve
a s-shaped curve
growth that reaches carrying capacity
the variety of different species in a biological community
ecosystem diversity
species diversity
genetic diversity
extinction
the variety of genes present within individuals of a population
genetic diversity
ecosystem diversity
extinction
species diversity
an event in which a large percentage of all living species become extinct in a relatively short period of time (there have been 5 and we are currently in a 6th)
mass extinction
eutrophication
biological magnification
background extinction
a natural resource that is replaced by natural processes faster than it is consumed
bioremediation
sustainable use
This phenomenon is typically characterized by an algal bloom followed by reduced oxygen availability in aquatic ecosystems.
nitrification
eutrophication
urban runoff
point source pollution
Which carbon sink holds the most carbon?
Atmosphere
Ocean
Plants
Soil
In the nitrogen cycle which process converts atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into ammonia (NH3)?
denitrification
nitricification
nitrogen fixation
nitrogen solidification
If the cactus contains 10,000 units of energy, how much energy is available to the red tailed hawk?
100,000
10,000
100
10
What is the the main culprit of ocean acidification?
Acid Rain
Carbon dioxide absorption into the ocean
Urban Runoff
Dumping of trash into the ocean
What are examples of carbon sinks?
ocean
forest
artificially made (man-made)
clouds
Which cycle are fossil fuels (oil, coal, natural gas) part of?
carbon
water
nitrogen
phosphorus
Which cycle DOESN'T have an atmosphere component (part)?
carbon
nitrogen
phosphorus
water
Identify the cycle pictured.
The Water cycle
The Carbon cycle
The Nitrogen cycle
The Phosphorus cycle.
Features of a system that cannot be present in the individual parts, but instead only present when all parts come together. An example: A small fish only resembles a large predator when present in a school of small fish.
open system
emergent property
isolated system
transformation
A _________________ feedback loop moves a system to an extreme.
Positive
Neutral
Circular
Negative
Letter A represents a(n) ___.
output
input
process
store
Which term means that matter or energy move around without changing?
Transfer
Transformation
What was the over all idea of the Gaia Hypothesis?
The earth can control what happens on other planets.
The earth is a self-regulating system.
The earth can not regulate itself without technological intervention.
The earth needs to be carefully monitored and regulated by humans.
Which environmental disaster released Methyl Mercury into the water system?
Bhopal
Chernobyl
Minimata
Fukushima
The diagram below shows the use of natural resources.
Does it demonstrate sustainable or unsustainable management of those resources?
Unsustainable due to the positive feedback loop
Sustainable due to the positive feedback loop
Unsustainable due to the negative feedback loop
Sustainable due to the negative feedback loop
This is an ADVANTAGE of using models.
models may be oversimplified so accuracy is lost
models allow complex systems to be simplified
models and predictions depend on the skills and experience of the model makers
models can be manipulated for financial or political gain
How does energy enter an ecosystem?
sunlight
soil
animals
When energy is wasted or lost, it is in the form of what?
Carbon Dioxide
Heat
Water
A fundamental niche is
all conditions in which a species could survive
the actual conditions in which a species survives
trophic level, i.e. primary producer, secondary consumer, etc.
the number of individuals an environment can support sustainably
Which of the following are density dependent factors?
competition for resources
predation
disease
natural disasters
Which of the following are examples of a density independent factors?
forest fire
seasonal cycles
storms
disease
Beavers are considered habitat engineers because they change the environment by building dams. This dam building provides still water in which many species flourish.
Beavers would be considered a:
Indicator species
Invasive species
Keystone species
Abundance species
A species in an ecosystem that plays a central role in the health of that ecosystem, and whose removal may cause the collapse of the ecosystem, is called a(n):
Generalist
Indicator
Specialist
Keystone
Which type of succession occurs after some kind of natural disaster wipes out most of the vegetation in a habitat?
Primary Succession
Secondary Succession
Which type of succession is quicker?
Primary Sucession
Secondary Succession
Ocean currents affect the climate of an area.
True
False
The Hadley Cell is located closest to
The poles
The equator
temperate grasslands
taiga biomes
Which of the following best describes the tricellular model of atmospheric circulation?
It explains how the Earth's surface temperature affects cloud formation and precipitation.
It divides the atmosphere into three circulation cells (Hadley, Ferrel, and Polar) based on temperature and pressure differences.
It focuses solely on the role of ocean currents in distributing heat around the Earth.
It describes the relationship between Earth's axial tilt and the seasons.
Zonation is the study of environmental gradient over
time
space (land area)
different cells
the carbon cycle
Which term describes a natural or artificial reservoir that absorbs and stores carbon dioxide from the atmosphere for long periods of time?
carbon sink
carbon source
carbon store
carbon slide
Which of the following is a characteristic of a climax community in an ecosystem?
High biodiversity and stability
Frequent disturbances
Low species diversity
Rapid changes in species composition
Aerobic respiration is the process of release and transfer of energy inside all living cells at all times. What are the outputs of this process?
CO2
O2
H2O
Energy (ATP)
Glucose
Producer, primary consumer or secondary consumer indicate an organism’s position in a food chain. What is another word for these levels?
Consumption levels
Niches
Trophic levels
Productivity
Which of the following statements regarding food webs is true?
Several species of primary consumers may feed on the same species of producer.
A consumer eats only one type of producer.
Detritivores consume dead organic matter from a specific trophic level.
Nutrient transfer moves from producer to consumer and back.
What does 'chemosynthetic organisms' refer to?
Organisms that produce their own food without sunlight using the energy stored in chemical bonds.
Organisms that rely on sunlight to produce food.
Organisms that feed on dead and decaying material.
Organisms that live in water.
What does the Productivity:Respiration Ratio indicate about an ecosystem as it approaches its climax community?
The respiration rates decrease while productivity increases.
The productivity and respiration rates become equal.
The productivity rates decrease while respiration increases.
There is no relationship between productivity and respiration rates.
What is the main characteristic of r-strategist species?
They produce a small number of offspring with a high survival rate.
They have a stable population growth with a carrying capacity.
They produce large numbers of offspring to quickly colonize new habitats.
They undergo succession to change over time in an ecosystem.
What does the Simpson Diversity Index (D) take into account?
The total number of species in a community and the abundance of each species.
The number of trophic levels in a food chain.
The rate of energy flow through a trophic level.
The actual conditions and resources within a species exists.
The rain forest soil is
poor and rocky
frozen soil
thick and nutrient rich
thin and nutrient poor
This type of sustainability focuses on creating the structures and systems that support human well being.
Economic
Social
Environmental
All of the above
Sustainability comprises which domains?
Environmental
Social
Economic
All of the above
A common indicator of economic development is the gross domestic product (GDP)
True
False
Biocapacity is the capacity of a given biologically productive area to generate an on-going supply of renewable resources and to absorb its resulting wastes.
True
False
This organization plays a role (by using crowd sourcing) in monitoring Earth's systems and whether resources are being used sustainably.
Greenpeace
Environmental Protection Agency
Citizen Science
NASA
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill is an example of an environmental event that disproportionately impacted vulnerable communities, exacerbating socioeconomic disparities.
True
False
Which community is an example of pastoralists?
Pueblo Indians
The "Five Civilized Tribes": Cherokee, Chicasaw, Chocktaw, Creek and Seminoe
Inuit tribes
The Maasai people of Kenya and Tanzania
Ecological footprint is measured in:
square feet
number of Earths
resource consumption per square meter
global hectares
This model is a set of social and environmental objectives that enable people to collaborate in the creation of a more just and sustainable world. This model strives to promote equitable progress that leaves no one behind by addressing both social and environmental aspects. This model also promotes collaboration and innovation.
Planetary Boundaries Model
The Doughnut of social and planetary boundaries
UN Sustainable Goals Model
The circular economy model
This country has emerged as a leader in implementing which model?
The planetary boundaries model
The doughnut economics model
The circular economy model
The UN Sustainable Goals model
Johan Rockstrom established thresholds within which humanity can survive and thrive for generations to come. This development led to the creation of which model?
The circular economy model
The nine planetary boundaries model
The doughnut economics model
UN Sustainable Development Goals model
This model is a visual framework for sustainable development that aims to meet the needs of all people within the means of the planet. It is based on two sets of boundaries : a social foundation of essential human needs that everyone should have met, and an ecological ceiling of the planet's limits.
Circular economy model
doughnut economics model
nine planetary boundaries model
UN sustainable development goals
This model promotes decoupling economic activity from the consumption of finite resources. It has three principles: eliminating waste and pollution, circulating products and materials, and regenerating nature.
circular economy model
nine planetary boundaries model
doughnut economics model
UN sustainable development goals
This lists a use and a limitation of the nine planetary boundaries model:
Use:
It can create new jobs and businesses, and it can boost economic growth and social well-being.
Limitation:
It requires changes to consumer mindset and behavior
True
False
This lists a use and a limitation of the doughnut economics model:
Use:
To guide decision making at all levels, from individuals to businesses to governments.
Limitations:
The complex framework can be difficult to understand and implement.
True
False
