Practice IB Environmental systems and societies (ESS) Topic 2.4 Climate and Biomes with authentic exam-style questions for both SL and HL students. This question bank focuses on the exact syllabus content for 2.4 Climate and Biomes and mirrors Paper 1, 2 style where relevant.
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Describe the process of primary succession, including pioneer species and climax community.
Describe the process of secondary succession and how it differs from primary succession.
Table 1: Soil characteristics and dominant vegetation recorded at various stages of primary succession following the retreat of a glacier in Alaska.
| Years since glacial retreat | Soil Nitrogen content () | Average Soil Depth () | Dominant Vegetation Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 1.2 | 0.5 | Mosses and Lichens |
| 60 | 14.8 | 9.2 | Alder shrubs |
| 200 | 42.5 | 28.0 | Sitka Spruce forest |
Explain how two changes in the abiotic environment shown in Table 1 facilitate the progression toward a climax community.
Describe the procedure used to estimate the total dry-weight biomass of the ground-level vegetation in the 60-year-old successional stage.
Describe two examples of how human activities can disrupt natural succession processes.
Define the term "biome" and explain its key characteristics.