Practice 5.3 Soil degradation and conservation with authentic IB Environmental systems and societies (ESS - Old) exam questions for both SL and HL students. This question bank mirrors Paper 1, 2 structure, covering key topics like ecosystems, human impact, and sustainability. Get instant solutions, detailed explanations, and build exam confidence with questions in the style of IB examiners.
Paper
Level
Question 1
SL & HLPaper 2
1.[4]
Describe two ways in which overgrazing can lead to soil degradation.
Question 2
SL & HLPaper 2
1.[4]
Describe two methods for preventing or mitigating soil erosion.
Question 3
SLPaper 2
Figure 1: The water cycle
1.[2]
Identify one transfer and one transformation process shown in Figure 1.
2.[2]
Outline how urbanization could impact two of the storages in Figure 1.
3.[3]
Runoff from agricultural land may lead to excess nutrients entering water bodies. Outline one indirect measure of organic pollution.
4.[1]
Runoff from agricultural land can result in excess nutrients entering water bodies. State one management strategy that could control the release of agricultural runoff.
Question 4
SL & HLPaper 2
1.[4]
Describe two ways in which climate change may exacerbate soil degradation.
Question 5
SLPaper 2
1.[2]
The soil system includes storages of inorganic nutrients.
Identify two inputs to these storages.
2.[2]
The soil system includes storages of inorganic nutrients.
Identify two outputs from these storages.
3.[7]
Solid domestic waste may contain non-biodegradable material and toxins that have the potential to reduce the fertility of soils.
Explain how strategies for the management of this waste may help to preserve soil fertility.
4.[9]
The provision of food resources and assimilation of wastes are two key factors of the environment that determine its carrying capacity for a given species.
To what extent does the human production of food and waste each influence the carrying capacity for human populations?
Question 6
SL & HLPaper 2
Explain how the following soil conservation practices work:
1.[2]
Agroforestry
2.[2]
Conservation tillage
Question 7
SL & HLPaper 2
1.[4]
Describe two methods for rehabilitating saline soils.
Question 8
SL & HLPaper 2
1.[3]
Define "soil degradation" and explain two main causes.
Question 9
HLPaper 2
1.[6]
Discuss the environmental and socio-economic impacts of the Green Revolution.
Question 10
SLPaper 2
Soil quality is important for global food production systems.
Figure 1: Soil texture triangle
Figure 2: Horizons (layers) in a typical soil profile
1.[1]
State the soil texture that has the following composition: 20 % clay; 55 % silt; 25 % sand.
2.[2]
Outline why leaving arable farmland fallow (unused) between growing seasons could lead to soil degradation.
3.[2]
Describe how the addition of sand to a silty clay loam could alter its characteristics for healthy plant growth.
4.[2]
Draw a flow diagram to show the flows of leaching and decomposition associated with the mineral storage in the “A” horizon in Figure 2.
5.[1]
Identify one other input to the mineral storage in the “A” horizon inFigure 2.
6.[1]
Identify one other output from the mineral storage in the “A” horizon inFigure 2.