Practice 8.4 Human population carrying capacity 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.
Explain the processes involved in the formation of fertile soils from bare rock.
Discuss how negative and positive feedback mechanisms may influence the growth of decomposer populations in the soil.
To what extent are natural limiting factors more likely than population policies to limit global human population growth in the future?
The soil system includes storages of inorganic nutrients.
Identify two inputs to these storages.
The soil system includes storages of inorganic nutrients.
Identify two outputs from these storages.
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.
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?
Explain how feedback loops are involved in alternate stable states and the tipping points between them.
Earth’s atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide reached 400 ppm in 2016. Outline the potential impacts of high levels of greenhouse gases on human societies in different locations.
Discuss the consequences of changing global per capita meat consumption on the conservation of ecosystems and biodiversity.
Outline two factors that enable a human population to increase its local carrying capacity.
Explain how the growth in human population can affect local and regional water resources.
To what extent would different environmental value systems be successful in reducing a society’s ecological footprint?
Define the carrying capacity.
Identify three reasons why estimating carrying capacity can be difficult.
Examine the potential for designing a protected forest area that allows for the harvesting of natural resources while at the same time conserving its biodiversity.
Identify four factors making the estimation of carrying capacity more problematic for human populations than other species.
Explain why the ecological footprint of two populations consuming the same quantity offood and energy may be different.
To what extent are modern agricultural practices more effective than traditional practices in meeting the demands of the growing human population?
Figure 1: Three world population projections from 2015 - 2100
Calculate the range between the highest and lowest projected population size for 2100.
Identify two factors that may explain the variation in projected world population growth.
Outline one economic implication of the highest world population projection being manifested.
Outline one environmental implication of the highest world population projection being manifested.
Outline one benefit to modeling human population growth.
Outline one drawback of modelling future human population growth.
Urban Agriculture in London
Vertical Farming Details:
London's Bees:
Figure 1: Vertical farm
Figure 2: Rooftop beekeeping
State one benefit and one drawback of the ecological footprint as a model for measuring sustainability.
State one factor that would allow a region’s ecological footprint to exceed its biocapacity.
Referencing both figures above, suggest how urban agriculture can increase London's carrying capacity