Practice Soil systems, terrestrial food production 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.[3]
Define the term "soil" and explain its importance in ecosystems.
Question 2
SL & HLPaper 2
1.[4]
Describe two ways in which overgrazing can lead to soil degradation.
Question 3
SL & HLPaper 2
1.[4]
Describe two methods for improving water use efficiency in agriculture.
Question 4
HLPaper 2
1.[6]
Discuss the benefits of mixed land use in urban planning.
Question 5
SL & HLPaper 2
1.[4]
Describe two methods for preventing or mitigating soil erosion.
Question 6
SL & HLPaper 2
1.[4]
Describe two ways in which human activities can degrade soil quality.
Question 7
SL & HLPaper 2
Explain how the following soil properties affect plant growth:
1.[2]
Soil depth
2.[2]
Soil temperature
Question 8
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 9
SL & HLPaper 2
The command term ""explain"" means students must give a detailed account including reasons or causes. Students need to define a dynamic ecosystem and provide a detailed account of how organisms in the soil influence the abiotic factors and interact with each other.
1.[7]
Explain why soil can be considered a dynamic ecosystem.
Question 10
SL & HLPaper 1
1.[4]
Describe two ways in which agroforestry can contribute to sustainable land use.