VCE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE FINAL
EXAM PREP | QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
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,biodiversity (biological diversity) the variability among living organisms on Earth
genetic diversity genetic variation between individuals in the population
*The GREATER the genetic diversity within a species, the greater the chance that the
species will survive in the long term and not become extinct.*
ecosystem diversity variation between habitats, communities and processes in a region
ecosystems are dynamic meaning that the interactions between organisms and their
environment change over time
Ecosystem services are renewable processes that play a vital role in human survival and quality of life
Resilience is the capacity of an ecosystem (or population) to restore its structure and
function following natural or human-induced stress.
provisioning services These provide resources such as clean water, food, fuel, fibre and medicines to humans
eg. potable water; food; fuel; fibre; and pharmaceuticals
regulating services provides mechanisms to regulate an ecosystem and keep it in balance - eg. control of
climate and disease; pollination; and water purification
supporting services ecosystems themselves could not be sustained without the natural processes such as
nutrient cycling, that support many aspects of an ecosystem
examples include: cycling of nutrients; soil formation; and photosynthesis
,cultural services Humans can also gain social and health benefits from the existence and maintenance of
ecosystems and organisms -eg. aesthetic values; recreational benefits; and sense of
place
mass extinction event during which many species become extinct during a relatively short period of time
cretaceous - tertiary mass extinction - 65 million yrs ago
- dinosaurs, birds, marine invertebrates
- impact of a huge asteroid and also a volcanic eruption at a sea level
species endemism describes animals and plants that are native to one single geographical location
Why does endemism occur? - movement being restricted by mountain ranges, habitat zones or other regional
features.
- short-term environmental changes
- High number of endemic species is largely a result of its long period of separation from
other continents (eg. Australia is isolated from other land masses)
diversity hotspots areas with high amounts of endemic species
an area where native species and communities are well represented in an ecosystem and
remain largely as a whole
short term environmental changes changes that occur quickly in an ecosystem and affect organisms immediately
eg.
- volcanic eruptions
- fire
- natural disasters
CAUSES: population isolation, extinction or species vulnerability, competition for food
and water, air/water pollution, habitat loss & gene loss
Medium term environmental changes - El Niño - causes drought, competition, habitat loss, extinction
- drought
- long term flooding
Long term environmental changes - tectonic plate movement (caused many species to become endemic, regions closer to
the equator have higher biodiversity)
- evolution - causes natural selection, biological diversity, extinction
, How/Why do scientists assess species? - Scientists sample populations to assess species diversity → evaluate if they need
conservation management
- The variety of sampling → depends on the species/habitat.
- Samples go into a monitoring program to assess change in biodiversity over a period of
time/to evaluate the effectiveness of conservation management strategies.
Beneficence states that researchers should have the welfare of the research participant as a goal of
any research study
Quadrats Sampling using quadrats is one of the most widely used means of obtaining quantitative
information about the composition and structure of plant or animal communities
Importance of random sampling in quadrats For results to be statistically valid - the plots should be randomly located within the study
area, without bias
Disadvantages of quadrats - edge effects can occur: the decision of whether a plant/species on the edge of a
quadrat should be counted - can lead to overestimation
- CAN BE FIXED BY using different-shaped quadrats - using a circle shape quadrat can
lead to less chance of overestimation
Mark-recapture method technique to estimate the population size of live animals
- A sample of the population is captured, marked and released.
- The number of marked individuals within the second sample should be proportional to
the number of marked individuals in the whole population.
EXAM PREP | QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
| COMPLETE STUDY GUIDE AND
PRACTICE TEST
| GRADED A+ | GUARANTEED SUCCESS
Updated Questions and Answers
100% Verified Exam Prep
,biodiversity (biological diversity) the variability among living organisms on Earth
genetic diversity genetic variation between individuals in the population
*The GREATER the genetic diversity within a species, the greater the chance that the
species will survive in the long term and not become extinct.*
ecosystem diversity variation between habitats, communities and processes in a region
ecosystems are dynamic meaning that the interactions between organisms and their
environment change over time
Ecosystem services are renewable processes that play a vital role in human survival and quality of life
Resilience is the capacity of an ecosystem (or population) to restore its structure and
function following natural or human-induced stress.
provisioning services These provide resources such as clean water, food, fuel, fibre and medicines to humans
eg. potable water; food; fuel; fibre; and pharmaceuticals
regulating services provides mechanisms to regulate an ecosystem and keep it in balance - eg. control of
climate and disease; pollination; and water purification
supporting services ecosystems themselves could not be sustained without the natural processes such as
nutrient cycling, that support many aspects of an ecosystem
examples include: cycling of nutrients; soil formation; and photosynthesis
,cultural services Humans can also gain social and health benefits from the existence and maintenance of
ecosystems and organisms -eg. aesthetic values; recreational benefits; and sense of
place
mass extinction event during which many species become extinct during a relatively short period of time
cretaceous - tertiary mass extinction - 65 million yrs ago
- dinosaurs, birds, marine invertebrates
- impact of a huge asteroid and also a volcanic eruption at a sea level
species endemism describes animals and plants that are native to one single geographical location
Why does endemism occur? - movement being restricted by mountain ranges, habitat zones or other regional
features.
- short-term environmental changes
- High number of endemic species is largely a result of its long period of separation from
other continents (eg. Australia is isolated from other land masses)
diversity hotspots areas with high amounts of endemic species
an area where native species and communities are well represented in an ecosystem and
remain largely as a whole
short term environmental changes changes that occur quickly in an ecosystem and affect organisms immediately
eg.
- volcanic eruptions
- fire
- natural disasters
CAUSES: population isolation, extinction or species vulnerability, competition for food
and water, air/water pollution, habitat loss & gene loss
Medium term environmental changes - El Niño - causes drought, competition, habitat loss, extinction
- drought
- long term flooding
Long term environmental changes - tectonic plate movement (caused many species to become endemic, regions closer to
the equator have higher biodiversity)
- evolution - causes natural selection, biological diversity, extinction
, How/Why do scientists assess species? - Scientists sample populations to assess species diversity → evaluate if they need
conservation management
- The variety of sampling → depends on the species/habitat.
- Samples go into a monitoring program to assess change in biodiversity over a period of
time/to evaluate the effectiveness of conservation management strategies.
Beneficence states that researchers should have the welfare of the research participant as a goal of
any research study
Quadrats Sampling using quadrats is one of the most widely used means of obtaining quantitative
information about the composition and structure of plant or animal communities
Importance of random sampling in quadrats For results to be statistically valid - the plots should be randomly located within the study
area, without bias
Disadvantages of quadrats - edge effects can occur: the decision of whether a plant/species on the edge of a
quadrat should be counted - can lead to overestimation
- CAN BE FIXED BY using different-shaped quadrats - using a circle shape quadrat can
lead to less chance of overestimation
Mark-recapture method technique to estimate the population size of live animals
- A sample of the population is captured, marked and released.
- The number of marked individuals within the second sample should be proportional to
the number of marked individuals in the whole population.
