spec/4/eNVsO/sp1/eNg/TZ0/XX/T

Environmental systems and societies

Standard level
Paper 1

Specimen paper

1 hour

RESOURCE BOOKLET
Instructions to candidates

• Do not open this booklet until instructed to do so.

• This booklet contains all the resources to answer paper 1

16 pages © International Baccalaureate Organization 2015

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Figure 1a: World map showing location of Mongolia

Mongolia

Figure 1b: Detailed map showing Mongolia

50° N Russia

Ulan Bator

45° N

N
High Mountains
Boreal Forests
Steppe
China Desert
200km
90° E 95° E 100° E 105° E 110° E 115° E

[Source: www.cia.gov]
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Figure 1c: Map showing the range of the snow leopard

Russia

Mongolia

Snow leapord range

200km China

[Source: www.tendua.org]

• Mongolia covers 1.5 million sq km. Only 1% of this is used for settlements and farming
• t is a land o natural contrasts ade up o lar e areas o at un orested rassland steppe
ountains in the west and the obi Desert in the south
• o the countr lies 1 abo e sea le el
• The population is . illion o who li e in the capital cit lan ator
• The rest o the population is spread o er lar e o ten inaccessible areas. an are no adic herders
living in yurts
• Mongolia is one of the poorest countries in Asia
• n the u an De elop ent nde on olia is ranked 1 out o 1 countries
• 13 % of land area is protected.

ource e tract act le ro on olia eo le elson Thornes 1

reproduced b per ission o the publishers ord ni ersit ress

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Figure 3a: Climate graph of Ulan Bator, Mongolia

on olia s harsh cli ate has alwa s presented its people with proble s

40 100
Maximum °C
Minimum °C
30 75
Rainfall

20 50

Average precipitation (mm)

Average temperature (°C)

10 25

0 0

-10

-20

-30

-40
J F M A M J J A S O N D

[Source: wikimedia.org]

Figure 3b: Tricellular model

15
cumulonimbus
clouds
Altitude (km)

10

Hadley Cell
Ferrel Cell
5
Polar Cell

0
North Pole 60° N 30° N Equator Latitude
high low high low pressure

[Source: www.geogonline.org.uk]
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Figure 3c: Graphs to show the relationship between climate, biomass and soil erosion

Enhanced
wind erosion
Wind speed

Growth Decay
Above ground
plant material

Biomass
Litter
Litter Grazing

Dead leaves Dead leaves

Precipitation
Soil moisture
Hydrological
factors

Snow depth

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Soil Freezing Soil Freezing

[source: www.origin-ars.els-cdn.com]

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• 1 a al species species o birds includin 1 i rator and 11 resident birds

species o sh reptile species and species o a phibians
• ore than species o hi her plants lichens osses un i. an other species
howe er re ain to be classi ed
• 1 ende ic plant species and a nu ber o ende ic ani al species such as the ai a antelope.

[Source: www.en.wikipedia.org]
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Sheep’s fescue Festuca ovina Bactrian camel Camelus bactrianus

[Source: www.letus.org]

ource http ste ensoninter ountainseed.co

Przewalski’s horse Equus ferus przewalskii Saiga antelope (endemic) Tatarica mongolica

ource http nature.ca ource http beniceart riends.co

Snow leopard Uncia uncia Feather grass Stipa pennata

[Source: © WWF] ource http en.wikipedia.or ten orse

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bout o on olians li e as no adic herders on sparsel populated rasslands. The herders

cattle sheep and oats represent their wealth. The use the to pa or e er thin ro ood to
medicine and schooling for their children.

These rasslands de elop rich ertile soils that ha e supported no adic pastoralists or centuries but
the are also hi hl ulnerable to de radation due to wind erosion and o er ra in . han es in cli ate
can cause further degradation of these soil systems.

Harsh conditions can make life very hard. In a recent survey over 97% of the herders interviewed
belie ed cli ate chan e to be a proble in their area.

The en iron ental conditions the described were

• re uent drou ht ollowed b D ud se ere winter e ents with hea snow all
• drying up of rivers and springs and reduction in drinking water
• reduction of feeding value of pasture land and hay making yield
• increased sand o e ent and deserti cation
• decrease in ani al bod wei ht leadin to decrease in the production o eat ilk wool
and cashmere.
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Figure 5b: Photos showing nomadic herder life

Inside a yurt A yurt

ource http upload.wiki edia.or

ource Donna aplin er

Frozen livestock killed by severe cold Mongolian herder gathering cashmere

wool from goat

ource http news.bbc.co.uk

ource www. lobalen ision.or

Snow leopard doll made from wool felt by Goat herder child
Mongolian women

[Source: from the case study “food security in the face of

cli ate risks on olian herders e periences presented
b atkhishi ai al and a ar aa al inn a at the ar
obinson oundation or anised un er utrition ustice 1
[Source: © Snow Leopard Trust] on erence in Dublin 1 1 pril 1

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Figure 6a and b: Climate data for Mongolia

Figure 6a: Annual average air temperature in Mongolia, 1940–2008

3.0
2.5
Average temperature variation

2.0
from 1940–2008 (°C)

1.5
1.0
0.5
0
–0.5
–1.0
–1.5
–2.0
1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Year

Figure 6b: Total annual precipitation in Mongolia, 1940–2008

100
80
Average precipitation variation

60
from 1940–2008 (mm)

40
20
0
–20
–40
–60
–80
–100
1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Year

ource on olian et o ce
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Figure 7a: Changes in pastoralism in Mongolia

o adic pastoralis is when li estock roups o ani als are o ed to nd resh ra in pastures.
The o e ent can be an where at an i en ti e with no set path or pattern.

ettled pastoralis is when the ani als are kept in the sa e place or the whole ear or at least ost
o it. per anent place to keep the ani als is needed such as a barn.

There has been a recent trend or no adic pastoralists to settle near lan ator. This is because o
the hi her price o eat in these areas and the harsh conditions on the steppe. The o ern ent has
encoura ed no ads to settle as this is seen as bein ore de eloped.

Figures 7b: A study comparing the degradation of land under nomadic pastoralism and settled
pastoralism using computer modeling

120 km Nomadic pastoralism 120 km Settled pastoralism

Most degraded

No degradation

0 120 km 0 120 km
Figures 7c: Changes in the number of animals owned by households

Nomadic pastoralism Settled pastoralism

800
Number of animals

600

400

200

0 10 20 30 0 10 20 30
Years Years

source http www.chik u.ac. p

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Figure 7d: Costs of ecosystem restoration

Coral
reefs
10 000

1000
Marine Lake and
rivers
×1000 per hectare

100
Tropical
Euros (€)

forests
10

Grassland
1
Coastal
systems
0.1

0.01

Wetlands Temperate
forests
0

ource www.circleo blue.or

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Figure 8a: Roads in the Mongolian Steppe

ource www.suiri.tsukuba.ac. p

oads in the steppe are o ten no ore than sand tracks. Dri ers o ertakin or passin other ehicles
can o o the track and cause da a e to the e etation. er ti e tracks beco e recoloni ed with
vegetation.

n ecolo ical stud was undertaken to co pare three tracks in the steppe. Two abandoned tracks were
selected Track and Track which were in parallel ne t to the current track Track to in esti ate
the recovery of vegetation.

ach in esti ated track e tended o er and was in width. n additional site D was also
investigated.

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Figure 8b: Variation of soil hardness

5000

4000

3000
Hardness (1000kgm2)

80

60

40

20

0
kA

kB

kC

D
ac

ac
ac

te
Tr

Tr
Tr

Si
Figure 9: Environmental unsustainability in Mongolia

Urban health problems

(air and noise pollution, smog diseases)

Uncontrolled urbanization
(overcrowding, poverty)

Socio-economic factors
• Unemployment
Migration to Ulan Bator city • Poverty
• Finding a better life
• Education

Rangeland ecosystem degradation

Human cause Climate change

• Overuse of watering points • Warming
• Overgrazing • Drought and dzud
• Deforestation • Water resources drying up
• Mining with non rehabilitation • Low plant biomass
• Desertification

ource Da aan a uren a Dr ran elands de radation i ration uncontrolled urbani ation and
urban health in on olia
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Figure 10: Snow Leopard Trust

Snow leopard population:

• 1 nd
lar est population in the world .

Threats to snow leopards:

• poachin or trade in hides or bones
• revenge killing for livestock loss
• inin in snow leopard habitat.

Mission and conservation philosophy

The now eopard Trust started workin in on olia in 1 . t builds co unit partnerships b usin
science to determine priorities for protecting the endangered snow leopard:
• understandin snow leopard beha ior and habitat
• listening to the community to identify needs
• seeking resources for sustaining long-term programs.

Conservation methods:
• snow leopard businesses local wo en sell hand ade snow leopard dolls to increase inco es
• li estock nsurance nancial co pensation i en to herders who lose an ani al to snow leopard
predation
• research center set up to study ecosystem
• ca eras satellite trackin trackin collars
• genetic research.
2
Landscape Focus Area: one landscape area appro i atel k where conser ation and research
efforts are focused.

[Source: © Snow Leopard Trust]

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 per capita.
Biocapacity over time (global hectares per capita)

0
10
20
30
50
Mongolia
Australia
New Zealand
Papua New Guinea
Malaysia
Myanmar (Burma)
Figure 11: Biocapacity for different countries

Thailand
Vietnam
– 16 –

People’s Republic of China

Timor-Leste
Republic of Korea

ource http assets.panda.or

Philippines
Japan
iocapacit can be de ned as the a ount o biolo icall producti e land

India
Sri Lanka
Bangladesh
Singapore
2008
1985
1961
easured in lobal hectares
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