HKALE BIOLOGY | E2 Applied Ecology | P.

Human Impact on Environment

1. 1991/IIC/12
Discuss the consequences of the present rapid destruction of the world's tropical rain forests.
(20 marks)
2. 1993/IB/10
Oysters are collected from the coastal waters around Deep Bay for sale in local markets. However, in
Hong Kong sewage effluents are discharged into coastal areas and consumption of sewage-contaminated
oysters may pose a health risk.
An experiment was conducted in winter and summer to determine the uptake of faecal bacteria by oysters.
Faecal bacteria-free oysters of different sizes were suspended in coastal waters. The levels of faecal
bacteria in oyster tissues were measured at regular intervals within a 12-hour period. The results of this
study are shown in the following table:

Batches of oysters
A B C
Mean shell length (mm) 21 81 114
Mean flesh weight (g) 25 95 140
Mean surface area of gills (cm2) 252 2733 4212
Winte
Season Winter Summer Summer Winter Summer
r
Mean 0h 0 0 0 0 0 0
number of
faecal
bacterial 3h 5 25 14 85 15 120
cells in 6h 10 48 18 118 25 135
oysters
(per gram 9h 15 50 22 120 29 199
flesh weight) 12 h 16 51 22 119 30 200

(a) What is the relationship between the faecal bacteria concentration in oyster tissues and the body size
of the oysters? With reference to the data provided, suggest a possible explanation for such a
relationship.
(2 marks)
(b) (i) For each batch of oysters, determine the ratio of bacteria concentration in oyster tissue in winter
to that in summer, after suspension in water for 12 hours.
(1 mark)
(ii) Give an account of three environmental factors which could explain the seasonal difference in
bacteria concentrations in the oyster tissues.
(3 marks)
(c) Would you expect a further increase in the faecal bacteria concentration in oyster tissues if the oysters
were to be suspended in the coastal water for another 12 hours? Explain your answer.
(3 marks)
(d) In which part of an oyster would you expect bacteria to be accumulated? Explain your answer.
(4 marks)
(f) Suggest three ways by which it would be possible to minimise the public health risk of consuming
sewage-contaminated oysters.
(3 marks)
 HKALE BIOLOGY | E2 Applied Ecology | P.2

3. 1994/IA/6
Explain what you understand by the following concepts:
(a) non-renewable resources
(b) eutrophication (4 marks)

4. 1994/IA/7
(a) What is meant by biodeterioration?
(b) Describe an example of a biodeteriorative effect caused by a microorganism.
(3 marks)
5. 1995/IA/4c
Distinguish between the causes of the greenhouse effect and the causes of ozone depletion.
(2 marks)
6. 1999/IIB/8
Land reclamation in Hong Kong is associated with intensive dredging activities carried out in the waters of
Hong Kong and around Hong Kong. These dredging activities involve the digging up of the sea floor for
sand to reclaim land. Discuss the impact of these activities on marine organisms and on the marine
ecosystems of the dredged and reclaimed areas.
(20 marks)
7. 1999/II/10
The tropical rain forests on earth are being destroyed rapidly. What are the causes of their destruction?
Discuss the ecological consequences of this deforestation.
(20 marks)
8. 2001/IA/8
Algal bloom means the vigorous growth of phytoplanktons. Explain how this phenomenon can bring about
one advantage and one disadvantage to aquatic life.
(3 marks)
9. 2001/IB/11
River A passes through a new town (established in 1991) in the northwestern part of the New Territories
of Hong Kong before entering Deep Bay. This river is classified as a highly polluted watercourse in the
Deep Bay Catchment. Figure 1 shows the water quality trends of River A from 1990 to 2000.
Figure 1

(N.B. E. coli is a facultative anaerobic bacterium. It is found in the colon of man and livestock.)
(a) According to the given information, propose a reason to account for the observed trend of E. coli
population from 1993 to 1997.
(1 mark)

(b) Account for the trends of total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) and dissolved oxygen (DO) in River A from
1993 to 1997.
(2 marks)
 HKALE BIOLOGY | E2 Applied Ecology | P.3

(c) It is known that there are oyster cultures in Deep Bay. What would be the impact on public health of
the observed trend of E. coli population from 1993 to 1997? Explain your answer.
(3 marks)
(d) As a citizen, what can you do to minimise the health risk due to the consumption of oysters cultured in
Deep Bay.
(1 mark)
(e) Inner Deep Bay mudflat is a major feeding ground for migratory birds in Mai Po. Polychaetes (a kind
of annelid) at the mudflat are an important food source for these birds, allowing them to refuel before
they carry on their migratory journey. Since 1990, the number of migratory birds over-wintering at
this area has increased steadily reaching a peak record in 1996. However, their number has shown a
dramatic decline since 1996.
Figure 2 shows the change in dry mass of four dominant polychaetes in Inner Deep Bay mudflat.
Figure 2

(i) According to Figure 2,

(1) which species of polychaete might be associated with the decline in number of these
migratory birds? What information supports this association?
(3 marks)
(2) which species of polychaete seemed to be most adaptive to the changing environment of the
Inner Deep Bay mudflat? What information supports your choice?
(3 marks)

(ii) Given that polychaetes are detritus feeders, based on the information you have about the
changing water quality of River A, suggest possible explanations for the change in total average
dry mass of the polychaetes.
(3 marks)
(f) To protect the Inner Deep Bay mudflat, it is necessary to improve the water quality of River A.
Existing sewage treatment already included nutrient reduction and aeration. What further sewage
treatment measure can you suggest to reduce the bacterial population?
(1 mark)
10. 2001/II/10
Write an essay on ‘the health hazards associated with atmospheric pollution and pollution caused by solid
waster disposal in Hong Kong’. For each of these two types of pollution, explain two ways in which the
level of pollution can be reduced by the Hong Kong SAR Government.
(20 marks)
 HKALE BIOLOGY | E2 Applied Ecology | P.4

11. 2001/II/10
Read the following passage and then answer the questions that follow.

(a) Why is the soil of wetlands anaerobic? Suggest one physiological and one structural adaptation
shown by plants in the wetland community to deal with such a soil condition. (lines 1-4)
(3 marks)
(b) Salt marshes and mangrove have vegetation that exhibits halophytic features. Describe two of those
features. (line 2)
(2 marks)
(c)(i) When wetlands are used to treat nutrient-rich domestic sewage for recycling of nutrient, what
biological principles form the basis of such treatment and recycling? (lines 9-10)
(4 marks)
(ii) Give one kind of substance found in industrial sewage but not in domestic sewage which would
make wetlands undesirable for treating industrial sewage. Explain the potential threat to the
wetland ecosystems if they were used to treat industrial sewage. (line 11)
(3 marks)
(d) State two economic impacts the proposed railway project would bring to Hong Kong. (lines 12-14)
(2 marks)
(e) Discuses the possible ecological impacts on the wetlands if the railways cutting through Long
Valley were constructed as it was proposed in 2000. (lines 7-8, 14-16)
(6 marks)
12. 2003/IA/8
Write a short description to account for the phenomenon of global warming using the following terms:
Deforestation, fossil fuels, greenhouse effect
(4 marks)
 HKALE BIOLOGY | E2 Applied Ecology | P.5

13. 2003/IB/11
Peter obtained three sediment samples X, Y and Z from the seabed and tested them for their ability in
inducing DNA damage. He first divided each sample into two identical batches. Then he extracted
chemicals from one batch using water (aqueous extract) and from the other batch using an organic solvent
(organic extract). The extracts obtained were used for testing their ability to induce DNA damage.
The results are shown in Table 1:
Table 1
Aqueous extract Organic extract
sample X sample Y sample Z sample X sample Y sample Z
DNA
+ － － － － ++
damage
Key: + means DNA damage, the number of + indicates the intensity of the DNA damage
－ means no DNA damage
(a) Describe the ability of the extracts of samples X, Y and Z in inducing DNA damage.
(3 marks)
(b) Peter’s teacher advised him to conduct another experiment to study the abilities of the various extracts
to induce DNA damage after incubating the extracts with a liver homogenate (liver homogenate is
ground liver tissue). The results of this experiment are shown in Table 2:
Table 2
Aqueous extract incubated Organic extract incubated
Liver
with liver homogenate with liver homogenate
homogenate
sample sample sample sample sample sample
along
X Y Z X Y Z
DNA
－ － － － ++ ++ －
damage

(i) After incubation with the liver homogenate, what changes can be observed in the ability of the
samples in inducing DNA damage? (2 marks)
(ii)(1) Propose a hypothesis to explain how the liver homogenate brought about the changes you
described in (b)(i). (1 mark)
(2) How would you test your hypothesis? (3 marks)
(c) Sample Z was obtained from a site where the seabed is often disturbed by human activities. Suggest
and explain a possible health risk to humans when they consume shrimps harvested from this site.
(HINT: Shrimps are detritus feeders.) (3 marks)

14. 2003/IB/12
A sketch map of River A and its tributary B is shown below. The waters of A and B have the same flow
rate
and both flow into Bay D.
 HKALE BIOLOGY | E2 Applied Ecology | P.6

River A receives organic effluent from a food processing factory E while its tributary B receives effluent
from an electroplating factory F at the positions indicated in the map.
The invertebrate communities of the riverbed were examined at each of the sample areas,
A1, A2, A3, B1, and B2. The table below shows the results of this study:

Sample are
A1 A2 A3 B1 B2
Organism
Species 1 29 35
Species 2 5 9
Species 3 8 12
Species 4 530 21
Species 5 70 4 56 3
Species 6 219 16
Species 7 18 21 2
Species 8 18 3
Species 9 5
Species 10 56 3 2 70
Species 11 1 3
Species 12 13 9
Species 13 3
Species 14 45 40 7
Species 15 12 25 36
N.B.: = absence of the Species

(a) Count the number of species found in each sample area and present your data in a chart. Label the
axes of your chart appropriately. (4 marks)

(b) What information can you obtain from the chart regarding the change in the number of invertebrate
species along River A and its tributary B? (2 marks)

(c) According to the data, the effluent from E produced negative and positive effects on the population
size of different invertebrate species.
(i) Which one species can best be used to show this negative effect? Explain how this effect is brought
about. (3 marks)
(ii) Which two species can best be used to show this positive effect? Give two reasons to explain how this
effect is brought about. (3 marks)

(d) With reference to the data,

(i) make a general comment on the effect of the effluent of F on the invertebrate community, and
account for this effect. (2 marks)
(ii) identify one species that showed a different response to the effluent of F from the others. Suggest a
reason to account for this response. (2 marks)

(e) River A runs into Bay D, which is a protected area containing a number of ecologically important
fauna and flora. If you were a representative of a green group, suggest two measures to the
Government for the protection of this area.
(2 marks)
First measure: _____

Second measure: ___________

 HKALE BIOLOGY | E2 Applied Ecology | P.7

15. 2005/IB/10
Two samples, A and B, each containing a mixture of different bacteria, were collected from an
undeveloped rural area and a site close to heavy industries respectively. Equal quantities of bacterial
mixture samples A and B were separately suspended in 1 mL of culture medium and immediately stored at
4℃. Then 0.05 mL of each sample was inoculated on complete nutrient agar plates with or without a lethal
dose of the heavy metal cadmium. After incubation, the number of bacterial colonies on each plate was
counted and the results are shown in the table below.
(N.B. Each living bacterium will give rise to one bacterial colony on an agar plate.)

Number of bacterial colonies on the agar plate

Sample
Without cadmium With cadmium
A 500 0
B 400 30

(a) Why should the bacterial samples be stored at 4℃ right after collection? (1 mark)

(b) What is the concentration (number of bacteria per mL) of living bacteria in the suspension of sample
A in culture medium? (1 mark)

(c) What is the percentage of cadmium-resistant bacteria in sample B? (1 mark)

(d) Explain the difference in the percentage of cadmium-resistant bacteria between samples A and B.
(3 marks)

(e) Pre-treating sample A with a laboratory chemical X before inoculation yielded the following results
after incubation:

Number of bacterial colonies on the agar plate

Sample A
Without cadmium With cadmium
Not treated with X 500 0
Pre-treated with X 100 2
Propose the possible effect of X on the bacteria in sample A and explain the above results.
(3 marks)

(f) In an attempt to clone the cadmium-resistance gene, genes were extracted from the genome of the
cadmium-resistant bacterium found in sample B and each was ligated to a bacterial plasmid vector V.
A collection of recombinant plasmids containing different genes from the bacterium was thus
obtained.
You are provided with a bacterial host E. coli. Use a flowchart to outline the procedure of cloning the
cadmium-resistance gene using E. coli.
(N.B. This E. coli. Is cadmium-sensitive and can be easily transformed with vector V.)
(3 marks)

(g) State a possible use of the cadmium-resistance gene cloned in (f) if

(i) the gene works by preventing cadmium from entering the cells,
(ii) the gene makes the cells tolerant to cadmium accumulation. (2 marks)
 HKALE BIOLOGY | E2 Applied Ecology | P.8

16. 2005/IIB/6
(b) Explain the causes and the effects of two environmental issues that are brought about by the
combustion of fossil fuel. (6 marks)
(c) If there is an increase in carbon dioxide level in the atmosphere, what would be the ecological
implications to terrestrial plants and the soil nutrient level?
(4 marks)
17. 2005/IIC/7
Increased production in agriculture has caused various environmental and human health problems.
Discuss how these problems are brought about by excessive and inappropriate agricultural practices in
crop production and animal husbandry.
(20 marks)
18. 2005/IIC/7
To study the impact of environmental pollutants on marine life in a conservation area, scientists collected
the following information on five different types of marine organisms, A, B, C, D and E, for Ecological
Risk Assessment:
Table 1

Level of pollutant
in the body of Intake dose* (mg Threshold level**
Organism organisms (mg per kg body mass (mg per kg body
Organism Gut content
characteristics per kg body per day) mass per day)
mass)
Mercury Pesticide Mercury Pesticide Mercury Pesticide
With
A mammary Some fish 78 96 35.0 82.0 28.0 40.0
glands
Soft body Organic
enclosed by particles and
B two pieces of some 25 57 1.8 2.1 2.0 6.0
shell planktonic
organisms
Microscopic,
C with -- 1 2 -- -- -- --
chloroplasts
Body covered Some
D with scales, planktonic 10 31 4.0 10.0 3.0 12.0
has fins larvae
Microscopic, Some
E holozoic phytoplankton 2 15 1.5 3.0 2.0 4.0
species
Note: * Intake dose is the amount of pollutant taken up by the organism.
** Threshold level is the amount of pollutant taken up by the organism, above which adverse
biological effects may be observed in the organism.

(a) Using the data provided in Table 1, draw one bar chart on the opposite page to show the level of
pollutants in the body of each type of organisms. (5 marks)

(b) Based on the information provided, construct a food web to show the feeding relationship between
these organisms. (2 marks)
(c) Describe and explain the pollutant levels along the longest food chain in the food web.
(3 marks)
(d) The Ecological Risk Assessment was undertaken by working out a risk quotient (RQ). The RQ for
each organism is the ratio of the intake does to the threshold level of the pollutants. An RQ value
smaller than 1 indicates that the pollutant poses a low risk to the well-being of the organism, while an
RQ equal to or larger than 1 indicates a level that may be harmful to the organism.
 HKALE BIOLOGY | E2 Applied Ecology | P.9

(i) Using the data in Table 1, calculate the missing RQ values for organisms B and D in Table 2. Put
the RQ in the spaces provided in the table below:
(1 mark)
Table 2

RQ
Organism
Mercury Pesticide
A 1.25 2.05
B 0.90
C -- --
D 0.83
E 0.75 0.75

(ii) It is known that both pollutants are persistent in the environment, and they are toxic to the
organisms. Discuss how the RQ values in Table 2 can be used to predict the impact of the
pollutants on the survival of each organism and hence on the ecological balance in this
conservation area. (4 marks)

19. 2007/IIB/6
(a) Global warming is an important environmental issue we face today. Its causes may be associated with
the development of transport infrastructure such as highway systems. Discuss how the fast
development of highway systems in Mainland China may directly and indirectly enhance the
greenhouse effect leading to global warming. (8 marks)

(b) Discuss how global warming may change the physical environment of the Earth and subsequentlylead
to structural changes of global ecosystems. (6 marks)

(c) Some organisms can be used as indicators for studying pollution. For water pollution and air
pollution respectively, give one example of an indicator organism and explain why it can be used to
estimate the degree of pollution. (6 marks)

20. 2009/IIB/5b
Vast areas of ropical rainforests are currently being cleared for human use. Explain the ecological
consequences of such cleaning on the forest community.
(5 marks)

21. 2010/IIB/4b
In the arctic region, animal species A and B require the same type of shelter for hibernation. However, the
number of shelters available is limited. The shelter seeking behavior of species A is triggered by the
shortening of daylight hours, while that of species B is triggered by prolonged cold weather below a
certain temperature. Explain how global warming would affect the population sizes of A and B.
(7 marks)
 HKALE BIOLOGY | E2 Applied Ecology | P.8

Conservation
1. 1991/IIB/10
Write an essay describing the ecological problems associated with Tolo Harbour, suggesting ways of
rehabilitating it.
(20 marks)
2. 1992/IIB/10
Discuss how conservation measures and biotechnology may lead to an accelerated ability to produce the
kinds of organisms most useful to man.
(20 marks)
3. 1993/II/12
As a biologist, how would you educate yourself about animal rights and animal exploitation? What would
you then do with such knowledge?
(20 marks)
4. 1993/II/13
How does waste recycling contribute to environmental protection? Illustrate your answer with examples.
(20 marks)
5. 1994/IIB/8
What are the objectives for the establishment of Country Parks in Hong Kong? Describe the management
strategies to achieve these objectives.
(20 marks)
6. 1994/IIB/9
Write an essay on the impact of the different methods of solid waste disposal on the local environment. As
an individual how could you help to reduce the volume of waste generated?
(20 marks)
7. 1994/IIB/10
Discuss the pros and cons of the role of zoos as conservation and educational centres.
(20 marks)
8. 1994/IIB/11
Write an essay on the biological consequences of natural disasters.
(20 marks)
9. 1995/IIB/9
‘Ecotourism’ allows tourists to have an intimate experience with nature without intruding on local wildlife
or communities. What is the environmental, educational, and economic value of promoting ‘Ecotourism’
in a country?
(20 marks)
10. 1996/IIB/8
What are the causes and effects of marine pollution in Hong Kong? Comment on the various measures
which have been adopted or proposed by the Hong Kong Government to alleviate the impact of such
pollution.
(20 marks)
11. 1996/IIB/9
What is the biological importance of the Hong Kong countryside? How do the urban and the rural
inhabitants of Hong Kong benefit from the countryside?
(20 marks)
12. 1996/IIB/10
What are the causes that lead to an organism becoming an ‘endangered species’? As an individual, what
can you do to contribute to the protection and conservation of endangered species?
(20 marks)
13. 1997/IIB/8
How does tree planting in the urban and rural areas of Hong Kong help to improve the living environment
for man and other organisms?
(20 marks)
 HKALE BIOLOGY | E2 Applied Ecology | P.9

14. 1997/IIB/10
What functions should coastal conservation areas such as the ‘Marine Parks’ in Hong Kong fulfill? What
criteria would you consider in selecting a suitable area in Hong Kong for establishing a coastal
conservation area?
(20 marks)
15. 1998/IIB/9
‘Man requires fresh water, yet, the global availability of water is limited. Man through his activities keeps
on polluting this precious resource and the consequences can be far-reaching.’ Write an essay on this.
Include in your essay the measures that can be taken to conserve the use of water and to minimize the
pollution of water.
(20 marks)
16. 2000/IIB/7
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department of the Hong Kong SAR is developing its
artificial reef programme. Describe the process of ecological succession at the implementation sites.
Discuss the biological impacts (pros and cons) of the artificial reef on both pelagic (living in the water
column) and benthic (living at the bottom) communities and the marine ecosystems at the implementation
sites. Discuss one economic issue brought about by the artificial reef programme.
(20 marks)
17. 2001/IIB/8
‘Overfishing’ has been identified as one of the problems in the fishery industry of Hong Kong. What
factors contribute to overfishing? What are the ecological impacts of overfishing on the marine
environment? Describe and explain the measures that the Hong Kong SAR Government can take to
restore the sustainability of fisheries in Hong Kong.
(20 marks)
18. 2004/IA/5
To consider whether a certain site is worthy of conservation, scientists have developed some assessment
criteria and a scoring system based on these criteria to assess the ecological value of the site. The criteria
given in tables 1 and 2 below can be used to assess the ecological value of four different sites, A, B, C and D
shown in the photographs on next page.
 HKALE BIOLOGY | E2 Applied Ecology | P.10

(a) In each table, match the four sites A, B, C and D with the descriptions. Put the appropriate letters in
the spaces provided. Use each letter once only in each table.
(3 marks)

Table 1
Criterion 1: Degree of naturalness
Description Score Site(s) matching the description
- man-made site 1
- moderately modified by
2
humans
- truly natural and free from
3
human modification

Table 2
Criterion 2: Difficulty to recover or rebuild to the status shown in the
photographs after extensive human disturbance
Description Score Site(s) matching the description
- easy to recover or rebuild to
the status shown in the 1
photograph(s)
- possible to recover or rebuild
to the status shown in the
2
photograph(s), but would take
much time and effort
- very difficult or impossible to
recover or rebuild to the
status shown in the 3
photograph(s) regardless of
time and effort

(b) According to your score, determine which site is

(i) most worthy of conservation:
(ii)least worthy of conservation:
(2 marks)

(c) Apart from the criteria given in the above tables, suggest one additional criterion that can be used for
such conservation assessment. What is the ecological basis for using this criterion for assessment?
(2 marks)