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NSWGeographyQuick questions
Focus Area: Ecosystems and global biodiversity (2022 syllabus)
Quick questions on Ecosystem services and biodiversity loss: HSC Geography 2022 Focus Area
11short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What are ecosystem services?Show answer
The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005) and subsequent IPBES reports group ecosystem services into four categories:
What is drivers of biodiversity loss (the five drivers)?Show answer
IPBES identifies five direct drivers of biodiversity loss globally, in approximate order of current impact:
What are cultural services?Show answer
Non-material benefits: spiritual significance, recreation, aesthetic value, sense of place, ecotourism revenue, scientific research, traditional ecological knowledge.
What are protected areas?Show answer
National parks, marine parks, biosphere reserves. Aichi Biodiversity Targets (2010) aimed for 17 percent terrestrial and 10 percent marine protection by 2020; the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (2022) sets a "30 by 30" target (30 percent of land and ocean protected by 2030). Australia's National Reserve System is approximately 22 percent of land area; Marine Parks cover approximately 45 percent of Australian waters.
What is ecological restoration?Show answer
Bringing degraded ecosystems back toward a reference state. Examples: Loess Plateau restoration in China; Iberian rewilding; Australian threatened-species recovery plans.
What is indigenous-led conservation?Show answer
Indigenous Protected Areas in Australia now cover approximately 50 percent of the National Reserve System. Evidence shows Indigenous-managed land often has biodiversity outcomes equal to or better than government-managed parks, at lower cost.
What is market-based?Show answer
Payments for ecosystem services (e.g. REDD+ for forest carbon), biodiversity offsets, certification schemes (Marine Stewardship Council, FSC for timber).
What is generic "we need more protected areas"?Show answer
The Aichi targets (2020) were missed globally despite area expansion; the Kunming-Montreal Framework (30 by 30) is more ambitious but faces governance and financing gaps. Evaluation requires acknowledging implementation gaps.
What is q1?Show answer
Identify the four categories of ecosystem services with one example of each. [4 marks]
What is q2?Show answer
Analyse the five drivers of global biodiversity loss, with an indication of the dominant driver for land and for marine ecosystems. [6 marks]
What is q3?Show answer
Evaluate the effectiveness of global agreements (CBD / Kunming-Montreal, CITES) in addressing biodiversity loss. [8 marks]