IBDP Geography-Option B-Ocean management futures: IB style Questions HLSL Paper 1

Question

Option B — Oceans and coastal margins
 The photograph shows the landscape at Cape Foulwind, South Island, New Zealand.

 (a) Examine how the increasing demand for abiotic resources in ocean areas may be a source of international conflict.\([10]\)
Or
 (b) Examine why it is difficult to reduce the impacts of hurricanes on coastal places and people.[10]

▶️Answer/Explanation

Ans:

(a) Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.
Abiotic resources include minerals, oil and gas. Increasing demand, especially for fossil
fuels, has resulted in exploration and exploitation of deposits below the ocean floor. This has
increased the strategic value of oceans and is a potential cause of international conflict in
contested ocean areas. Possibilities for managing international conflict concern resolving
ownership issues and rights to exploit mineral deposits, involving local, national and
international agreements and laws.
Possible applied themes (AO2) demonstrating knowledge and
understanding (AO1):
• Abiotic resources include minerals, oil and gas (Do not credit biotic
resources, such as fish).
• Increasing demand for resources below ocean floors is a potential cause of
international conflict.
• Ownership of ocean areas may be in doubt and contested at the national and
international scale.
• Management of conflict involves resolving contested ownership, international
laws and allocation of territorial rights/limits which may reduce conflict/make
conflict less likely.
• Stakeholders include national governments and transnational mining
corporations, and/or international organizations such as the UN and NGOs.
Good answers may be well-structured (AO4) and may additionally offer a critical
evaluation (AO3) which examines a variety of reasons for international conflict, and
the roles/power of different stakeholders, in different places. Another approach might
be to examine the varying perspectives on the effectiveness of management strategies.
For 5-6 marks, expect some weakly-evidenced outlining of why increasing demand for
abiotic resources may lead to international conflict.
For 7-8 marks, expect a structured account which includes:
• either an evidenced explanation of the sources of international conflict concerning
the increased demand for resources
• or a discursive conclusion (or ongoing evaluation) grounded in geographical concepts
and/or perspectives, perhaps recognizing that conflicts may be overcome/minimized.
For 9-10 marks, expect both of these traits.
Award a maximum of [4] if biotic resources e.g. fish are the focus of the answer.

(b) Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.
Hurricanes may cause serious impacts to coastal places and people, through damage
caused by flooding, storm surges and strong winds. Tropical regions are especially
vulnerable to hurricane impacts. Impacts may be reduced by forecasting and prediction of
hurricane events, constructing adequate defenses against flooding, and strategies to
increase resilience and minimize risk to coastal communities.
Possible applied themes (AO2) demonstrating knowledge and
understanding (AO1):
• Hurricanes cause serious flooding in coastal areas, due to both heavy, prolonged
rain, and storm surges caused by strong winds. Strong winds may also cause serious
damage to buildings and other infrastructure.
• Hurricanes are difficult to predict/forecast: timing, tracks and strength. Coastal areas may
therefore be unprepared.
• Global climate change, and rise in sea levels, may result in an increase in hurricane
frequency and intensity, and requires global effort.
• Both rural and urban population pressures are increasing on vulnerable coastal
margins, many of which are low-lying, and may be below sea-level.
• Hurricanes often affect relatively poor countries – they cannot afford to build/maintain
adequate defenses against flooding; warning systems may be inadequate; problems of
poor communication systems.
• Costly and difficult to improve poorly constructed buildings and infrastructure.
• Poorer communities may lack resilience and preparation, which are difficult to overcome.
• Government and local planning may be inadequate, partly due to unforeseen power of
some hurricanes.
Good answers may be well-structured (AO4) and may additionally offer a critical
evaluation (AO3), which examines processes and systems affecting the level of impacts in
different coastal places. Also, the varying power of different stakeholders may be examined.
Another approach might be to examine how it can be challenging to reduce impacts over
longer time scales.
For 5-6 marks, expect some weakly-evidenced outlining of how the impact of hurricanes on
places and people may be reduced
For 7-8 marks, expect a structured account which includes:
• either an evidenced explanation of the difficulties of reducing the impacts of hurricanes
on people and places
• or a discursive conclusion (or ongoing evaluation) grounded in geographical concepts
and/or perspectives.
For 9-10 marks, expect both of these traits.

Question

Describe two characteristics of oceanic crust.[4]

a.

Briefly outline the oceanic circulation in the Pacific Ocean during an El Niño event.[2]

b.i.

Explain the wind and pressure systems in an El Niño event.[4]

b.ii.

Examine the spatial and temporal consequences of overfishing.[10]

c.
▶️Answer/Explanation

Markscheme

In each case, award [1] for a valid characteristic, and a further [1] for development/exemplification.

For example: Oceanic crust is dense [1], and is mainly basaltic [1].
It is relatively young [1], being nowhere older than 200 million years [1]. It increases with age away from a mid-ocean ridge [1] where new ocean crust is formed [1].

It is thinner than continental crust [1], 6–10 km thick as opposed to 35–70 km [1].

Description of oceanic landforms (for example, ridge, trench) [1]; development including details of oceanic crust [1].

a.

Surface water moves eastwards from west/Australia to east/South America [1] before sinking and returning at depth to the west [1].

Full credit may be awarded for a suitably annotated diagram.

b.i.

Award [1] for each valid point.

For example: High pressure is located in the western Pacific/Australia and low pressure over the eastern Pacific/South America [1].
This causes surface winds to blow from the western Pacific eastwards [1].
This pushes warm water towards South America, warming the air above and causing low pressure [1].
Winds at high altitude blow from east to west, and the subsiding air in the western Pacific leads to high pressure at ground level, eg Australia and Indonesia [1].

The connection between wind and pressure systems must be made explicit for full marks.

A suitably annotated diagram may be used as part of the explanation.

b.ii.

The consequences of overfishing can include falling fish stocks, extinction of prized species, reduced harvests of fish, economic decline, unemployment, the creation of policies to reduce/combat over-fishing, the movement of trawlers into fisheries more distant from their country of origin, illegal fishing in other territories’ waters.

Examples could include the decline of fishing in the Grand Banks of Canada, North Sea cod, blue-fin tuna in the Mediterranean, and, increasingly, off the coast of West Africa.

Good answers will explicitly address how the consequences are spatial and temporal, for instance they may examine how impacts can be local (eg falling fish yields) or global (increased prices for top species), short term (seasonal) or
long term. They may also examine whether the consequences are negative (falling stocks and yields) or positive (eg a cause for the development of aquaculture or for greater management and conservation policies eg maximum
sustainable yield/quotas) for different places / on different timescales.

At band D expect a descriptive account of at least two consequences of overfishing. (Do not expect both spatial and temporal consequences to be addressed explicitly at this level.)

At band E expect either a greater range/depth of consequences of overfishing or a structured examination of the spatial and temporal dimensions of overfishing.

At band F expect both of these elements.

Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.

c.

Question

Explain two conflicts that may arise as a result of aquaculture.[4]

b.

“The disposal of waste in the oceans is causing serious harm to people and places.” Discuss this statement.[10]

c.
▶️Answer/Explanation

Markscheme

In each case, award [1] for an identification of the conflict and a further [1] for a development/extension of the conflict.

For example: There may be conflict between aquaculture operators and environmentalists [1] owing to the large volume of fish pellets needed to feed the farmed stock [1]; it takes 2–5 kg of fish pellets to produce 1 kg of farmed salmon [1].

Other possible conflicts may include:

• local/national fishermen/the fish industry due to the introduction of exotic species, eg Atlantic salmon into the Pacific
• environmental health agencies may be worried about the leaking of steroids/faeces/chemicals into surrounding waters, damaging local ecosystems/water sources.

b.

Waste disposal includes radioactive material, oil and chemical waste. Chemical waste includes SO2 and NOx (acidification), nitrates (eutrophication/dead zones), plastics (garbage patches), effluent from ships, oil pollution, heavy metals.

Disposal of waste may lead to reduced biological productivity. On the other hand, increased productivity in the short term is associated with nitrates, increased risk of diseases and fatality, reduced growth rates, reduced survival rates. Waste disposal may lead to death of people, falling incomes through reduced fish yields, increased cost of clean-up, unemployment, reduced tourist revenues.

However, the opposing view could be that not all waste causes serious harm to people and places, eg some waste may be disposed of far from populated areas or may be treated/of low toxicity and therefore not especially harmful to ecosystems. For companies involved in clean-up operations/repairs, there may be increased opportunities, rather than any harm.

Good answers may progress beyond a simple description of the problems associated with waste disposal. Good answers may discuss:

• the scale of pollution
• how the impacts vary from place to place and on different types of people
• whether pollution is serious (perspectives may differ)
• whether it is a global problem or a localized one
• whether pollution is a greater problem in different types of ocean (open ocean versus partly enclosed)
• whether management strategies are effective.

At band D, expect some description of waste disposal and the harm that it is causing to people and places.

At band E, expect either a more detailed explanation of waste disposal’s impact on people and places or a structured discussion of the statement that questions the idea of severity and harm.

At band F, expect both of these elements.

Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.

c.

Question

Briefly outline the role of oceans as a source of carbon dioxide.[2]

a.i.

Briefly outline the role of oceans as a store of carbon dioxide.[2]

a.ii.

Explain what is meant by the term “oceanic conveyor belt”.[2]

b.i.

Suggest two reasons why the oceanic conveyor belt is important.[4]

b.ii.

Evaluate the success of one named conservation policy for sustainable fishing.[10]

c.
▶️Answer/Explanation

Markscheme

Award [1] for each of the following, up to a maximum of [2]:

  • oceans are a source of carbon dioxide, which can be transferred to the atmosphere
  • carbon dioxide is released during submarine volcanic activity
  • carbon dioxide can be brought up from the ocean depths
  • respiration of marine organisms
  • other valid points.

Do not allow fossil fuels as a source.

a.i.

Award [1] for each of the following, up to a maximum of [2]:

  • the ocean is the major/largest store/sink of CO2
  • acts as a sink for some of the carbon dioxide that has passed through the food chain; stored in sediments
  • credit other valid points about oceanic storage of carbon.

Do not allow fossil fuels as a store.

a.ii.

Award [1] for each of the following, up to a maximum of [2] 

  • the oceanic conveyor belt (OCB), refers to part of the large-scale ocean circulation
  • places/oceans/currents are linked by the OCB
  • cause or a pattern of the OCB, eg density gradients or the process of wind driven surface currents.
b.i.

Candidates may approach this question from the perspective of human importance and/or system importance.

In each case, award [1] for identifying a valid reason and a further [1] for development or exemplification.

Possibilities include:

  • Moderation of climates [1], so the thermal growing season for agriculture is extended/tourist development [1].
  • Important because it transfers global heat energy between latitudes [1]; if the circulation stopped it would cause significant climate change [1].
  • The conveyer belt reduces temperature differences between oceans [1], therefore linking the oceans as a single global system [1].
  • OCB brings nutrients to the surface [1], and this supports abundant marine life/fish [1].
b.ii.

Conservation policies, eg the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), may refer to the total allowable catch, the harvesting of juvenile fish, limiting the number of vessels, checking of landings, limited access to fishing grounds.

Sustainable fishing is the maximum number/weight/amount of fish that can be caught in any one year without depleting the stock/population. A sustainable fishing policy allows a depleted stock to recover its size.

Good answers may evaluate critically what is meant by “successful” and the temporal and spatial scales this brings into consideration. Another approach might be to evaluate whether sustainable fish yields can cater for rising demand and changes in the distribution of fish.

At band D, expect some description of an identified conservation policy in relation to sustainable fishing.

At band E, expect either greater explanation of how an identified conservation policy tries to achieve sustainable fishing or a critical evaluation of the success of the policy.

At band F, expect both.

c.
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