Question 2
Mangrove versus deciduous forests; regulating versus cultural ecosystem services
10 marks
- Time to write
- About 20 minutes
- Topic
- Types of ecosystems
Question
Question 2 · 10 marksDifferentiate between each of the following pairs (attempt any two): 2×5=10
- Mangrove forests versus deciduous forests
- Regulating ecosystem services versus Cultural ecosystem service
- Conventional versus non-conventional energy sources
- Agricultural waste versus industrial waste.
Reworded from the university paper; the task is the same. The original paper belongs to the University of Delhi. See DU's question bank.
Before you write
Read off the question and its marks
Read from the question
- any twoAnswer any 2 of the 4, 5 marks each. Only 2 are marked: a third earns nothing.
- Differentiate betweenSet the differences out in a table, basis by basis, not as two separate essays.
Write it in this order
The parts stand alone: start with the one you are surest of.
- Read; underline the asks; jot your points 1 min
- 1 (i) Mangrove versus deciduous forests 5 marks 9 min
- 2 (ii) Regulating versus cultural ecosystem services 5 marks 9 min
- Check: every ask answered, key terms underlined 1 min
Easy marks
- Choose the ones you know best: each carries the same marks.
Short on time? A few lines on every part beat a full answer to one: each part is capped at its own marks.
Try it first. About 20 minutes for 10 marks. Write it out, then open the solution.
Solution
Hover or tap a marked figure, like 72,000, to see how it is made and where else it appears.
The question asks for any two of the four pairs. Pairs (i) and (ii) are answered.
(i) Mangrove forests versus deciduous forests
| Basis | Mangrove forests | Deciduous forests |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Sea coasts and river deltas, on tidal mudflats | Inland regions with moderate rainfall that falls in one season of a few months |
| Water and soil | Grow in a mix of salt and fresh water, on soft mud brought down by rivers | Grow on ordinary well-drained soils; water is short for much of the year |
| Leaves | Evergreen, with thick leaves suited to salty conditions | Trees shed their leaves in winter and the hot summer and put out new leaves in March or April, just before the monsoon |
| Special features | Breathing roots rise out of the mud to take in air | Light reaches the floor in the leafless season, so the undergrowth is thick |
| Typical plants | Avicennia and other salt-tolerant trees | Teak in the dry type, sal in the moist type |
| Typical animals | Crocodiles, water monitor lizards, shorebirds, fish and crustaceans | Tiger, chital, barking deer, hornbills |
| Main value | Fish breeding grounds and shore protection | Timber and other forest produce, and catchment for rivers |
(ii) Regulating versus cultural ecosystem services
Ecosystem services are the benefits people obtain from the working of ecosystems; the forest that cleans air and water is an example. The DU syllabus groups them as provisioning, regulating, cultural and supporting services.
| Basis | Regulating services | Cultural services |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Benefits from the way ecosystems keep natural processes in balance | Non-material benefits that people draw from nature for the mind, spirit and society |
| Examples | Climate moderation, flood control, pollination and pest control; control of soil erosion; cleaning of air and water by forests | Scientific research, bird-watching and ecotourism; the beauty of a forest or a flowering meadow; the ethical and emotional value people place on wildlife simply existing |
| How we gain | Indirectly, often without noticing, through a stable and safe environment | Directly, through experience, learning, recreation and belief |
| Measuring value | Hard to price, but its loss shows up as floods, crop failure or pollution costs | Hard to price; partly seen in tourism income and in the importance of sacred sites |
| Indian example | Wetlands and forests of a river's catchment holding back monsoon floods | A tiger safari in a national park, or a sacred grove protected by a village |
Both kinds of service are lost when ecosystems are degraded, but regulating services protect our physical safety, while cultural services shape our well-being and identity.
Where the 10 marks sit
| # | Component | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | (i) Mangrove versus deciduous forests | 5 |
| 2 | (ii) Regulating versus cultural ecosystem services | 5 |
| Total | 10 |
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