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NotesESS
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IB ESS SL Notes

Environmental Systems and Societies

IB Environmental Systems and Societies (ESS) explores the interactions between natural ecosystems and human societies. The course covers environmental systems, biodiversity, energy flows, climate change, resource management, and sustainability — equipping students with a scientific and ethical framework for understanding environmental challenges.

These ESS notes are organised by unit and topic according to the official IB syllabus, helping you revise systematically for Paper 1 and Paper 2 exams. Each topic includes concise explanations, key concepts, definitions, and links to micro-topic notes, flashcards, and practice questions.

Whether you are preparing for assessments or doing a final review before exams, this structured approach ensures you cover every part of the ESS course efficiently.

How to use ESS notes

  1. 1Start with a unit overview. Click any Unit heading to see all topics and key themes for that unit.
  2. 2Read micro-topic notes. Each topic links to detailed, exam-aligned notes with definitions, diagrams, and examples.
  3. 3Test with flashcards. Every topic has spaced-repetition flashcards to lock key terms into your memory.
  4. 4Practise exam questions. Apply what you know with practice questions and get AI feedback on your answers.
ESS FlashcardsESS Exam SkillsESS Revision Guide

Unit 1: Foundations of ESS

1.1Environmental systems
1.2Models, Systems and Loops
1.3Equilibrium, stability and resilience
1.4Sustainability

Unit 2: Ecosystems and Ecology

2.1Species, populations
2.2Communities and ecosystems
2.3Habitat, niche and interactions
2.4Food chains & webs and trophic levels
2.5Flows of energy and matter
2.6Human impacts
2.7Biogeochemical cycles
2.8Biomes, zonation, succession

Unit 3: Biodiversity, Conservation and Change

3.1Biodiversity
3.2Natural selection, variation and speciation
3.3Threats to biodiversity
3.4Conservation strategies
3.5Protected areas, corridors
3.6In situ vs ex situ conservation

Unit 4: Water and Aquatic Food Production

4.1Water systems
4.2Water access, use and security
4.3Aquatic food production systems
4.4Water pollution

Unit 5: Soil Systems and Terrestrial Food Production

5.1Soil systems
5.2Agriculture and food

Unit 6: Atmospheric Systems and Societies

6.1Introduction to the atmosphere
6.2Climate change—causes and impacts
6.3Climate change—mitigation and adaptation
6.4Stratospheric ozone

Unit 7: Climate Change and Energy Production

7.1Natural resources—uses and management
7.2Energy sources—uses and management
7.3Solid waste

Unit 8: Human Systems and Resource Use

8.1Human populations
8.2Urban systems and urban planning
8.3Urban air pollution

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