Costa Rica is a small country that covers approximately 0.03% of the Earth's surface. Approximately 5% of the world's plant and animal species can be found in Costa Rica. The table shows the percentage of Costa Rica's land surface covered in forest at different times between 1940 and 2010. year percentage forest cover 1940 75 1950 72 1961 53 1977 31 1983 26 1987 21 1997 42 2000 47 2005 51 2010 53

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2021). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [2] decrease / from 75 to 21 + until 1987 ; increase / from 21 to 53 + from 1987 ;
2. [5] fewer roots soil together / reduced soil stability / landslides / soil erosion ; rise in sea levels / flooding ; less photosynthesis ; less carbon dioxide absorbed / more carbon dioxide in atmosphere ; greenhouse gas / greenhouse effect ; global warming AW ; habitat loss ; impact on food availability / on food chains ; reduced species number / reduced biodiversity / extinction ; impact on jobs / economy ;
3. [3] conservation ; planting trees / less deforestation AW ; policy / legislation AW ; education / awareness / tourism ;