Conservation of endangered species in tropical regions has become a critical focus in recent years. As an IELTS instructor with over two decades of experience, I’ve noticed an increasing trend in exam texts addressing environmental conservation. Today, we’ll explore a sample IELTS Reading test centered on rewilding and its role in conservation efforts.
Passage 1 – Easy Text
Rewilding is an innovative approach to conservation that aims to restore and protect natural processes and wilderness areas. This method involves reintroducing species that have disappeared from a region, often due to human activities. By reestablishing these lost species, rewilding seeks to create self-sustaining ecosystems that require minimal human management.
One of the most famous rewilding projects is the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park in the United States. This initiative has had a profound impact on the park’s ecosystem. The wolves’ presence has helped control the elk population, which in turn has allowed vegetation to recover. This cascade effect has benefited numerous other species, from beavers to birds, demonstrating the interconnectedness of nature.
Rewilding projects are not limited to large predators. In the United Kingdom, beavers have been reintroduced to several areas after being absent for centuries. These industrious rodents have proven to be excellent ecosystem engineers, creating wetlands that support a diverse range of plant and animal life. Their dams also help to reduce flooding and improve water quality, showcasing how rewilding can provide both ecological and practical benefits to human communities.
Wolves reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park as part of rewilding efforts
Questions 1-5
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage? Write
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
- Rewilding involves the introduction of non-native species to an ecosystem.
- The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park has had positive effects on the ecosystem.
- Beavers have been reintroduced in some areas of the United States.
- Rewilding projects always involve large predators.
- Beaver dams can help mitigate flooding in surrounding areas.
Questions 6-10
Complete the sentences below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
- Rewilding aims to create ecosystems that are ___ and require little human intervention.
- The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone has helped control the ___ population.
- The term used to describe the far-reaching effects of wolf reintroduction is ___ effect.
- In the UK, beavers are described as excellent ___ engineers.
- Beaver dams contribute to improving ___ in the surrounding areas.
Passage 2 – Medium Text
The concept of rewilding has gained significant traction in conservation circles over the past few decades. This approach, which emphasizes the restoration of natural processes and the reintroduction of keystone species, represents a paradigm shift in how we think about environmental management. Unlike traditional conservation methods that often focus on preserving specific species or habitats in a static state, rewilding aims to create dynamic, self-regulating ecosystems that can adapt to changing conditions.
One of the most ambitious rewilding projects currently underway is the Pleistocene Park in Siberia. This audacious endeavor seeks to recreate the mammoth steppe ecosystem that existed during the last ice age. The project’s proponents argue that by reintroducing large herbivores such as bison, horses, and eventually, genetically engineered woolly mammoths, they can transform the current tundra landscape back into a grassland ecosystem. This transformation could have significant implications for climate change mitigation, as grasslands are more effective at sequestering carbon than tundra.
However, rewilding is not without its controversies. Critics argue that it’s impossible to truly recreate past ecosystems, especially given the rapid pace of climate change and other anthropogenic pressures. There are also concerns about the potential negative impacts of reintroducing large predators or other keystone species on local communities and existing wildlife populations. For instance, the reintroduction of wolves in parts of Europe has led to conflicts with farmers concerned about livestock predation.
Despite these challenges, many ecologists argue that rewilding represents our best hope for creating resilient ecosystems capable of withstanding the pressures of climate change and habitat fragmentation. By allowing natural processes to reassert themselves, rewilding projects may be able to create self-sustaining wilderness areas that require minimal human intervention. This approach could potentially free up conservation resources for other critical areas while providing numerous ecosystem services, from carbon sequestration to flood mitigation.
How urbanization is affecting global ecosystems is another important factor to consider when discussing rewilding efforts. As cities expand, natural habitats are often destroyed or fragmented, making rewilding initiatives in urban and peri-urban areas increasingly important.
Pleistocene Park in Siberia showcasing rewilding efforts
Questions 11-14
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.
-
According to the passage, rewilding differs from traditional conservation methods because it:
A) Focuses on individual species protection
B) Aims to recreate static ecosystems
C) Emphasizes dynamic, self-regulating ecosystems
D) Requires constant human intervention -
The Pleistocene Park project in Siberia aims to:
A) Preserve the current tundra landscape
B) Recreate a mammoth steppe ecosystem
C) Introduce non-native species to Siberia
D) Study the effects of climate change on tundra -
Critics of rewilding argue that:
A) It’s too expensive to implement
B) It’s impossible to accurately recreate past ecosystems
C) It doesn’t address climate change
D) It only benefits large predators -
According to the passage, successful rewilding could potentially:
A) Increase the need for conservation resources
B) Reduce ecosystem services
C) Worsen the effects of climate change
D) Create self-sustaining wilderness areas
Questions 15-18
Complete the summary below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Rewilding represents a 15 in conservation thinking, aiming to create ecosystems that can 16 to changing conditions. The Pleistocene Park project in Siberia is attempting to transform tundra into 17, which could help with climate change mitigation. However, rewilding faces 18, including concerns about its impact on local communities and existing wildlife.
Passage 3 – Hard Text
The resurgence of interest in rewilding as a conservation strategy has sparked intense debate within scientific circles and beyond. This approach, which seeks to restore ecosystems to a state of self-regulation through the reintroduction of keystone species and the recreation of natural processes, challenges many long-held assumptions about environmental management. Proponents argue that rewilding offers a bold, innovative solution to the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. Critics, however, contend that the approach is fraught with ecological and social risks that may outweigh its potential benefits.
At the heart of the rewilding philosophy is the concept of trophic cascades – the idea that top predators play a crucial role in regulating entire ecosystems. The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park in 1995 serves as a paradigmatic example of this principle in action. Following their return, wolves not only controlled elk populations but also induced changes in elk behavior, leading to the regeneration of vegetation in overgrazed areas. This, in turn, benefited a wide range of species, from beavers to songbirds, and even altered the park’s physical geography by stabilizing riverbanks and changing watercourse patterns.
However, the extrapolation of the Yellowstone model to other contexts has proven contentious. Critics argue that the success of wolf reintroduction in Yellowstone was contingent on a unique set of ecological and social circumstances that may not be replicable elsewhere. Furthermore, they contend that the focus on large predators in rewilding discourse oversimplifies complex ecological relationships and may lead to unintended consequences. For instance, the reintroduction of lynx in parts of Europe has had mixed results, with some studies suggesting that their presence has not significantly impacted prey populations or ecosystem dynamics as anticipated.
Another critical aspect of the rewilding debate centers on the concept of “baseline” ecosystems. Rewilding advocates often speak of restoring landscapes to a “pre-human” or “pre-industrial” state. However, critics argue that this notion is both ecologically naive and ethically problematic. Ecosystems are dynamic, constantly evolving entities, and the idea of a static, “pristine” state to which they can be returned is increasingly viewed as a fallacy within ecological science. Moreover, this perspective often fails to account for the long history of human-environment interactions in many landscapes, raising questions about whose version of “nature” is being prioritized in rewilding efforts.
The social and economic implications of rewilding projects have also come under scrutiny. While proponents argue that rewilding can provide new opportunities for ecotourism and ecosystem services, critics point to potential conflicts with existing land uses, particularly agriculture. The reintroduction of large predators, in particular, has met with resistance from farming communities concerned about livestock predation. These conflicts highlight the need for comprehensive stakeholder engagement and the development of coexistence strategies as integral components of any rewilding initiative.
How urban development affects biodiversity is a crucial consideration in rewilding efforts, especially in areas where human settlements and natural habitats intersect. Balancing the needs of urban expansion with conservation goals presents a significant challenge for rewilding practitioners.
Despite these challenges, rewilding continues to gain traction as a conservation strategy, with projects underway across the globe. From the ambitious plans to reintroduce woolly mammoths to the Siberian tundra to more modest initiatives aimed at restoring native plant communities in urban areas, the scale and scope of rewilding efforts are diverse. As the body of empirical evidence grows, so too does our understanding of the complex ecological and social dynamics at play in these interventions.
Effects of urbanization on biodiversity underscore the importance of rewilding initiatives, particularly in and around urban areas where natural habitats are often fragmented or degraded. These efforts can help create corridors for wildlife and improve ecosystem resilience in the face of ongoing urbanization.
Urban rewilding project showcasing green corridor
Questions 19-23
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.
-
The concept of trophic cascades in rewilding suggests that:
A) All species in an ecosystem are equally important
B) Top predators have a disproportionate impact on ecosystems
C) Vegetation plays the most crucial role in ecosystem regulation
D) Ecosystem dynamics are too complex to predict -
The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park:
A) Had no significant impact on the ecosystem
B) Only affected elk populations
C) Led to widespread changes in the park’s ecology and geography
D) Was unsuccessful in controlling elk behavior -
Critics of rewilding argue that:
A) The Yellowstone model can be easily replicated in any ecosystem
B) Large predators always have a positive impact on ecosystems
C) The focus on large predators may oversimplify ecological relationships
D) Rewilding should only focus on plant species reintroduction -
The concept of “baseline” ecosystems in rewilding is criticized because:
A) It accurately represents pre-human landscapes
B) It fails to account for ecosystem dynamics and human history
C) It is too difficult to implement in practice
D) It doesn’t consider modern conservation techniques -
The social implications of rewilding projects include:
A) Universal support from local communities
B) Potential conflicts with existing land uses, such as agriculture
C) Guaranteed economic benefits through ecotourism
D) Immediate resolution of human-wildlife conflicts
Questions 24-27
Complete the summary below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Rewilding is a conservation strategy that aims to restore 24 through the reintroduction of keystone species. The concept of 25 is central to rewilding, as exemplified by the wolf reintroduction in Yellowstone. However, critics argue that the success of this model may not be 26 in other contexts. The debate also touches on the idea of “baseline” ecosystems, which some view as ecologically 27 and ethically problematic.
Questions 28-30
Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in the passage? Write
YES if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
- Rewilding projects always lead to positive outcomes for ecosystems and local communities.
- The reintroduction of lynx in Europe has had mixed results in terms of ecosystem impact.
- Urban rewilding initiatives are becoming increasingly important for biodiversity conservation.
Answer Key
Passage 1
- FALSE
- TRUE
- NOT GIVEN
- FALSE
- TRUE
- self-sustaining
- elk
- cascade
- ecosystem
- water quality
Passage 2
- C
- B
- B
- D
- paradigm shift
- adapt
- grassland
- controversies
Passage 3
- B
- C
- C
- B
- B
- ecosystems
- trophic cascades
- replicable
- naive
- NO
- YES
- YES
Infographic showing benefits of rewilding for ecosystem restoration
This IELTS Reading practice test on rewilding for conservation efforts covers a range of aspects related to this innovative approach to ecosystem restoration. From the basic concepts introduced in Passage 1 to the more complex debates presented in Passage 3, the test challenges readers to engage with various perspectives on rewilding. The questions assess a variety of skills, including identifying specific information, understanding main ideas, and evaluating claims made in the text. By practicing with such comprehensive materials, IELTS candidates can improve their reading comprehension and test-taking strategies.
