Definitions
Aquifer
An underground layer of porous rock, sand, or other material that allows the movement of water between layers of nonporous rock or clay. Aquifers are frequently tapped for wells
What is the name of the process by which specialized bacteria (mostly anaerobic bacteria) convert ammonia to NOy NO2, and N2 and release it back to the atmosphere
Denitrification
What are some stationary sources of atmospheric pollution?
Power plants, factories, and industrial facilities that emit pollutants from a fixed location
Birds must alter their tune with higher notes or sing at different times due to noise pollution
True
What type of reaction is fossil fuel combustion?
A. Decomposition
B. Endothermic
C. Exothermic
D. Neutralization
C. Exothermic
Explanation: Fossil fuel combustion is an exothermic reaction, releasing energy in the form of heat.
Greenhouse effect
The phenomenon whereby the Earth's atmosphere traps solar radiation, caused by the presence in the atmosphere of gases such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, and methane that allow incoming sunlight to pass through, but absorb heat radiated back from the Earth's surface
What is the name for the process by which water will be absorbed by the ground and will become part of the Earth’s groundwater stores
Percolation
What are some natural sources of air pollution?
Volcanic eruptions, wildfires, and dust storms
Replacement Level Reproduction refers to the number of children a couple needs to have in order to replace themselves in the population. It takes into account factors such as mortality rates and average life expectancy.
True
A country with a population structure characterized by a narrow base, a bulge in the middle-aged cohorts, and a relatively large proportion of elderly people is likely facing which environmental challenge?
A. Resource depletion from rapid population growth
B. Increased healthcare costs and dependency ratio
C. High infant mortality rates
D. Insufficient educational infrastructure
B. Increased healthcare costs and dependency ratio
Explanation: A population structure with a narrow base and a large elderly population suggests an aging population with declining birth rates. This leads to increased healthcare costs and a higher dependency ratio, as fewer working-age individuals support more elderly people.
Green Revolution
The development and introduction of new varieties of (mainly) wheat and rice that has increased yields per acre dramatically in countries since the 1960s
What is the name for the process by which plants release water vapor into the atmosphere through their leaves
Transpiration
What are fugitive emissions?
Unintended leaks or releases from industrial processes or equipment (pipelines, storage tanks, valves)
The pre-reproductive age: 0-10, reproductive age: 11-40, and post-reproductive age: 41+
False
A city's water utility has documented a 300% increase in chloride levels in municipal wells over the past decade as the population doubled. What sustainable water management strategy would most effectively address this issue?
A. Relocating wells closer to the coastline
B. Adding chlorine to municipal water supplies
C. Implementing artificial aquifer recharge with treated wastewater
D. Increasing groundwater extraction rates during wet seasons
C. Implementing artificial aquifer recharge with treated wastewater
Explanation: Artificial aquifer recharge helps maintain the freshwater-saltwater balance by increasing freshwater pressure in the aquifer, preventing saltwater from migrating inland.
Coriolis effect
The observed effect of the Coriolis force, especially the deflection of an object moving above the Earth, rightward in the Northern Hemisphere, and leftward in the Southern Hemisphere.
What is the name for the process that brings ocean layers up to become mountains, and the phosphate rocks weather, which brings the nutrient into the soil
Geologic uplift
What are volatile organic compounds (VOCs)? And what type of smog do they contribute to?
Organic chemicals that easily evaporate at room temperature (benzene, formaldehyde, methylene chloride)
VOCs contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone and smog
The Clean Air Act (CAA) regulates emissions from new or modified stationary sources
False
The Clean Air Act (CAA) is the primary federal law regulating air quality in the United States
New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) regulates emissions from new or modified stationary sources
Which scenario illustrates a species adapting its reproductive strategy over time?
A. Maintaining constant offspring size
B. Reducing parental care in stable conditions
C. Increasing lifespan without changing strategy
D. Switching from high to low offspring production
D. Switching from high to low offspring production
Explanation: A species may adapt by altering offspring production rates in response to environmental pressures, showing flexibility in strategy.
La Nina
A cooling of the ocean surface off the western coast of South America, occurring periodically every 4 to 12 years and affecting Pacific and other weather patterns
What is the name for the first process that occurs in the ocean where the ocean absorbs some CO2 from the atmosphere, and it releases roughly the same amount of CO2 back into the atmosphere
Carbon exchange
What are the criteria air pollutants?
Carbon monoxide, ground-level ozone, lead, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, and sulfur dioxide
Cane toads are small toads that are native to the Black and Caspian Sea regions of Europe. They were first discovered in Australia in 1988 and were used as a biological control method for sugarcane pests, but have since become an invasive species
False
Cane toads are native to Central and South America, specifically in countries such as Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador
A study shows that coral reefs in an area have decreased their calcification rates by 15% over the past decade while local ocean pH has decreased from 8.2 to 8.0. What is the most likely ecological consequence of this trend?
A. Greater resistance to tropical storm damage
B. Reduced habitat complexity leading to decreased biodiversity
C. Increased coral growth rates due to adaptation
D. Shift from coral to kelp-dominated ecosystems
B. Reduced habitat complexity leading to decreased biodiversity
Explanation: Reduced calcification weakens coral skeletal structures, decreasing the physical complexity of reef habitats that support high biodiversity, ultimately leading to ecosystem simplification and species loss.