A Changing Landscape
Using Resources Wisely
Biodiversity
Meeting Ecological Challenges
Miscellaneous
100
A benefit of monoculture farming practices is A. The ability to grow a lot of food. B. The ability to spend less money on fertilizer. C. The use of less water of irrigation. D. Disease and pest resistance of the crops.
A: The ability to grow a lot of food.
100
An example of a renewable resource is A. Oil B. Natural Gas C. Coal D. Trees
D: Trees
100
Biodiversity is valuable partly because it A. Gives us interesting things to look at B. Tells us about many other species C. Contributes to medicine and agriculture D. Provides humans with resistance to disease
C: Contributes to medicine and agriculture
100
An ecological hot spot is an area where A. Habitats and species show a high amount of biodiversity B. Hunting is encouraged C. Many habitats and species are at high risk of extinction D. Species diversity is too high
C: Many habitats and species are at high risk of extinction
100
The 1930's Dust Bowl in the Great Plains was caused by A. Deforestation B. Contour plowing C. Using renewable resources D. Poor farming practices
D: Poor farming practices
200
Beginning in the late 1700's, people who settled in the islands of Hawaii changed the islands by A. Clearing trees for farming. B. Mining silver. C. Fishing only during the spawning season. D. Making the islands a nature preserve.
A: Clearing trees for farming.
200
Which of the following is true about nonrenewable resources? A. They can be replaced through sustainable development. B. There are plenty for people to use for a very long time. C. Using them up will help keep the environment healthy. D. They cannot be replaced after they are used up.
D: They cannot be replaced after they are used up.
200
All of the following are threats to biodiversity EXCEPT A. Biological magnification of toxic compounds B. Habitat fragmentation C. Introduced species D. Habitat preservation
D: Habitat preservation
200
The first step to using ecology to solve environmental problems is to A. Ban the burning of fossil fuels B. Close businesses that pollute C. Use alternative fuels D. Identify the problem
D: Identify the problem
200
As DDT moves up the trophic levels in food chains or food webs its concentration A. Stays the same B. Increases C. Decreases D. Is eliminated
B: Increases
300
Ideally, sustainable development should A. Put the protection of the environment ahead of human needs. B. Provide for human needs at the expense of the environment. C. Use more natural resources to make goods to meet human needs. D. Preserve ecosystems while providing for human needs.
D: Preserve ecosystems while providing for human needs.
300
A developer wants to build a new housing development in or around a large city. Which of the following plans would be LEAST harmful to the environment? A. Clearing a forested area outside of the city to build houses. B. Building apartments at the site of an abandoned factory in the city. C. Building a neighborhood in a meadow at the edge of the city. D. Filling a wetland and building oceanfront condominiums.
B: Building apartments at the site of an abandoned factory in the city.
300
Introduced species can threaten biodiversity because they can A. Cause desertification B. Cause biological magnification C. Crowd out native species D. Reduce the amount of fertile soil
C: Crowd out native species
300
Changing behavior is the third step in using ecology to move toward a sustainable future. Which of the following is the most successful example of environmental improvement due to changed behavior? A. Fish populations are increasing because of the widespread use of aquaculture. B. Climate change has stopped because of the use of electric cars. C. The hole in the ozone layer is getting smaller because of decreased CFC use D. Tropical rain forests are growing in size because new trees are being planted.
C: The hole in the ozone layer is getting smaller because of decreased CFC use
300
One of the greatest threats today to biodiversity is A. Old-growth forests B. Ozone depletion C. Altered habitats D. Sustainable development
C: Altered habitats
400
The practice of ______________________ is beneficial because it increases food production, but is also detrimental to the environment because it requires clearing a lot of land and using a lot of fertilizer and fossil fuels.
monoculture
400
Rabbits were introduced into Australia in 1859. The rabbits had no natural predators and began to crowd the native animals out of their habitats. When this happened the rabbits became a(n) ___________________ species.
invasive
400
Some ways to preserve biodiversity are to protect individual species and to preserve habitats and __________________.
Ecosystems
400
Tropical rain forests will not grow back after _________________.
deforestation
400
Hydro power uses the energy of flowing water to produce electric energy. Because water in rivers flows continually, hydro power is a ____________________ resource.
renewable
500
Increasing concentrations of DDT as it travels up a food chain is an example of _____________________.
biological magnification
500
Discuss the health effects of damage to the ozone layer and the steps being taken to help deal with the problem.
Damage to the ozone layer by chloroflurocarbons (CFCs) has left a vast area over Antarctica that is thin enough every winter to allow higher than normal amounts of UV radiation to strike Earth. UV radiation causes sunburn, and excess exposure to UV can cause cancer, damage eyes, and decrease organisms' resistance to disease. Intense UV can damage tissue in plant leaves and phytoplankton. The United States and many other nations have an international agreement to phase out the use of CFCs.
500
How is hunting a threat to biodiversity?
Animals, such as the carrier pigeon, have often been hunted to extinction. Populations of rare animals are hunted for fur, hides, meat, horns, and other body parts, which makes them vulnerable to extinction.
500
Why does improving air quality have to be a worldwide effort?
Air doesn't stay in just one place, so improving air quality depends on the cooperation of people everywhere.
500
Ecologists believe that climate change is due partly to an increase in the concentration of ____________________ gases in the atmosphere.
Greenhouse