Question 1

Since water is a renewable resource, freshwater is readily available globally.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

Which of the following is inconsistent with the idea of making rural areas more sustainable?

Accepted Answer

A)   planting of native grasses to rebuild the soil
B)   planting of trees next to land used for agriculture to break the wind and protect the soil from erosion
C)   use of cover crops to stabilize the soil between growing seasons
D)   restoration and maintenance of wetlands to lessen runoff and alleviate flooding
E)   increasing use of extensive irrigation techniques to nurture demanding cropsF) A) and E)
G) A) and D)

Question 3

Mercury can enter an aquatic food chain and collect in fish as well as people who eat fish. This is an example of which of the following processes?

Accepted Answer

A)   biotic potential
B)   biological magnification
C)   salinization
D)   bioremediation
E)   biological accumulationF) B) and D)
G) A) and D)

Question 4

Deforestation may contribute toward climate change because

Accepted Answer

A)   the trees naturally trap heat near the Earth's surface, and the loss of trees allows this heat to escape into space through the atmosphere.
B)   it leads to habitat loss for many forest species, which invade nearby marginal habitats, including those used by humans.
C)   loss of trees disrupts the carbon cycle, limiting the amount that is absorbed by plants, and increasing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
D)   the forest canopy reflects some solar radiation back into space, allowing more of it to penetrate to the Earth's surface.
E)   it leads to salinization of the land.F) C) and D)
G) A) and E)

Question 5

Knowledge of both basic biology and applied biology are needed to support conservation biology.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

How does the use of minerals such as metals differ from the use of fossil fuels?

Accepted Answer

A)   Fossil fuels are more plentiful than metals and are depleted more slowly.
B)   Metals can be extracted by strip mining, while fossil fuels may not.
C)   Many metals may be recycled, decreasing the necessity for finding new reserves, unlike fossil fuels, which cannot be recycled.
D)   The mining of metals is not as destructive to the environment as the mining of fossil fuels.
E)   The recycling of fossil fuels is more economically feasible than the recycling of metals.F) A) and D)
G) A) and E)

Question 7

Some rivers have been dammed under the guise of flood control. What might be an unintended consequence of using this approach?

Accepted Answer

A)   saltwater intrusion into the aquifer
B)   reduced fertility of downstream land due to reduced silt deposits
C)   more frequent rainfall
D)   deforestation of land downstream due to reduced silt deposits
E)   increased rainfall due to increased water evaporationF) A) and E)
G) All of the above

Question 8

Biodiversity is important in that some organisms and ecosystems play a role in breaking down pollutants.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

Biodiversity increases the consumptive value of land, meaning that

Accepted Answer

A)   more value can be derived from the more diverse products produced by ecosystems with high biodiversity relative to land that has been cleared for agriculture.
B)   ecosystems with higher biodiversity consume more resources than those with lower biodiversity, creating more strain on the environment.
C)   ecosystems with low biodiversity consume resources at a higher rate than those with higher biodiversity.
D)   land that has been cleared for agriculture consumes natural resources at a slower rate and is cheaper to maintain.
E)   land with lower biodiversity has many more possible uses for humans than land with higher biodiversity.F) A) and D)
G) A) and E)

Question 10

Forests and other natural ecosystems, such as wetlands, exhibit the "sponge effect," meaning that they

Accepted Answer

A)   soak up water from runoff and rainfall, and thus accumulate pollutants.
B)   soak up water from runoff and rainfall, releasing it at a regular rate that moderates flooding of streams and rivers.
C)   soak up pollutants from runoff and rainfall, releasing it quickly into streams and rivers and raising their levels.
D)   draw water away from rivers and streams, lowering their levels.
E)   soak up water from runoff and rainfall, saturating nearby ecosystems.F) B) and D)
G) A) and D)

Question 11

Which of the following is a nonrenewable resource?

Accepted Answer

A)   fossil fuels
B)   food crops
C)   water
D)   wild game
E)   solar energyF) B) and E)
G) A) and E)

Question 12

Which of the following explanations about the financial impact of biodiversity on the economy is inaccurate?

Accepted Answer

A)   Protecting biodiversity prevents damage to farms due to the alleviation of flooding and siltation problems.
B)   Many communities are utilizing biodiversity to assist in wastewater treatment, both lowering costs and protecting the environment in the process.
C)   Loss of biodiversity in many areas of the world has led to increases in local and global average temperatures (global warming) .
D)   Protecting biodiversity has decreased the amount of freshwater available to human populations because of the "sponge effect."
E)   Protecting biodiversity has led to new industries in ecotourism, adding billions of dollars to the economy annually.F) A) and E)
G) A) and C)

Question 13

Which of the following activities contribute to beach erosion?

Accepted Answer

A)   construction of groynes
B)   filling coastal wetlands
C)   use of seawalls to protect cities from hurricane storm surges
D)   rising sea levels
E)   All of the above describe activities that contribute to beach erosion.F) B) and E)
G) B) and D)

Question 14

The requirements of large amounts of fossil fuels and fertilizers in modern agriculture is one of the reasons that human society is unsustainable.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

How do forests regulate global climate?

Accepted Answer

A)   Forests replenish atmospheric oxygen.
B)   Forests provide shade.
C)   Forests block wind.
D)   Forests add moisture to the atmosphere via transpiration.
E)   Forests take up carbon dioxide.F) A) and D)
G) D) and E)

Question 16

Pollution is defined as

Accepted Answer

A)   an alteration in land usage.
B)   an undesirable alteration to the environment.
C)   the impact of human activity on the environment.
D)   the impact of animal and plant species on the environment.
E)   the introduction of a new species into an environment.F) A) and B)
G) A) and C)

Question 17

Which of the following methods may help conserve water by reducing the amount used for agriculture?

Accepted Answer

A)   polyculture
B)   construction of dams for irrigation needs
C)   biological pest control
D)   contour with no-till farming
E)   reducing pesticide and fertilizer usageF) B) and D)
G) All of the above

Question 18

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are damaging to the world's freshwater supply.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

Which of the following creates the least amount of soil erosion?

Accepted Answer

A)   poor landscaping practices that expose the land to excess wind
B)   overgrazing by livestock
C)   use of drip irrigation systems
D)   deforestation
E)   wetland destructionF) B) and D)
G) B) and C)

Question 20

Which of the following is a major drawback of dams?

Accepted Answer

A)   saltwater intrusion
B)   providing irrigation water
C)   sediment buildup
D)   depletion of aquifers
E)   deforestation of nearby landsF) B) and C)
G) A) and D)

Exam 32: Human Impact on the Biosphere

Since water is a renewable resource, freshwater is readily available globally.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are damaging to the world's freshwater supply.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Mercury can enter an aquatic food chain and collect in fish as well as people who eat fish. This is an example of which of the following processes?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Knowledge of both basic biology and applied biology are needed to support conservation biology.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following is a nonrenewable resource?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

How does the use of minerals such as metals differ from the use of fossil fuels?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Biodiversity increases the consumptive value of land, meaning that

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following explanations about the financial impact of biodiversity on the economy is inaccurate?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Biodiversity is important in that some organisms and ecosystems play a role in breaking down pollutants.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following activities contribute to beach erosion?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following is a major drawback of dams?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Deforestation may contribute toward climate change because

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following creates the least amount of soil erosion?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Pollution is defined as

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Forests and other natural ecosystems, such as wetlands, exhibit the "sponge effect," meaning that they

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Some rivers have been dammed under the guise of flood control. What might be an unintended consequence of using this approach?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following methods may help conserve water by reducing the amount used for agriculture?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following is inconsistent with the idea of making rural areas more sustainable?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The requirements of large amounts of fossil fuels and fertilizers in modern agriculture is one of the reasons that human society is unsustainable.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

How do forests regulate global climate?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified