Chapter 1
In scientific research, the strongest form of evidence comes from __________.
hypotheses guessing *experimentation* observation
Members of the __________ movement would be very concerned about the unequal exposure of members of a certain race to pollution.
preservationist human population conservationist *environmental justice*
Read the following scenario and answer the question(s) below. After meeting with their instructor, Pablo and Johanna know that they need to change their experimental design. They contact a local puppy farm and arrange to do their study with 3-month-old litters of pups from four Irish setters, a total of 24 puppies, consisting of 12 females and 12 males. In order to have two sets of puppies, one set to be the control group and one set to be the experimental group, Pablo and Johanna should ________.
put the 12 females in one group and the 12 males in the other group *put six males and six females in each group, with some from each litter in each group* randomly choose one dog for the control group and use the other 23 in the experimental group put all the puppies from two of the litters in one group and all of the puppies from the other two litters in the other group flip a coin for each dog to see which group it will be in
The process by which several researchers review another researcher's manuscript prior to publication to ensure research quality is referred to as ________.
quality control critical analysis hypothesis testing *peer review* investigative inquiry
A(n) ________ is best defined as one who considers the impacts on the whole ecosystem, both the living and non-living, when considering an action.
relativist *ecocentrist* anthropocentrist ethnocentrist biocentrist
Water purification, nutrient cycling, and plant pollination are all examples of Earth's __________.
renewable resources capital services *ecosystem services* nonrenewable resources
In a manipulative experiment ________.
researchers manipulate as many variables as possible replication of the experiment is not necessary the motive is economic gain *researchers manipulate the independent variable* the peer review process is bypassed
Which of the following best embodies the qualities of a scientific theory?
*All gases, liquids, and solids consist of atoms.* Squirrels in central Illinois prefer to build their nests in oak trees instead of hickory trees. Dangerous wildfires in California could be avoided by better fire prevention strategies. Prairies that have larges herds of bison show greater plant diversity than prairies without bison. Students who study for their environmental science exams will perform better on those exams than those who do not.
Ruben has a new puppy and wants to feed it the best possible food. He decides on an experiment where he will feed it the very best canned food plus a dietary supplement of vitamins recommended by a veterinarian. Which of the following best describes Ruben's project?
*This is not an experiment—there are no controls or replicates.* Ruben needs to use his mother's 6-year-old chocolate shar-pei to feed a standard diet so he can compare his puppy with a control dog. Ruben needs to control for the amount of exercise, sunshine, water, and care that the puppy gets each week, so that they are equal from week to week. Ruben needs to take careful measurements of the puppy's weight and height at least once a week for it to be a good experiment. This is an example of an excellent, controlled experiment as it is written.
The average citizen of which of the following nations has the largest ecological footprint?
*United States* Haiti France China
Which statement best exemplifies the concept of sustainability?
*Water extracted from underground resources must be equal to or less than the water that recharges the underground resources.* The E.P.A. sets stricter standards on air pollutants, such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. Human population must decline for the foreseeable future to maintain Earth's natural resources. Forests that we have today will be preserved and not used for human consumption.
A hypothesis is ________.
*a testable proposition that explains an observed phenomenon or answers a question* a proven scientific fact an instrument that is used to examine environmental conditions the design of an experiment that can be used in scientific inquiry a prediction about something that has not yet been observed
Of the following people, which is most likely to agree with the statement that an entire ecosystem has inherent value?
*an ecocentrist* an anthropocentrist analysis conservationist a biocentrist
The main advantage of observational studies and natural experiments over manipulative studies is that natural experiments __________.
*are able to test hypotheses in the field and with large study areas* always limit the independent variables to one can prove hypotheses show causation
If a scientist travels to the rain forest to observe and catalog new species, he or she would be conducting __________.
*descriptive science* hypothesis-driven science biased science variable-driven science
A scientific field of study
*ecology*
Which of the following is the study of how the natural world works, how our environment affects us, and how we affect our environment?
*environmental science* anthropology environmentalism microbiology
The variable that is manipulated
*independent variable*
Type of discipline describing environmental science
*interdisciplinary science*
Expectations of experimental outcome
*prediction*
Information expressed with numbers
*quantitative data*
Widely accepted, well-tested explanation of one or more cause-and-effect relationships
*theory*
A __________ is widely accepted and has been extensively validated by a great amount of research.
*theory* paradigm shift prediction hypothesis
Data indicate that we have overshot Earth's biocapacity -- its capacity to support us -- by 50%. We are using renewable natural resources 50% faster than they are being replenished. About how many times larger was the global ecological footprint in 2007 than it was in 1962?
0.5 *2* 5 10
Fill in the blank
1. A(n) *hypothesis* is a testable statement that attempts to answer a scientific question. 2. A(n) *experiment* tests the validity of a hypothesis. 3. A condition in an experiment that can change is called a(n) *variable.* 4. A scientist manipulates the *independent variable* in an experiment. 5. A scientist measures the *dependent variable* in an experiment. 6. A(n) *control* is an unmanipulated point of comparison for treatments in an experiment. 7. *data* is information obtained from scientific studies.
According to the graph with the logarithmic scale, after 200 generations the population had
30 individuals. 300 individuals. *1000 individuals.* 10,000 individuals
The U.S. average footprint is ________ times larger than the world average footprint.
5 2 *2.7* 6.7 3.3
Global population is projected to be about ________ in 2050.
8 billion 7 billion 11 billion 10 billion *9 billion*
What is the key lesson learned from Easter Island?
Overfishing can lead to depletion of food resources, which can ultimately lead to starvation. Rats can be effectively introduced to an area to control invasive palm trees. *An island population must learn to live within its means.* Human ingenuity can turn a decimated landscape into a lush and productive tropical paradise.
When scientists conduct an experiment, what term describes the variable that researchers intentionally change, or manipulate, to see its effects on other variables?
Dependent variable *Independent variable* Controlled variable
________ gives inherent value to certain living things or to the biotic (living) realm of the earth in general both human and nonhuman lives have ethical standing.
Ecocentrism Anthropocentrism Realism *Biocentrism* Relativism
1. Which of the following terms best describes the practice of environmental science?
Elitist and unnecessary Abstract and theoretical Theoretical and controversial *Integrative and interdisciplinary* Highly specialized and focused
Which of the following terms best describes the practice of environmental science?
Elitist and unnecessary Abstract and theoretical Theoretical and controversial *Integrative and interdisciplinary* Highly specialized and focused
Which two statements are supported by the data in the graph?
For over 50 years, people have used renewable resources faster than the Earth could replenish them. The global ecological footprint has only increased over time, and never decreased. In 2007, the average American used about 1.5 times the amount of renewable natural resources Earth can support. *In 1970, we began to overshoot Earth's capacity to support us.* The global ecological footprint will continue to rise for some time, but it can never increase above two planets. *The global ecological footprint has generally increased over time, with brief periods of decrease.*
Which statement is true about the pros and cons of representing data on the two graph scales?
Linear scales are useful only for small-scale data while logarithmic scales are best for large-scale data. *The linear-scale graph clarifies the timing of rapid population growth while the logarithmic-scale graph simplifies identifying actual population sizes as a population goes from quite small to quite large.* Linear-scale graphs portray population growth realistically, while logarithmic-scale graphs are misleading Linear-scale graphs and logarithmic-scale graphs give the same visual representation of a data set.
Which of the following would be the most appropriate prediction for the hypothesis that poodles are smarter than Dalmatians?
Poodles are smarter than Dalmatians because poodles can learn commands faster than Dalmatians. Poodle owners are smarter than Dalmatian owners. Dalmatians are dumber than poodles. *If poodles are smarter, then poodles will learn to obey commands more quickly than Dalmatians.*
Comparing the graphs with the linear and logarithmic scales at 400 generations shows that:
Population size on the linear-scale graph is lower than population size on the logarithmic-scale graph. Although you cannot read the exact value from the linear-scale graph, the population size is the same, just shown with different scales. It is impossible to tell if the population is the same because of the different scales used on the two graphs. Population size on the linear-scale graph is greater because the population size is given in increments of 1 billion.
Who is credited for articulating the conservation ethic and for founding the U.S. Forest Service?
Ralph Waldo Emerson Theodore Roosevelt Aldo Leopold *Gifford Pinchot* John Muir
Suppose that the initial population was 10, but the growth rate was 5% (instead of 2.3%). How would the logarithmic-scale graph differ?
The logarithmic graph line would have the same slope as the graph shown. The logarithmic graph line would have a slope of zero. *The logarithmic graph line would have a greater slope than the graph shown.* The logarithmic graph line would have a smaller slope than the graph shown.
How many citizens of Haiti does it take to equal the ecological footprint of the average citizen of the United States?
They are essentially equal. *Twelve citizens of Haiti equal the ecological footprint of the average U.S. citizen.* Six citizens of Haiti equal the ecological footprint of the average U.S. citizen. It takes over 100 Haitian citizens to equal the ecological footprint of the average U.S. citizen. Ten citizens of Haiti equal the ecological footprint of one average citizen of the United States.
Suppose that the initial population was 10, but the growth rate was 5% (instead of 2.3%). How would the linear-scale graph differ?
You would not be able to use a linear-scale graph for a 5% population growth rate. *The linear graph would show rapid population growth beginning at an earlier generation.* The linear graph would show rapid population growth beginning at the same generation. The linear graph would show rapid population growth beginning at a later generation.
In general, natural resources ________.
are evenly divided among all countries should not be used *should be used efficiently and conserved* belong only to those on whose property they exist should be used by everyone equally
A(n) __________ expresses environmental impact in terms of the cumulative area of land and water required to provide the resources a person consumes.
biocapacity ecosystem service *ecological footprint* overshoot
Which of the following philosophies is the most anthropocentric?
biocentrism *conservationism* the land ethic preservationism
Qualitative data ________.
cannot be replicated have variables that may not have been properly manipulated *can be acquired in the detailed examination of personal interviews or observations* cannot be used to support or disprove hypotheses are data that are expressed as numbers and tested using statistics
Nonrenewable natural resources include ________.
coal crude oil minerals wind *coal, crude oil, and minerals*
The following statement is an example of a(n) __________: "Zebra mussels were accidentally introduced to the waters of the Great Lakes."
conclusion hypothesis *observation* theory
Ecosystem services ________.
contribute to keeping ecosystems productive *are economically valuable services provided by natural systems* are not necessary to sustainable systems are valuable to natural systems but not to human-created systems are required to rebalance natural systems that we have disturbed
Advances in agriculture ________.
did not increase the amount of food per person from a global perspective are always sustainable, since they are based on natural ecosystems have resulted in a smaller global population *have often resulted in alteration and destruction of natural systems* do not rely on ecosystem services
An experiment ________.
does not need to be repeated if well designed *is an activity designed to test the validity of a hypothesis* is designed to generate new scientific hypothesis often involves manipulating as many variables as possible involves only collection of quantitative data
If someone says, "Earth and all of its contents were created for the betterment of human beings, so as long as something is good for humans, it is good for the whole earth," what ethical perspective would he or she hold?
ecocentric envirocentric *anthropocentric* biocentric
What ethical perspective would you ascribe to someone who makes environmental choices based on a respect for just the living things in an ecosystem?
ecocentrism anthropocentrism egocentrism *biocentrism*
Solutions:
enhanced technologies to reduce impacts of goods and activities sustainable harvest of resources adoption of cultural changes to reduce desire for consumption improved efficiency of manufacturing processes
Consequences:
excess waste and pollution of air, water, and soil depletion of natural resources habitat loss and ecosystem degradation
A paradigm ________.
is a means of evaluating scientific hypotheses is synonymous with the scientific method can only come from qualitative data is a group of several hypotheses that can be tested together *is a dominant world view in science*
Sustainable development ________.
is beyond our current technology and attitudes ensures an economy that will decline over time *means consuming resources without compromising future availability* is impossible to accomplish is possible given our increased use of fertilizers and technology for agriculture
A study's results are deemed worthy of acceptance into the body of scientific knowledge if they are published in journals which ________.
meet guidelines advocated by environmentalists or consumer groups are funded by corporations funding the research charge a high fee for acceptance conform to current political and religious views *use the peer review process*
In a controlled experiment, if a researcher wants to examine the effect of radon exposure to rat longevity, which one would be the independent variable?
neither the radon exposure nor the rats' longevity, because both variables are manipulated the cage the rats were kept in the rats' longevity *radon exposure*
The scientific process and knowledge is based on ________.
observation alone quantitative data alone guesses based our personal feelings about the subject under inquiry the fact that all hypotheses can be proven true *a systematic process of learning about and testing our understanding of the world*
If a scientist makes an observation and carries out an experiment to explain that observation, he or she is conducting __________.
observational science pseudo-science *hypothesis-driven science* descriptive science
The Endangered Species Act, passed by Congress nearly four decades ago, has spawned a continuous series of debates between those who feel the ethical necessity to protect species at the brink of extinction and others who feel that if we have to protect every habitat of every species at risk, then there will be a loss of jobs and a blow to an already shaky economy. This boils down to a conflict between ________.
social scientists and conservationists *anthropocentrists and ecocentrists* relativists and environmental justice advocates universalists and ecofeminists economists and environmental scientists
Causes:
strong demand for material goods cultural influences that encourage consumption rising per-capita affluence
Read the following scenario and answer the question(s) below. Pablo and Johanna have to do a yearlong study for their biology course. After some discussion, they decide to try comparing their dogs and the diet that they feed them. Each has a dog from the pound, and both dogs are less than one year old. Pablo feeds his shepherd-mix dog a special diet of wet and dry foods from the local vet, while Johanna uses generic dry kibble from the supermarket for her bulldog. They want to see which diet results in bigger, healthier, faster-growing dogs. The independent variable in this study will be ________.
the age of the dogs how much the dogs grow *the type of food the dogs receive* the breed of the dogs the sex of the dogs
According to the graph with the linear scale, the population reached 8 billion individuals after approximately _____ generations.
the population has not reached 8 billion individuals yet 800 *900* 700
The global average footprint per person has increased from 2.2 to 2.7 hectares since 2008, including the footprints of many developing nations, such as India and China. This means that ________.
the populations of both India and China have decreased since 2008 our collective lifestyle is slightly more sustainable than before *our collective lifestyle is even more unsustainable than before* some nations no longer have a measurable footprint the ability of the planet to sustain human beings has increased
A __________ occurred when scientists determined that the earth is round rather than flat.
theory *paradigm shift* cyclical shift hypothesis
Read the following scenario and answer the question(s) below. Pablo and Johanna have to do a yearlong study for their biology course. After some discussion, they decide to try comparing their dogs and the diet that they feed them. Each has a dog from the pound, and both dogs are less than one year old. Pablo feeds his shepherd-mix dog a special diet of wet and dry foods from the local vet, while Johanna uses generic dry kibble from the supermarket for her bulldog. They want to see which diet results in bigger, healthier, faster-growing dogs. After meeting with their instructor, Pablo and Johanna know that they need to change their experimental design. They contact a local puppy farm and arrange to do their study with 3-month-old litters of pups from four Irish setters, a total of 24 puppies, consisting of 12 females and 12 males. If the puppies in the experimental group gain, on average, 3 pounds more than those in the control group over a 4-month period and seem healthier and more energetic, then ________.
there is a probability that the kibble is better for puppies they have proven that the kibble diet is best for female dogs they have proven the veterinary diet is best for all dogs *there is a probability that the veterinary diet is better than kibble for puppies* there is a probability that the veterinary diet is better than kibble for all dogs
You have read about the mistakes made on Easter Island. On Tikopia, another small island, the people acted in other ways. When they realized that the pigs they had imported were damaging the environment, they killed them all. They had to have permission from a chief to fish, which prevented overfishing. They practiced contraception. These all indicate that ________.
they were concerned with only one year at a time they believed in full resource utilization *they truly practiced sustainability* they felt that everything was a nonrenewable resource they felt that everything was a renewable resource
The preservation ethic states that we should __________.
treat all people fairly, regardless of income, race, or ethnicity proceed with a project that could cause environmental harm, so long as its economic and other benefits outweigh the harm *protect our environment in an unaltered state* put natural resources to use
Which of the following can be depleted if overused?
wave energy wind sunlight *fresh water*
Nearly 50% of the land on our planet is currently used for agriculture, with very little more agriculturally usable land available. If everyone on the planet had an ecological footprint the size of the average citizen of the United States, then ________.
we would have 50% more food to go around about 50% of the people would starve we could support 50% more people on our planet we would be able to provide for everyone without much difficulty, using the other 50% of the land currently not being used *we would need at least two more planet Earths to feed and support everyone*
Which one of the following represents quantitative data?
whether an endangered California condor successfully raises a condor chick *levels of nitrate pollution in local waterways* offspring gender whether you play a college sport
