Test
Sustainable use is often defined as the use of natural resources at a rate that meets the needs of the present human population but which also allows future generations to use the resource to meet their needs. Which of these BEST illustrates the concept of sustainable use?
A logging company reseeds and replants in a forested area after cutting down trees for timber
The image above shows the natural progression of a forest in a process called ecological succession. If a mature climax forest is heavily harvested for mature trees to be used as pulp and lumber, which effect is most likely?
An increase in light tolerant species like grasses, pines, and shrubs
How could this growth result in a negative impact on the environment?
An increase in the amount of waste.
Ballast water is taken up by ships in order to improve balance. Ships take up water in the entry ports, and discharge that water in destination ports. How could ballast water create problems within an ecosystem?
Ballast water can contain bacteria, viruses, or other organisms that can become invasive within a different ecosystem.
Excess carbon gases released into the atmosphere cause additional radiation to be retained and Earth's average temperature to increase. This phenomenon is known as
Greenhouse effect
Many scientists are convinced that the growing human population is contributing to the gradual warming trend that is occuring on planet Earth. According to the researchers, which human activity is MOST likely to be a contributing factor in global warming
Humans have changed the chemistry of the world's oceans by the use of phosphates and nitrogen-containing compounds.
Bill is a fisherman on the Gulf Coast, and he has noticed that over the past several years, the shrimp population has grown smaller. He wants to come up with a way to keep fishing for shrimp, but at the same time, he doesn't want the shrimp numbers to drop any further. How could Bill accomplish this?
Keep fishing for shrimp, but at a rate that lets the shrimp population start to grow again.
Carbon is a very important part of our Earth. In fact, carbon makes life on Earth possible and exists in many different forms. Mauna Loa, Hawaii, is the site for the oldest continuous carbon dioxide (CO2) measurement station in the world. Looking at the data collected, what can you infer is the main reason for the increase in carbon dioxide?
More fossil fuels are being burned
This is a typical grassland food web. It is also a small picture of an important cycle on Earth: the carbon cycle. Man can impact the carbon cycle in a negative way. All but one example below would negatively impact the carbon cycle. Identify it
Planting a field of wheat
The graph illustrates what has happened over an 8 year period, when non-native Nile perch were introduced to Lake Malawi in Africa. Environmental factors remained the same during this period (i.e., temperature, pH, water levels, etc.) Based on the data, what recommendation would you make to African biologists
Remove or reduce the Nile perch as quickly as possible, as it is clearly out-competing the pike cichlid
Northern snakehead fish are non-native to the US, but recently a fisherman caught the northern snakehead fish in a pond in Maryland. It is suspected that live fish were intentionally released to the pond. This fish is considered a delicacy in some cultures. Snakeheads are top predators, with 90% of their diet being other fishes. These snakeheads can breathe out of water and travel short distances (about 100 feet) across land. Females can lay more than 100,000 eggs per year. Juveniles have been identified in nearby rivers, such as the Potomac. Based on the information provided, what classification and description best details the impact of this species in Maryland freshwater ecosystems?
Snakeheads are invasive species and will decrease biodiversity in local ponds.
Consider the data for competing predators, wolves and mountain lions, in several counties. If the wolf population in Clay County increases and approaches 80 wolves, what would we expect to happen to the mountain lion population?
The mountain lion population would drop below its current level
The Canby's dropwort grows in wetlands in Georgia. It is an endangered plant because wetlands have been cleared for agriculture and construction. The larvae of the black swallowtail butterfly eat this plant. What would MOST LIKELY happen to the black swallowtail butterfly if these plants continue to decrease
The number of butterflies will drop
How does population growth negatively impact water quality
altering of wetlands
Human activities can alter an ecosystem and bring about the extinction of a species. Such activities include any of these expect
assuring a habitat remains unharmed.
Farmer Brown sprays insecticides on his crops to kill insects. Several days after spraying, he notices many dead bugs around the pond. That summer, the number of frogs around the pond was lower than ever. The frog population has declined because
bugs are the limiting factor for the frogs
The burning of fossil fuels by cars and factories has most affected the ______________ cycle.
carbon
Reducing the emissions of which gas will lead to reducing the greenhouse effect?
carbon dioxide
What two processes fuel the carbon cycle?
cellular respiration and photosynthesis
Ecologists study how relationships between biotic and abiotic factors impact the many levels of organization on earth. What level of organization is defined as groups of different species that live together in a single ecosystem
communities
A Density Dependent Limiting Factor is a limiting factor of a population where a large, dense population is more strongly affected than one that is small and less crowded. What is a density dependent limiting factor that can affect the human population growth of North Carolina?
disease
Ecologists study how relationships between biotic and abiotic factors impact the many levels of organization on earth. What level of organization is defined as the interaction between organisms in a community and the environment in which they live?
ecosystems
Teak, a highly prized tropical hardwood, is used extensively for outdoor furniture. Unfortunately, teak is grown in only a few locations throughout the world and native trees are becoming scarce due to repeated harvesting and the clear-cutting of forests. Logging teak forests disrupts the natural habitat of many other species and reduces local biodiversity. Foresters, seeking a reasonable solution to this problem, might consider ALL BUT
growing farm crops in greenhouses instead of on land previously home to teak trees.
On a farm, there has been a sudden spike in the rodent population, causing an increase in crop damage and, as a result, loss of income. What practice might have contributed to the spike in the rodent population?
hunting and killing the snakes on the farm
What is NOT an impact that an invasive non-native species has on an ecosystem?
improves forest productivity and overall health
Which of these is MOST LIKELY to contribute to the long-term instability of a local ecosystem?
introduction of a non-native animal species
Any abiotic or biotic factor in an ecosystem that causes a population's size to slow or decrease is a ____________ factor.
limiting
In an ecosystem, which is NOT a density- dependent limiting factor?
natural disaster
CO2 is returned to the atmosphere by all methods EXCEPT
photosynthesis
Look carefully at the model. Plants take in and release carbon dioxide. Plants require carbon dioxide for the process of
photosynthesis
The MOST important biotic factor in this swamp would be the
plants
Which factor is a density-dependent limiting factor on the population of a species?
predation
This satellite image shows a new housing development, which has caused forest fragmentation. Based on the image, if other new housing developments are built in nearby areas and the forest fragmentation continues, what will MOST LIKELY be harmed?
the animal population
A farmer had an accident and spilled a chemical into his pond. Several days later, he notices many dead frogs around the pond. That summer, the number of gnats around the pond was higher than ever. This is because
the frogs are a limiting factor for the gnats
Many factors determine the health of an aquatic ecosystem. Which choice lists ONLY abiotic factors?
the oxygen content of the water, the water temperature, and the chemical composition of the bottom mud
Many different trees and shrubs live in the Blue Ridge Mountains. This woody habitat supports many types of animals. One species, the black bear, lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains. What effect would logging MOST LIKELY have on the black bear
The black bear would most likely move away in search of food and shelter
Given two areas with equal sunlight and available water. Area I has a high amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide while Area II has a low amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide. How does the rate of photosynthesis in Area I compare to that in Area II?
The rate of photosynthesis increases with an increase in carbon dioixde
Which factor would INCREASE the carrying capacity for white-tailed deer in an Eastern temperate forest ecosystem?
The re-introduction of the American chestnut tree, which produces many seeds, and used to live in North Carolina.
The graph shown above is from one of the most well-known and on-going ecological studies ever performed. Isle Royal National Park, an island on Lake Superior, keeps data of populations of wolves and moose living there. The moose are a major food source for the wolves. Based on the graph, how does the moose population affect the population of wolves
The wolf carrying-capacity rises as moose populations increase, but with a delayed effect
In an ecosystem snakes eat salamanders, and salamanders eat earthworms. How would the ecosystem be affected if a large number of snakes are caught and moved out of the region as a part of a conservation program?
There would be a decrease in the number of earthworms
Green sea turtles eat sea grass that grows on the sea floor. Seagrass, a foundation species, provides an important breeding ground for fish and other marine organisms. A conservation program for the green sea turtles plans to introduce more turtles into an ecosystem. What could be the immediate effect of this on the ecosystem?
There would be a decrease in the population of marine organisms
What is the collective role of water vapor, carbon dioxide, ozone, and methane in the atmosphere?
They regulate Earth's climate by trapping heat and holding it within Earth's atmosphere.
Joanna and Stephanie are researching the effects of global warming. They notice that several types of organisms, such as armadillos, gnats, and alligators, are found much further north than they were found twenty years ago. They conclude that the change of location for these species is directly related to global warming. What would you tell them about the validity of their conclusion?
They should test their hypothesis before coming to that conclusion.
