Environmental Science

An estuary is:

a productive marine ecosystem in a region where rivers empty into the ocean, bringing nutrients from land runoff.

The presence of ducks and azolla in rice cultivation has shown that:

restoring some biodiversity to rice paddies reduces pest damage and increases rice yields.

If too much water is removed by a well in coastal areas:

salt water can seep into the aquifer.

Many people say that desalination (removing the salt from ocean water) is the obvious way around our water shortages. This is:

still very expensive and uses a great deal of energy.

Proponents of a "Gene Revolution" believe that:

GMOs are needed to achieve global food security.

Which of the following is TRUE about ocean acidification?

-Ocean acidification is harmful, as CO2 forms carbonic acid when dissolved in water, which eats away at existing calcium-based materials.

Infiltration:

-is made harder in urban and suburban areas by roads, buildings, and lawns.

Approximately 75% of Earth's surface is covered with water. The amount of that water that is drinkable by humans is:

-much less than 1%.

A disadvantage of net pen operations is:

-they release pollution into the surrounding water.

Globally, what are the FAO's livestock-rearing recommenda¬tions?

Developing nations should focus on methods that increase food security and the income of small farmers.

Which of the following is not an example of a genetically modi¬fied organism (GMO)?

High-yield variety (HYV) corn

What is the main cause of world hunger today?

Inadequate distribution of food to those in need

The highest percentage of destroyed coral reefs are found in the _______ while the _______ has the lowest percentage of destroyed coral reefs.

Indian Ocean; Pacific Ocean

Why might aquaculture be considered the "future of fishing?"

It can produce large numbers of fish without depleting wild stocks.

In what way is the RAS waste-treatment plan an example of biomimicry?

It depends on bacteria doing what they normally do in nature.

In general, as nations become wealthier, what trend is observed regarding meat consumption?

It increases, because meat is seen as a desired part of the diet.

Which of the following threats to ocean ecosystems currently has the biggest impact on coral reefs?

Overfishing

What is the most common cause of E. coli O157:H7 contamina¬tion of meat like beef or pork?

Poor hygiene at the slaughterhouse; the meat is contaminated with animal feces.

Why might bottom-trawling fishing techniques make it harder for the cod population to recover even after the ships have left the area?

The nets damage the seabed where cod spawn.

What is/are the consequence(s) of coral bleaching for coral reefs and other ocean ecosystems?

a. Coral reefs attract coral larvae via visual cues, so when reefs lose their color, larvae have difficulty attaching to the top of existing coral skeletons. b. Coral bleaching occurs when corals under stress expel their zooxanthellae: Coral can only survive for a short period of time without its photosynthetic algae partners. c. Although coral reefs are home to many species, if bleaching occurs, most of these species can move to other marine ecosystems such as estuaries and kelp forests, thus tempering the impact on ocean ecosystems.

Critics say that GMOs are dangerous because:

a. pesticide- or herbicide-resistant genes may migrate to other species and create "superweeds." b. beneficial insects as well as crop pests are killed. c. they place too much power in the hands of large corporations.

Food security is:

all people, at all times, having physical, social, and economic ac¬cess to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food.

In CAFOs:

animals are crowded together in enclosures and fattened quickly.

Malnutrition is a leading cause of illness and death around the world, and can be caused by:

b. too many calories. c. insufficient micronutrients.

Organisms that live on the ocean floor are said to live in the:

benthic zone.

Based on feed conversion ratios, it is more energy efficient to eat chicken than beef because:

chickens are more efficient than cows at converting the food they are fed into body mass, or the food that we eat.

One creative way that some communities deal with wastewater is:

creating wetlands that support birds and other wildlife.

Techniques used in sustainable agriculture practices include:

crop rotation to minimize insect and soil pests.

According to research, the biggest way to reduce the carbon footprint of the foods you eat is to:

eat foods that are grown using organic methods.

The collapse of the cod fishery is a tragedy of the commons because:

fishers would take as much as possible because if they didn't, someone else would.

Integrated pest management (IPM) includes:

growing plants that repel pests alongside the crop.

The Green Revolution:

increased world food supplies but introduced new problems.

"Fishing down the food chain" refers to:

moving on to take lower-trophic-level species once the higher levels are depleted.

Soil erosion can be minimized by:

terracing or contoured farming on slopes.

Some of the problems of CAFOs include:

they contribute air and water pollution to the local area.

Most humans get their water from:

underground wells.

Biological controls might include:

using species such as fish that eat weeds or pests.