Environmental Science
Let's review the important characteristics of water that you have learned about in the last few lessons.
-Water has unique properties that make it essential to all life on Earth. -Very little of Earth's water is freshwater that is readily usable. -The freshwater we do have on Earth is unequally distributed, such that people worldwide are divided into water "haves" and water "have nots." -Globally, more than 2 billion people live without adequate water for health and sanitation. -Agriculture, industry, and domestic sectors use water in both consumptive and non-consumptive ways. -In some parts of the world, withdrawal of freshwater exceeds nature's capacity to renew it. As a result, water scarcity develops, and people experience water stress. -The disparity in the distribution of global water resources sometimes leads to conflicts between countries.
Water is important to all living things. Here are a few reasons why:
-Water is the primary component of living cells and makes up 60 to 70 percent of the weight of all living organisms. -Water is the main component of cells, and it provides the cell with form and support. -Water is the medium in which important chemical reactions take place inside an organism's cells. -Water absorbs important substances, so they can be transported into cells. These substances include food molecules, gases, hormones, minerals, and other nutrients.
At what temperature did water freeze on Earth 1 billion years ago?
0°C
Which value most closely represents the amount of freshwater on Earth, as a percentage of the total water on Earth?
2 percent (planet is 71% water)
Generally speaking, the maximum number of links in a food chain is _____.
5
Depletion time describes the length of time it takes to use up
80% of a mineral reserve.
Which of the following situations accurately describes a difference between a food chain and a food web?
A carnivore eats both a rabbit and a mouse in a food web.
Why is absolute dating more accurate than relative dating?
Absolute dating uses the half-life of an element.
_____ accounts for almost 70 percent of water use.
Agriculture
What is a marine protected area?
An area where the ocean is protected from some or all human activities.
Area A receives more than ten inches of rain per year. Area B receives less than one inch of rain per year. Which of the following is most likely true about Areas A and B?
Areas A and B are probably different biomes.
The continental United States is divided into two very large watersheds, one which drains into the _____ and the other into the _____.
Atlantic Ocean; Pacific Ocean
Which surface ocean current has the warmest water?
Brazil Current
What is thought to be most responsible for the salinity of the oceans?
Chlorine gas combined with sodium from Earth's rocks.
How are chunks of time in the geologic timeline organized?
Each chunk of time represents a time when fossils indicate that Earth's life forms were similar.
Even if you live in the middle of North America, the quality of your watershed can affect the quality of the ocean. How can this be?
Evaporation carries materials from your watershed to the ocean.
Which of the following would be one way a farmer could increase the amount of available nitrogen in his fields without adding a synthetic fertilizer?
Grow a legume crop to support the development of root nodules.
Which of the following human activities would be most beneficial to soil conservation?
Grow cover crops
How can regulations on fertilizer use help keep freshwater life zones clean from pollution?
Helps prevent cultural eutrophication
Why is a raindrop a particularly damaging element to soil?
It causes the soil to break apart and carries it away.
Why is the majority of Earth's freshwater not readily available for our use?
It is locked up in glaciers and ice caps.
Which of the following lake zones is similar to the coastal zone of the ocean?
Littoral
Which of the following is a possible scenario that could lead to a new species?
Over time, many mutations occur in the gene pool of a population of butterflies.
What eon, era, and period do you live in?
Phanerozoic eon, Cenozoic era, and the Quaternary period
Which of the following is true of ecological succession?
Pioneer organisms move into new communities first.
Which of the following is an example of primary succession?
Plant development on a layer of rock deposits.
Which of the following statements is true about photosynthesis and cellular respiration?
Plants perform both photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
A fisheries management official recommends that long line fishing in a certain area be prohibited during the spring and summer season of the year. What is the most likely reason for this?
Prevent the catching of sea birds during their nesting and breeding season.
In which horizon of a soil profile is the parent material usually found?
R horizon
What are the drawbacks of desalinating water?
Some drawbacks of desalinating water include limitations, costs, and the energy required. The limitations are that the population must be close to the ocean, and that there is a large amount of salt that is removed from the water, which is essentially waste. The cost is an issue because it is highly expensive, and the process requires large inputs of energy.
Which of the following is not a factor in determining if an animal should be placed on the Endangered Species list?
The animal is visually appealing.
Which of the following is most responsible for El Niño?
The calming down of trade winds in the Pacific, which leads to the buildup of warm water.
A benefit of aquaculture is which of the following?
The elimination of catching marine life other than the intended fish.
A sample of soil from a C horizon is light brown in color and has a high content of a mineral called feldspar. Which of the following statements is most likely true?
The parent material rock had feldspar minerals in it.
A third-world country village gets a monthly air drop of white rice. The amount of rice is enough so that every villager never has a hungry stomach. Which of the following is a concern related to nutrition?
The rice-only diet may lead to malnutrition.
Coral bleaching most often takes place in the shallowest parts of a reef. This would indicate which of the following?
The shallow parts are more susceptible to temperature.
The water that falls from the sky today as rain may have once been part of the ocean. How can this be?
The water was evaporated from the ocean, condensed in clouds, and fell as precipitation.
Fish are considered a renewable resource. However, some scientists believe that Earth's oceans are running out of economically valuable fish. What is the most likely reason for this?
They are being harvested faster than they can replenish themselves.
A climatograph can show the average monthly precipitation and the average monthly temperature in a region. Together, these two factors play a large role in determining what biome a particular geographical area falls under.
True
Since climate determines the types of vegetation that can grow in a particular area, each biome may be defined by particular types of plants.
True
Which of the following is not a reason why famine may occur?
Use of fertilizers
Which of the following is not an example of an ecological service provided by forests?
Which of the following is not an example of an ecological service provided by forests?
Which of the following actions or events did not contribute to the Dust Bowl?
With the advent of pesticides, minerals in the ground were leached.
drainage divides
a boundary between adjacent watersheds
science
a branch of study or knowledge about the physical and material world which is conducted through investigation and observation
soil ph
a chemical property of soils that describes the measure of hydrogen ions in a soil sample; how acidic or basic a soil sample is
ecosystem
a community where populations of different species interact with one another and with their non-living environment
malnutrition
a condition of not having adequate nutrition for proper growth and health
hunger
a condition of not having enough food
hypoxia
a condition of oxygen depletion in a body of water caused by an excess of nutrients
dam
a constructed barrier built to hold back water from a river and for release during times of greater need
developing country
a country that is poor and whose citizens are mostly agricultural workers, but that is becoming more advanced socially and economically
reserve
a deposit of a mineral resource in a quantity large enough to make a profit
aridland
a desert, a biome with little precipitation and arid conditions
soil horizon
a distinct layer of soil that has characteristic properties
period
a division of geologic time and a subdivision of an era
biome
a geographical area with similar climate and soils, which contains similar organisms
age structure diagram
a graphical representation of the different proportions of individual ages in a population
population
a group of interacting individuals of the same species occupying a specific area
species
a group of organisms that live together and can interbreed
Which of the following describes a rapidly expanding population?
a high birth rate and many individuals in the younger age groups
Without the presence of sea otters, sea urchins would otherwise overgraze kelp beds, dramatically changing the marine community of which the urchins and otters are a part. For this reason, sea otters are considered _____.
a keystone species
eutrophic
a lake with a large amount or excess of nutrients
culturally eutrophic
a lake with excess nutrients from urban or agricultural land
oligotrophic
a lake with very few nutrients in it
terrestrial biomes
a large area of land characterized by similar climate, soil, and living organisms
sinkhole
a large hole that opens up in the ground, usually caused by the collapse of the roof of a cavern or underground cave (also can happen as a result of over pumping groundwater)
lithosphere
a layer in the interior of earth or another planet; the Earth's the mantle is sandwiched between the crust in the top and the core in the bottom
Which of the following best defines the word aquifer?
a layer of rock or soil that holds water underground
food chain
a linked feeding series that shows how organisms are connected to each other by feeding relationships
An area where soil has eroded experiences _____.
a loss of nutrients
era
a major division of geologic time that is a subdivision of an eon
rock
a mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
old-growth forest
a mature forest never harvested or cleared
latitude
a measure of distance from the equator, either north or south, on the globe
albedo
a measure of the amount of light that a surface reflects
biodiversity
a measure of the variety of species in an environment
pre-reproductive
a member of a population that is younger than the age of reproductive maturity
mineral
a naturally-occurring substance formed by geologic processes that has a characteristic chemical composition, a highly ordered atomic structure, and definite physical properties
integrated pest management
a pest control approach that relies on pesticide alternatives and chemical sprays only as a last resort
fungicide
a pesticide specifically targeted at fungus
insecticide
a pesticide specifically targeted at insects
rodenticide
a pesticide specifically targeted at rodents
herbicide
a pesticide specifically targeted at weed plants
weathering
a physical or chemical process in which rocks are exposed to weather and worn down by water, wind, or ice
soil texture
a physical property of soil that describes how the soil feels, and the relative components of sand, silt, and clay sized particles
biotic potential
a population's capacity to grow
mutation
a random change in the DNA of an organism
mutualism
a relationship between two kinds of organisms that benefits both
parasitism
a relationship in which one organism lives in or on another organism and benefits from that relationship while the host organism is harmed by it
metamorphic rock
a rock that has undergone chemical or structural changes by exposure to extreme heat and/or pressure
igneous rock
a rock that solidified from a molten or near molten state
theory
a scientific hypothesis that has been supported by data and facts over and over again
rock cycle
a series of events through which a rock changes over time between igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic forms
organism
a single living thing
The current plight of the polar bear is an example of _____.
a specialized animal's inability to rapidly adapt to a changing environment
macronutrient
a substance required in relatively large amounts by a particular organism for maintenance and growth
micronutrient
a substance required in trace amounts for the maintenance and growth of an organism
organic
a substance that contains carbon and hydrogen atoms, such as carbon dioxide, glucose, methane, and nucleic acid
inorganic
a substance that does not contain carbon and hydrogen atoms, such as salts, rocks, and minerals
pesticide
a substance used to control or kill pests
divergent plate boundary
a tectonic boundary where two plates are moving away from each other and new crust is forming from magma that rises to the earth's surface between the two plates; makes volcano
convergent plate boundary
a tectonic boundary where two plates are moving toward each other and build a mountain (volcano)
plates
a theory of global tectonics in which the lithosphere is divided into a number of crustal plates, each of which moves on the plastic asthenosphere more or less independently to collide with, slide under, or move past adjacent plates
nitrification
a two-step process whereby soil bacteria convert ammonia and ammonium ions first to nitrate ions, which are toxic to plants, and then to nitrate ions, which are used by plants
northern coniferous forest
a type of forest biome with cool temperatures and dominated by coniferous trees
temperate forest
a type of forest biome with seasons and even precipitation levels
savanna
a type of grassland with a few clumps of trees
volcano
a vent in the earth's crust through which lava, steam, ashes, etc., are expelled, either continuously or at irregular intervals
soil profile
a vertical section of soil that shows the horizon and parent material
geologic timeline
a visualization of how the earth and its lifeforms have changed through geologic time
El Niño
a weather event that occurs when unusually warm waters from the Pacific Ocean disrupt typical global weather patterns
Which of the following soils should most closely resemble its parent material?
a young, newly-developed soil with little weathering
Which of the following terms describes all of the non-living components of an ecosystem?
abiotic
Which of the following would be a good adaptation for an organism that lives in the intertidal zone?
able to survive both in and out of water
Which of the following negative impacts of mining involves rainwater seeping through piles of overburden, creating sulfuric acid?
acid mine drainage
acid mine drainage
acidic water that seeps from piles of mine tailings as water in the environment reacts with acid-forming substances in the tailings waste
The role of a watershed is to _____.
act as a drainage area
Abiotic
actors are the non-living things found in an ecosystem such as water, air, nutrients, soil, and solar energy. Solar energy is an essential abiotic component of all ecosystems because it directly or indirectly provides the energy that all organisms need to survive. It is the energy that drives photosynthesis and makes all life possible.
"Darwin's finches" reside on the Galapagos Islands. Each species has a different type of beak, however, they can all be traced back to one common ancestor. The different beaks are an example of _____.
adaptations
Which of the following is not a characteristic that distinguishes one type of forest from another, such as Siberian vs. Tropical Rain Forest?
age of trees
Your classmate states that only precious minerals, such as diamonds, are valuable. Based on your lesson on the rock cycle, you _____.
agree with her; diamonds are valuable, but there are other minerals that are used in industry that have a high value, as well
biosphere
all of Earth's ecosystems
food web
all of the individual food chains of an ecosystem that are interconnected together
environmental resistance
all the factors that act to limit the growth of a population
watershed
all the land that drains into a given body of water
renewable water
all the water that enters an area by precipitation and other imports minus the water that leaves the area by evaporation, plant use, and other exports
productivity
amount of biomass produced in a given area during a given period of time
species that play critical roles in their communities and help determine the types and numbers of other species in a community
an adaptation in which an animal is protected against predators by its resemblance to a different animal
Which of the following most accurately describes a pasture?
an enclosed field covered with grass or similar plant and suitable for grazing by livestock
Which of the following events may be a result of a new, fatal disease that affects only senior citizens?
an increase in the death rate of post-reproductive individuals
adaptation
an inherited trait that gives an organism an advantage or helps it survive in its given environment
autotroph
an organism capable of producing its own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis
producer
an organism that can produce its own energy from the sun or chemical source
heterotroph
an organism that cannot produce its own food so must eat to get energy indirectly from the sun
consumer
an organism that must eat to get energy indirectly from the sun
trophic level
an organism's feeding status in an ecosystem
aquifer
an underground layer of earth, gravel, or sand that yields water
While primary production refers to the synthesis of plant material, secondary productivity refers to the synthesis of
animal tissue
developed country
another name for a high-income country, that is, a country with a relatively high level of per capita income
convection current
any air current that is caused by the transfer of heat in the atmosphere
Which of the following is the best definition of pest?
any insect, plant, rodent, or fungus that causes harm or is unwanted
pest
any organism regarded as harmful or unwanted
An agricultural pest is best described as _____.
any unwanted and destructive insect or other animal
All of the following are examples of surface water except
aquifers
rangeland
areas of fenced in grassland used for grazing livestock
A farmer has chosen to breed a rooster and a chicken. He selects the chicken that has historically laid the most eggs. The farmer is doing _____.
artificial selection
commensalism
association in which one organism is benefited and the other organism is neither benefited nor harmed
At which location would sunlight have to pass through the thickest amount of atmosphere before reaching Earth's surface?
at the poles
The shape of a mineral's crystal indicates it _____.
atomic structure
Abiotic factors in an ecosystem does not include which of the following?
bacteria
Wilderness is land that is undeveloped by humans. Scientists estimate that a wilderness area needs to be at least 1,500 square miles in order to _____.
be sufficiently unaffected by air, water, and noise pollution from nearby human activities
A small rodent lives in an area where the average temperature has been increasing drastically over a very short period of time. As a result, this species of rodent will most likely _____.
become extinct if the temperature gets too high
Which of the following represents mutualism?
bees pollinating flowers
beneficial insects
beneficial insects insects that are not harmful but instead perform beneficial tasks, such as bees pollinating flowers
biomass
biological material; all the plant and animal materials in an ecosystem
secondary production
biomass manufactured by organisms that eat plants or other animals
primary production
biomass manufactured by photosynthetic organisms
tundra
biome type with harsh winters and a short growing season
camouflage
blending in with one's surroundings
Reference the website below and answer the following question. http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/fosrec/BarBar.html Which organism appeared on Earth first?
brachiopods
Which of the following is not a mechanism for speciation?
cancer
Which of the following is a measure being taken to prevent the extinction of the leatherback sea turtle?
captive breeding
Water entering a confined aquifer takes ________________.
centuries
phosphorus cycle
circulation and reuse of phosphorus atoms
Suppose you work for a government office that needs to find a suitable place to bury barrels of poisonous liquid wastes. The soils that are used to bury the waste should have properties that will prevent the liquid from moving quickly down toward the groundwater-just in case the barrels begin to leak at some point. You should look for a soil with which type of texture?
clay rich
intertidal zone
coastal area close to the shore, where tides and waves dominate
chaparral
coastal area near a desert with small shrubs and occasional trees
Thermohaline circulation is mainly due to
cold, dense ocean water sinking and warmer water replacing it.
interspecific competition
competition between species for shared or limited resources
community
consists of all the populations of different species that live and interact in a given area
omnivore
consumer that eats both plants and animals
prescribed burns
controlled and managed fires set intentionally for the benefit of the flora and fauna
Plate boundaries
convergent boundary divergent boundary transform fault boundary subduction plate boundary
humus
dark colored organic material in soil; it is left over from the decay of living things
A society in the near future values education and career over family. More and more couples decide to wait until they have succeeded at work before they are ready to start a family. This population would most likely be _____.
declining
Which of the following is not an advantage of conserving water?
decreasing water supply to nations that are not in compliance with the United Nations
profundal zone
deep open water zone of a lake or pond; too dark for photosynthesis
water cycle
describes how water moves between Earth's surface and the atmosphere and back to the surface in a never-ending cycle
species diversity
description of differences between all the species on Earth
genetic diversity
description of the differences within members of a single species
Which of the following describes the practice of drift mining?
digging a tunnel into the side of a mountain, often involving explosives
Which of the following is not a solution proposed for the Aral Sea dilemma?
discontinue the use of irrigation systems what has been proposed is: pump in seawater via a pipeline grow crops that require less water charge farmers to use the water from the rivers
Which of the following would likely extend the Earth's supply of a nonrenewable resource?
discovery of a new way to reuse the resource
Which of the following characteristics would make an organism less likely to face extinction?
diverse diet
In order for biological evolution to occur, the ______ of an organism must change and be passed on to offspring.
dna
phytoplankton
drifting photosynthetic organisms like algae
The study of living things and the surrounding abiotic environment is known as _____.
ecology
hypothesis
educated guess based on observation and experimentation
Which of the following is the most responsible force driving the water cycle?
elevation differences
Water is
essential to all life
Specific agricultural uses of water are all of the following except _____.
evaporation
desertification
expansion of desert lands caused by human activities and drought that accelerate soil erosion
At time 0s, a population has 2 members. At time 2s, there are 4 members. At time 6s, there are 16 members. What type of growth is being experienced by this population?
exponential
A species that is no longer in existence would best be characterized as which of the following?
extinct
surface mining
extracting earth materials from just below the surface
subsurface mining
extracting materials from deep underground
Biotic
factors are the living parts of ecosystems, such as bacteria, ants, humans, etc. The categories of the biotic components of an ecosystem include: *Producers* : plants and phytoplankton that produce their own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis; *Consumers* : animals that get their food by eating plants or other animals; and *Decomposers* : mostly bacteria and fungi that break down dead organisms; earthworms are also considered decomposers.
A niche is part of an organism's habitat.
false
An example of an indicator species is the sea otter. Without sea otters, sea urchins would overgraze on kelp beds, dramatically changing the marine community.
false
Animals who eat the same food are categorized in the same niche.
false
Aphids are beneficial insects because they are small insects that eat weeds.
false
Aquaculture is commercial fishing.
false
Artificial selection involves the use of robots and "test tube babies."
false
Bleaching is caused by the addition of bleach containing fertilizers that enter marine systems through runoff.
false
Clear cutting has a similar effect as controlled burning of a forest.
false
Due to the high cost, there are very few wildlife refuges in the U.S.
false
Evolutionary adaptations commonly occur during the lifetime of an individual.
false
Exponential growth is when a couple has the number of children to replace themselves.
false
Funding to prevent deforestation should only be directed at tropical rainforests.
false
Humans are the only species that can endanger another species.
false
IPM is for large-scale farmers and not for homeowners and gardeners.
false
If a disease caused the death of 50 percent of the individuals in the 25-40 year old age range, this would have minimal effect on the individuals in younger and older age ranges.
false
In order for biological evolution to occur, the environment would have to change drastically.
false
Interest in protecting biodiversity is a relatively recent movement that coincided with the onset of global warming.
false
Like matter, energy cycles continuously through an ecosystem.
false
Mine reclamation involves reopening a mine that was previously to be void of useful minerals.
false
One of the goals of wildlife refuges is to prevent humans from interacting with wildlife.
false
One of the key characteristics that defines a desert is the constantly high temperature.
false
One way to protect biodiversity is to set aside more wilderness land. Humans are not allowed in these areas.
false
Producers are the most important biotic factor in an ecosystem. true or false
false
Purse-seine fishing is known to be the safest fishing method for protecting dolphins.
false
Reference the website below and answer the following question. http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/fosrec/BarBar.html Trilobites are common throughout the entire fossil record.
false
Since marine life is either freshwater or marine, estuaries play little importance in aquatic ecosystems.
false
T/F: A farmer's fields, which are close to a stream, has experienced a lot of runoff. One possible effect of the runoff is that the stream will have a decreased level of fertilizers from the field.
false
T/F: Compared to fossil fuels, conserving water is not very important.
false
T/F: Domestic use of water only refers to water used in private households.
false
T/F: Ocean surface currents circulate in clockwise direction in the Southern Hemisphere.
false
T/F: Since 40 percent of industrial water use is non-consumptive, there is little that industry can do to conserve even more water.
false
T/F: Soil formation occurs in a relatively short amount of time since animals frequently cause the breakdown of rocks.
false
T/F: The bacteria found in soil is usually harmful and measures are taken to remove any traces of microorganisms.
false
T/F: The opposite of consumptive water is water consumption.
false
T/F: The planting of trees is detrimental to soil because it drains the soil of nutrients.
false
T/F: Water consumption can never exceed water renewability.
false
T/F: Worldwide, the composition of soil is nearly identical.
false
The accumulation of DDT pesticide in eggshells is a direct result of the spraying of pesticide near eagle nests.
false
The majority of mining in the U.S. is subsurface mining.
false
The rate of primary productivity is equal to the rate of secondary productivity.
false
The unregulated use of fertilizers has actually benefited freshwater life zones.
false
Trawling adversely affects marine life zones because it introduces invasive species into the environment.
false
Unlike forests, the burning of grasslands is never beneficial.
false
Unlike third-world and developing nations, the U.S. has no incidence of hungry or malnourished people.
false
Use of fossil fuels has increased the total amount of carbon in the carbon cycle.
false
Vitamins are macronutrients.
false
Reference the website below and answer the following question. http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/fosrec/BarBar.html The information in the diagram allows you to carry out absolute dating of the fossils shown.
false; relative dating
subsistence agriculture
farming for only the food needed for basic survival
slumping
fast downhill movement of soil
jet streams
fast-moving currents of air
climax communities
final, relatively stable communities, believed by most ecologists today to be unattainable because of the fact that community change is almost always guaranteed
trawling
fishing method that involves sending a giant scooping net to the ocean floor and bringing up everything it can
purse-seine fishing
fishing method that involves spotting a large school of fish, and then trapping them with a net
drift net fishing
fishing technique that involves dragging long nets behind a boat and bringing in huge numbers of fish
longlining
fishing technique that involves the use of long lines of baited hooks
In natural systems, nitrogen is lost by denitrification. Predict which of the following processes will be most responsible for replacing lost nitrogen in an ecosystem.
fixation
Which of the following is not a function of soil?
formation of igneous rock
On a global basis, which of the following is the largest reservoir of carbon?
fossil fuels
Which surface exhibits the highest albedo measurement?
fresh snow
ASSIGNMENT 16
gives notebook guidelines if necessary
How would soil fertility likely change during the early years of primary succession?
gradually increase
exponential growth
growth characterized by a slow start and then rapid increase
In the United States, the most widespread cause of species extinction is which of the following?
habitat loss
Some countries in Africa have a negative human population growth. This is most likely due to _____.
high mortality rates from AIDS
alpine
high mountain biome
Which of the following is an example of how human activities are impacting the survival of species?
humans creating animal sanctuaries
Which of the following is not an action that could result in endangering a species?
hunting deer in designated areas during hunting seasons
A garden supply company has an advertisement selling beneficial bacteria. They claim that the bacteria will help gardeners grow better gardens because of better soil. What can some bacteria do for soil?
improve fertility
How does biomass in a community change as succession proceeds?
increase
Which of the following is likely to happen in a deforested area?
increase in soil erosion
A beetle from a foreign country enters New York's Central Park. As a result, one of the tree species becomes ravaged by the beetle. The beetle is an example of which of the following?
invasive species
A foreign seed is accidentally distributed in a field. After several growing seasons, the plants of the foreign seed are the only type found in the field. This foreign plant is considered which of the following?
invasive species
primary succession
involves the establishment of communities where there is no soil and no life
Unlike a mineral, a rock _____.
is made up of multiple substances
Plate tectonics
is the study of how the Earth's plate movement has built the landforms present today.
The Pangaea theory supports the theory of plate tectonics because _____.
it is based on the idea that all the present continents were one supercontinent
Table sugar is not a mineral because _____.
it is not made by a geologic process
Which of the following common objects uses non-renewable resources?
jewelry
Which of the following would you most want to see in your garden?
lady bug
grassland
large area of land dominated by grasses
wilderness
large, undeveloped areas of land
famine
large-scale hunger accompanied by many deaths
crown fires
larger fires that eventually burn whole trees
What factor does not contribute to "water stress" on the Earth?
less ocean water sources
If a rocky island appeared out of the water from volcanic activity, what type of organism would most likely live there first?
lichens and moss
Which type of growth shows a rapid increase followed by a slow decrease to level off the population?
logistic growth
sustainability
long-term maintenance of ecosystem components that allows them to continue through future generations
Which of the following terms is most closely related to igneous rock?
magma
pasture
managed areas of grassland or fenced in meadows used for grazing livestock
plantation forest
managed areas of uniformly aged trees of one or two species that are harvested for timber as soon as they are old enough to be commercially valuable
natural resources
materials taken from the natural environment, such as water, air, and plant life
A geologist is examining a new sample of rock. She is trying to categorize it based on its physical properties. Which of the following characteristics cannot be identified based on her basic visual and tactile assessment?
melting temperature
Some caterpillars look like small snakes and will even strike out like a snake when threatened by a predator. This is an example of _______.
mimicry
genetically modified food
mixing the genes of similar types of organisms to selectively breed for desired characteristics
The end of a river or stream is the _____.
mouth
ocean currents
movement of surface ocean water in predictable paths
A blue whale is an example of which of the following?
nekton
When farmers irrigate their crops, as much as 60 to 70 percent of the water _____.
never reaches the crop
Which of the following winds is characterized by blowing in the middle latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere from the northeast?
northeast trade winds
coriolis effect
observation that air and ocean currents appear to be deflected in their course of direction due to the spin of the earth on its axis
speciation
occurs when a new species forms because separate groups that have different adaptations within a population become reproductively isolated
habitat fragmentation
occurs when large areas of habitat are divided into small isolated patches
overgrazing
occurs when too many livestock eat in an area for too long
A newly formed lake is most likely _____.
oligotrophic
Producers make up more biomass than primary consumers because _____.
only 10 percent of the energy at each trophic level is passed on to the next level
When does IPM use synthetic chemical pesticides?
only as a last resort
ecological succession
order of changes in the composition or structure of an ecological community over time
Which of the following represents the correct sequence, smallest to largest, of the levels of organization?
organism, ecosystem, biosphere
carnivore
organisms that only eat other consumers
herbivore
organisms that only eat plants
As a result of _____, grass cannot grow back quickly enough. The ground becomes bare, and the bare soil is prone to erosion and blows away in the wind.
overgrazing
trade winds
persistent winds that blow from the subtropics toward the equator
valley fills
piles of material removed from a mountain during mountaintop removal mining and sent downhill in large piles
spoils
piles of waste overburden, often piled up on the ground adjacent to a mine
estuary
place where ocean water and freshwater from an incoming river are mixed
transform plate boundary
place where plates slide against each other
wildlife sanctuary
places set aside where hunting and fishing are prohibited or strictly controlled in order to protect given species from extinction
Which of the following processes would convert inorganic phosphorus in a rock to an organic form of phosphorus?
plant uptake
Which form of life on land appears in the fossil record before all the others?
plants
The ESA is sometimes controversial because some argue that it puts the needs of plants and animals above the needs of people. People should keep in mind that _____.
plants and animals each play an important role in the ecosystem
Which of the following fields of study relates to the way that human cultures govern and make laws, including laws about the environment?
political science
In a cyclic population _____.
populations increase and decrease in a regular predictable pattern
biological evolution
process by which a species changes over time
absolute dating
process of determining a specific date of an event or fossil and relies mainly on the radioactive decay of different elements. Each element has a half-life that can be measured in fossils and rocks, which gives an estimate that is more accurate than relative dating.
mining
process of extracting valuable rocks and minerals from beneath the Earth's surface
sedimentation
process that deposits soils or other materials on the ground or in bodies of water
dentrification
process that occurs when ammonia and ammonium ions are converted back to nitrogen gas
ammonification
process that occurs when bacteria convert organic materials into simple nitrogen-containing compounds such as ammonia
nitrogen fixation
process whereby nitrogen from the atmosphere or soil solution is converted to ammonia that can be converted to plant nutrients
Why are phytoplankton essential to aquatic life zones?
provide basis of food chains
Which of the following geometric shapes best represents the change in energy and change in biomass from one trophic level to the next?
pyramid
Which of the following factors is not used to categorize terrestrial biomes?
racial distribution
aquaculture
raising fish in an artificial controlled environment
Which of the following is an R-selected species?
rat
domestic
related to private households and cities
clear cutting
removal of all trees in a certain area
selective cutting
removing trees in stages or in small groups and then replanting
Resources such as sunlight, fresh air, soil, plants, animals, and water are known as _____ resources.
renewable
Several different species of birds, including heron, flamingos, and skimmers, can all successfully feed along the coast because they get their food from waters of varying depths. This is an example of _____.
resource partitioning
As the human population grows _____.
resources will be depleted we will continue to find resources on Earth more plants will grow due to increased human consumption of herbivores the sun will provide less energy per person
The Surface Mine Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) states that coal mining companies must do which of the following?
restore most surface mined land by grading and replanting it
sedimentary rock
rock formed by the hardening of material deposited
ore
rock that contains a volume of economically profitable minerals
Which of the following would be used to control mice and rats?
rodenticide
The number one factor for determining what living things can survive in a body of water is
salinity
What is the number one determining factor in the types of organisms that can live in a body of water?
salinity
Which of the following is an advantage of synthetic chemical pesticides?
save human lives
A rock has been formed by the accumulation of bits of rocks that were originally formed by the release of heat by magma. How should this rock be classified?
sedimentary rocks
steppe
semiarid grass-covered plain
earthquakes
series of vibrations produced in the earth's crust by the abrupt rupture and rebound of rocks in which elastic strain has been slowly accumulating
A large hole that opens in the ground as a result of overpumping groundwater is a _____.
sinkhole
soil creep
slow downhill movement of soil
A population is experiencing exponential growth. This means it is growing _____, then _____.
slowly first, then rapidly
When a landslide occurs, it is most like due to:
slumping
Which of the following lists includes only abiotic environmental factors?
soil minerals, oxygen, rain, sunlight
Protecting endangered animals is a difficult process because _____.
some of these animals habitats overlap with areas that humans count on for their livelihoods
One of the significant characteristics of old growth forests is that _____.
some organisms only survive in the complex ecosystems of old growth forests
Which of the following is a disadvantage of synthetic chemical pesticides?
sometimes kill organisms other than the ones they were used for
Which of the following winds is characterized by blowing in the southeast in the middle latitudes in Earth's Southern Hemisphere?
southeast trade winds
k-selected species
species that have few offspring and have slower population growth than r-selected species
invasive
species that migrate or are deliberately introduced into a community where they would not normally live
keystone species
species that play critical roles in their communities and help determine the types and numbers of other species in a community
indicator species
species that serve as early warnings of damage to a community or ecosystem
r-selected species
species with a high capacity for population increase
nekton
strong swimmers, like fish, turtles, and whales
secondary succession
succession that occurs after a disturbance, such as fire or flood
Selective cutting is preferable to clear-cutting because it _____.
targets a small, specific area of trees
biomagnification
the accumulation of substances, such as pesticides or other organic chemicals, in an organism
food security
the amount of food a human needs to live and be healthy
benthos
the animals in a body of water that dwell at the bottom
benthic zone
the bottom zone of a lake
surface fires
the burning of the leaf litter and undergrowth near the forest floor
core
the central portion of the earth, having a radius of about 2100 mi. (3379 km) and believed to be composed mainly of iron and nickel in a molten state
carbon cycle
the circulation and reuse of carbon atoms, especially via the processes of photosynthesis and respiration
nitrogen cycle
the circulation and reuse of nitrogen atoms
Soils vary throughout the world because _____.
the composition is based on the parent rock in that location
abyssal zone
the deepest part of the ocean
Which of the following is NOT an interpretation that can be made from an age structure diagram?
the effect of a natural disaster on population size
environment
the external conditions, including natural surroundings, people, attitudes, and anything that influences the life and activities of people, plants, and animals
mass extinction event
the extinction of a large number of species in a short period of time that is usually caused by a catastrophic global event like an asteroid
pioneer species
the first species to colonize an area at the beginning of either primary or secondary succession
A population of deer is defined by _____.
the geographical area it inhabits
regolith
the layer of loose rock on the surface of the earth; also called mantle rock
eon
the longest unit of geological time
overburden
the material removed in a surface mining process, such as topsoil and rocks that lay over the ore material
carrying capacity
the maximum population of a given species that a particular habitat can sustain without degrading the habitat
post-reproductive
the members of a population that are past the age of being able to reproduce and are no longer able to produce offspring
reproductive
the members of a population that have reached reproductive maturity, that is, they can produce offspring
saltwater intrusion
the movement of saltwater into places that were once occupied only by freshwater
fertility
the number of births to a woman over her lifetime
replacement-level fertility
the number of children a couple must have to replace themselves
population density
the number of individuals in a population found in a given area
limnetic zone
the open water zone of a lake or pond
industry
the people or companies engaged in a particular kind of commercial enterprise
geologic time
the period of time covering the physical formation and development of the earth
habitat
the place where an organism lives and reproduces
industrialized agriculture
the practice of farming on a large scale to produce a greater output; typically requires greater consumption of fossil fuels, herbicides, pesticides, and water
sustainable farming
the practice of farming where little pesticides and herbicides are used and no fossil fuels; an environmentally-friendly alternative to industrialized farming
conservation
the preservation of resources through efficient and careful use
radioactive decay
the process by which an unstable nucleus of an atom spontaneously releases energy through the emission of radiation used in dating fossils and rocks
natural selection
the process by which those individuals best adapted to their environment tend to survive better and pass their genes on to future generations, and those that are least adapted tend to be eliminated
infiltration
the process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil
logging
the process of cutting trees down for forest management or for timber
relative dating
the process of determining the order of events in geologic time
age structure
the proportions of individuals in a population at various ages
intrinsic rate of increase`
the rate at which a population would grow if it had unlimited resources
asthenosphere
the region below the lithosphere, variously estimated as being from fifty to several hundred miles (eighty-five to several hundred kilometers) thick, in which the rock is less rigid than that above and below, but rigid enough to transmit transverse seismic waves
Which of the following best defines soil texture?
the relative amounts of sand, silt, and clay particles
parent material
the rock material that was weathered to form the sediments in a given soil
ecological niche
the role of a species in its ecosystem
salinity
the salt content of a liquid
agriculture
the science, art, and business of cultivating soil, producing crops, and raising livestock
subsidence
the sinking of the land above an aquifer, caused by overpumping groundwater from the aquifer
threatened
the species currently has sufficient numbers, but their numbers are declining and they may face extinction if action is not taken to bring the numbers back up
endangered
the species has so few numbers left that it may soon become extinct
ecology
the study of connections in nature; living things in their environment
environmental science
the study of ways in which people and animals interact with their environment
For most ecosystems, the ultimate source of energy is _____.
the sun
soil
the thin upper layer of Earth's crust that supports plant life
half-life
the time required for half the atoms in an element to divide in half
convection
the transfer of heat by the circulation or movement of the heated parts of a liquid or gas
transform fault boundary
the type of plate movement where two plates slide past each other and form a rift; forms large split in ground (like San Andreas fault)
bycatch
the unwanted fish inadvertently caught in the process of fishing, often discarded
intrinsic value
the value given to an object (like the Earth) simply because it exists, regardless of its use to us, and therefore should be protected
instrumental value
the value that comes from the numerous goods and services that biodiversity provides people; these include jobs, food, medicines, paper, textiles, recreation, and tourism
tailings
the waste material produced after an ore is processed to get the desired mineral out
erosion
the wearing down of land or soil by water, wind, ice, or gravity
deforestation
the widespread cutting of large tracts of forests
littoral zone
the zone of a lake or pond near the shore
Some forest fires are beneficial because _____.
they allow forest plants to release their seeds
Only the smallest particles of soil can be displaced by suspension because:
they are easily carried by the wind
Riparian zones are attractive to livestock because _____.
they contain lush vegetation that livestock like to eat
riparian zones
thin strips of lush vegetation around the banks of a stream
native species
those species that normally live and thrive in a particular community
A species that is likely in the near future to become endangered would best be characterized as which of the following?
threatened
Which of the following represents a parasitic relationship?
tick on dog
depletion time
time required to exhaust a given amount of a mineral reserve
Which of the following fishing techniques would be most destructive to fish habitat?
trawling
Reference the website below and answer the following question. http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/fosrec/BarBar.html Which organism was most likely to live at the same time as brachiopods?
trilobites
A watershed is the area of land that rain and melted snow and ice collect to drain into a body of water. true or false
true
Although most regions of Europe are industrialized and highly developed, some people do not receive adequate nutrition because of poverty
true
Bottled water is considered both a renewable and non-renewable product because plastic is non-renewable, but water is renewable.
true
Carrying capacity can vary depending on environmental conditions.
true
Commercially valuable fish may face extinction, even though fish are a renewable resource.
true
Communities make up a major component of an ecosystem.
true
Deforestation is related to global warming.
true
Food production in the twentieth century has tripled because of industrialized agriculture, and most people spend much less time and income to obtain food.
true
Genetic diversity is crucial to a species chance of survival over generations.
true
Grassland can be converted into a pasture by enclosing it.
true
If enough changes occur in the gene pool of a species, it is possible that a new species would be created.
true
Industrial agriculture uses far more fossil fuels than sustainable agriculture.
true
Infant mortality rates are a good indicator of a country's overall health care and access to nutrition.
true
Of all of the types of forest biomes, tropical rain forests contain the most biodiversity, even though they do not have the most fertile soil.
true
One watershed can encompass another watershed.
true
Overgrazing occurs when too many animals graze for too long in a grassland area.
true
Regulated fishing in freshwater life zones can have a positive economic impact.
true
Small habitats with little interior spaces can be harmful to species diversity.
true
Some plants require fire in order to release their seeds.
true
T/F: A town has plans to create a series of soccer fields in an area where there are currently trees. One negative effect of building soccer fields is increase soil erosion.
true
T/F: Consumptive water use is use that does not return water to its source.
true
T/F: Humans must depend on the environment for their survival.
true
T/F: Increasing the price of water is one way to prevent the abuse of the water supply by both consumers and industry.
true
T/F: Natural resources are any materials that humans obtain from the Earth to meet our wants and needs.
true
T/F: One factor that drives atmospheric circulation is the movement of air from low pressure, warm equatorial areas to high pressure, cooler areas.
true
T/F: Polar latitudes have a solar radiation deficit.
true
T/F: Sustainability refers to using resources in such a way that we ensure that they will be clean and healthy for our use.
true
T/F: The East Coast of South America has a warmer current than the West Coast of South America.
true
The first pesticides relied on natural chemicals, such as those taken from chrysanthemum flowers.
true
The goal of sustainable agriculture is to ensure adequate food production, while also protecting the environment by minimizing the use of non-renewable resources.
true
Today, there are hundreds of chemical pesticides made from human-made materials.
true
Unlike matter, energy is not cycled through an ecosystem:
true
Wetlands areas around an urban parking lot can filter out some of the chemical pollutants from the parking lot before they reach the groundwater.
true
Wetlands have many benefits, including recreational opportunities, fish, and improving water quality.
true
T/F: The study of environmental science must involve discussion of human culture and people's opinions on politics and economics.
true, as well as geology, biology, ecology, political science, economics, geography
sheet erosion
type of erosion that occurs when large sheets of water flow over the land and carry soil particles away
tropical forest
type of forest biome with high rainfall and year-round warm temperatures
gully erosion
type of soil erosion that develops when water carves away the soil until deep gullies are formed
rill erosion
type of soil erosion that occurs when water runs over land, carving out small channels as it flows
drift mining
type of subsurface mining that involves digging a tunnel through the side of a mountain
shaft mining
type of subsurface mining that involves excavating a tunnel from the surface downward to access minerals or coal deep underground
hard rock mining
type of subsurface mining that involves excavating deep underground tunnels and making underground rooms supported by pillars of rock
mountaintop removal
type of surface mining that involves blasting the top off a mountain to expose coal
strip mining
type of surface mining that involves digging in long parallel strips, one after the other
open-pit mining
type of surface mining that involves digging large open holes at the ground surface
saltation
type of wind erosion that occurs when particles are blown into the air, travel a short distance, and then fall back to the ground, dislodging other particles as they hit the ground
Sustainability refers to ___________.
using Earth's natural resources in a way that maintains their suitability
chemical warfare
using chemical substances to kill or injure predator or prey
ultraplankton
very small photosynthetic bacteria that live in water
runoff
water that does not enter the ground or get used by plants, but instead runs over the land's surface
saltwater
water that has a high salt content; ocean water is considered saltwater
freshwater
water that has a low salt content; springs and lakes are considered freshwater
surface water
water that has collected on the surface of the Earth
consumptive water use
water use that does not return water to its source, but instead leads to water being lost to evaporation, transported to another area, or contamination
non-consumptive water use
water use that returns water to its source
groundwater
water within the soil that supplies wells and springs
What are the components of Earth's life support system?
water, air, soil and rocks, living things
zooplankton
weakly swimming, free-floating animals like jellyfish
Surface processes that work to break down rock are called which of the following?
weathering
westerlies
west to east winds that dominate the middle latitudes of both hemispheres on Earth
extinction
when all members of a species die off
groundwater overdraft
when humans exhaust groundwater supplies before the supply can be replenished naturally
surface creep
when large soil particles bounce around on the ground's surface as a result of wind erosion
subduction plate boundary
when one plate moves another because of differences in density; forms trench
suspension
when soil particles are blown into the air by wind and travel long distances
subduction zone
where two of the Earth's tectonic plates collide and one is forced beneath the other. As the down-going plate heats up it releases volitiles that causes the overlying mantle to melt. This molten rock rises up to the surface and feeds active volcanoes.
A _____ is a place that is strictly controlled in order to protect a species from extinction.
wildlife sanctuary
Due to a recent drought, a farmer has lost quite a bit of soil on his fields because:
wind has carried away the dry soil.
Sustainable agriculture involves being able to farm and produce food _____.
without threatening the health of the environment
second-growth forest
woodland growth that has replaced a burned or harvested forest
euphotic zone
zone in a body of water through which sunlight can penetrate
bathyal zone
zone of the ocean below the euphotic zone
