ENVS 201 Exam #1
Micro plastics are pieces of plastic that are less than 5 mm of length. Which of the following are sources of microplastics?
All of the above
Plastic debris is found littered on _____ .
All of the above
What does Leonard report as missing from the simple delineation of the Materials Economy?
All of the above
What is the fate of plastic debris floating in the ocean?
All of the above
What proportion of the world's population does not have access to safe drinking water?
17%
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS Convention), finalized in 1982, created a comprehensive framework for nations' use of the oceans. How far from shore does the jurisdiction of each state, under the LOS Convetion, extend?
200 miles
Aquatic biomes (marine and freshwater) cover of the Earth's surface and include rivers, lakes, coral reefs, estuaries, and open ocean
3/4
What fraction of the earth's surface is covered by water?
3/4
Where do the CO2 emissions resulting from human activities go?
60% to the atmosphere 20% to the ocean and 20% to terrestrial ecosystems
The North Pacific Gyre is a plastic debris accumulation area driven by currents and weather systems in the Northern Pacific Ocean. In the North Pacific Gyre, what is the ratio, by mass, of plastic debris to zooplankton?
6:1
Researchers from the University of Hawaii analyzed plastic debris in beach sand. What percent of the collected debris was made of plastic?
72%
From the following, choose two that are ways that climate change is predicted to result in increased sea level?
A and C
What is the Kyoto Protocol?
A binding agreement between the world's industrialized nations to reduce greenhouse gases 5% below 1990 levels
Biologists collected crabs from tidepools and tested their response to temperature in the laboratory. What did they find was the crab's reaction to an increase in water temperature?
As temperature increased, crab heart rate increased until it stopped
In 2001, what did climate scientists conclude?
Average global temperature had increased by 1°C by the burning of fossil fuels
Since the vast majority (94%) of the planet's water is saline and contained within the oceans, how do supplies of freshwater exist?
Because over the oceans evaporation dominates and on land precipitation dominates
Why is seawater intrusion due to over withdrawal of groundwater increasingly a threat to coastal aquifers globally?
Because world populations are increasing particularly rapidly in coastal areas
How do nurdles make it into the ocean?
Both A & B
In the US from the 1920s to the early 21st century, what direction has the average number of hours worked and amount of money spent annually changed ?
Both the average number of hours worked and money spent annually have gone up
What are BFRs
Brominated Flame Retardants
What insecticide was banned in the USA but has caused problems in bird species?
DDT
How many toxic pollutants does American industrial production admit to releasing every year?
Four billion pounds a year
Which of the following is NOT a required condition for hurricane development?
High inland temperatures
What are GCMs?
Highly detailed computer models that simulate the complex climate systems to understand the effects of each component
During global cooling periods, also known as ice ages, global ocean levels were lower because _______
Huge volumes of water were trapped in glaciers and continental ice sheets
After rejecting the Kyoto Protocols, what did the US do?
Increase their carbon emissions to 20% above the 1990 levels
During a/an ___________ event, coastal upwelling in the eastern Pacific dwindles or stops and warm, moist air rises over the west coasts of North and South America, causing heavy rains and landslides as droughts occur in Indonesia and other Asian countries.
El Nino
As one travel from the surface to the bottom of the oceans, the zone that are traversed occur in which order?
Epipalagic, Mesopalagic, Bathypalagic, Abyssalpalagic
According to Annie Leonard in "The Story of Stuff", textbooks report that all our stuff goes through a system called the Materials Economy. What does this system consist of ?
Extraction, production, distribution, consumption and disposal
According to Annie Leonard, textbooks report that all our stuff goes through a system called the Materials Economy. What does this system consist of?
Extraction, production, distribution, consumption and disposal
Climate researchers report that modelling climate change is complicated because the climate system contains many feedbacks. What do they mean by feedbacks?
Interactions between components of the climate system that can either magnify or constrain climate change
Where do the toxic ingredients in industrial production go?
Into workers through exposures
Microplastics can easily be filtered out of ocean water.
False
True or False: All areas of the globe are experiencing the same level of increased heating due to climate change
False
True or False: For compounds or pollutants to contaminate water resources, the compounds must be water soluble
False
True or False: Lethal water-based diseases are not a threat to human health in the developed world.
False
True or False: Marine Debris is dominantly an ocean-based problem. It is due to ocean-based sources including fishing vessels, stationary platforms, cargo ships and derelict fishing equipment.
False
True or False: Recently, all major trends in water supply and water quality in Europe and North America are very negative.
False
True or False: Saltwater intrusion due to groundwater over withdrawal in coastal areas is the only mechanism that causes salination of freshwater.
False
True or False: The reduced caribou population will only have impacts on the natural ecosystem and food chain
False
True or False: The science on water-related diseases is a well-established field and there is very little new to learn about the major water-related human health threats.
False
True or False: Water resources are distributed around the world evenly in space and time.
False
True or false: Globally, groundwater should be thought of as a large underground lake or river.
False
Why is it so surprising that tropical glaciers in high mountains near the equator have also been found to be melting, something that hasn't happened for thousands of years?
It's surprising because the temperature at high altitude near the equator is very stable and doesn't fluctuate much between summer and winter.
Species are typically larger, grow more slowly, have fewer offspring and spend more time parenting them are termed ________
K-selected
What did articles in the magazines Forbes and BusinessWeek report was the outcome of Kellogg's 6-hour workday?
Kellogg prospered while the workers embraced the new schedule and contributed to their families, home and communities
During a/an event, Pacific water temperatures become unusually cold and cold-water upwelling increases along western South America and unusually wet weather in Asia and drier than normal conditions in much of the United States occours
La Nina
What are the caribou running from?
Longer mosquito season
Beginning in the 1950s, American industrial producers decided to shift towards making products that were designed to only be used for a short time and to be replaced soon after purchase. Which of the following describes this kind of production and use?
Planned obsolescence
What is meant by " the technology may give us license to continue doing what we've always done"?
Polluters will go on polluting the water because now there will be someone at the end of the pipe cleaning and purifying it
Where does much of water supply contamination occur?
Pollution in the vadose zone and then on to groundwater
What are the two features of soils, sediment and rock that influence groundwater movement?
Porosity and permeability
What are nurdles?
Pre-production plastic pellets
Captain Charles Moore emphasizes that governments should focus on ____ to reduce plastic marine debris.
Preventing plastics from reaching the watershed and ocean
In contrast to the previous 1000 years, in the last 150 years, global average surface temperatures have ____ by 0.6 °C∓0.2 °C
Risen
What can happen if groundwater well pumping in coastal areas reduces the water table to below sea level?
Salt water can flow into the aquifer
Where does water from America's toilets usually end up?
Sanitized and piped to streams
The observed sudden decline and recovery of the zooplankton population was tied to a regime shift. What is a regime shift?
Sudden rearrangement of oceanic cold and warm water masses
What is the greatest movement of life on the planet?
The daily migration of ocean zooplankton up the water column
Along the Material Economy system, "The Story of Stuff" describes several examples of externalized costs. What are externalized costs?
The real costs that are not captured by the price we pay
Along the Material Economy system, Leonard describes several examples of externalized costs. What are externalized costs?
The real costs that are not captured by the price we pay
How does water vapor redistribute energy from the sun around the globe?
The worlds water absorbs energy as it changes from liquid to gas, circulates through the atmosphere and releases the stored heat during precipitation
Where do most toxic compounds in products come from?
Toxic ingredients in processing
How has the amount of microplastics in the Central North Pacific Ocean changes over the last decade?
Tripled
Species are not uniformly spread among Earth's biomes. Which of the following statements accurately reflects this statement?
Tropical areas generally have more plant and animal biodiversity than high latitudes
True or False: Excessive groundwater pumping from wells can drain nearby rivers and streams.
True
True or False: Plastic debris researchers collect marine plastic debris and sort it based on size class and material.
True
True or False: Scientists predict that the world's water and water cycles will be profoundly affected by climate change.
True
True or False: Some tiny plastic marine debris are small enough to blend in with the ocean's plankton
True
At what level of involvement is the U.S. with regard to the Kyoto Protocol?
Uncommitted to the treaty on economic ground: only having signed but not ratified the treaty
What is the most broadly-supported international agreement on climate change?
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
What is ghost fishing?
When abandoned fishing gear continues unintentionally entrap marine animals
What is biomagnification?
When compounds resist microbial decomposition, are passed along the food chain and increase in concentration towards the top
To perform photosynthesis, phytoplankton require light from the sun as well as_______
all of these
Important findings from the Vostok ice-core studies include:
all the above
The most important biogeochemical cycle(s) affecting ecosystem health are the __________
all the above
The world's water supply is allocated between major reserves including:
all the above
What effect are rising global temperatures having on the world's oceans?
all the above
Which of the following are causes of increasing salinity of freshwater resources?
all the above
Which of the following are negative impacts of salinization of freshwater resources:
all the above
Which of the following are possible outcomes of overuse of groundwater?
all the above
Change driven by new external geophysical conditions such as rising average temperatures resulting from global climate change is termed_____
allogenic succession
Change driven by the inhabitants of an ecosystem, such as forests regrowing on abandoned agricultural fields is termed _______
autogenic succession
The increase in concentration of a chemical in organisms that reside in environments contaminated with low concentrations of various organic compounds
bioaccumlation
Toxins and contaminants can move up the food web and organisms at higher trophic levels can be threatened, even if the pollutant is introduced to the environment in very small quantities through a process known as __________
bioaccumulation
__________ is the sum of a suite of biologically-mediated processes that transport carbon from the surface euphotic zone (the depth of the water that is exposed to sufficient sunlight for photosynthesis to occur) to the ocean's interior.
biologic pump
When the supply of energy and nutrients influences ecosystem activities at higher trophic levels by affecting the amount of energy that moves up the food chain, the ecosystem is said to be controlled from the ________.
bottom-up
Simultaneous evolution of two or more species of organisms that interact in significant ways is called______
coevolution
An interaction where one species benefits and the other is not affected is termed _________
commensalism
_________ is the point at which there is just enough light for a plant to survive. At this point all the food produced by photosynthesis is used up by respiration.
compensation zone
An interaction where both species involved are harmed and population growth rates are reduced is termed _______
competition
When organisms of different species compete for the same resources in the same habitat, one species will commonly be more successful in this competition and exclude the second from the habitat. This is referred to as the ________
competitive exclusion principle
Due to climate change, what new territory are the caribou seeking?
cooler uphill areas
Energy is recycled during decomposition
false
True or False: CO2 is the only greenhouse gas we need to be concerned about:
false
True or False: Greenhouse gases are, by definition, only emitted as a result of human activity:
false
True or False: The earth's climate has always been the same it is now
false
True or False: With climate change, all areas are expected to become warmer and dryer.
false- some areas are expected to become wetter and some dryer
True or False: All ecosystems will be harmed by climate change.
false-some ecosystems could benefit from climate change, at the same time that many are harmed
The full range of habitat types in which a species can exist and reproduce without any competition from other species is called its _______
fundamental niche
Circular currents in the world's oceans ar called _________ an in the Northern Hemisphere they rotate _________, while in the Southern Hemisphere the rotate ____________
gyres, clockwise, counterclock wise
The atmosphere responds more rapidly to temperature changes than do the oceans because the atmosphere _________ than water
has a lower specific heat capacity
A model that suggests that organisms that are able to move will distribute themselves according to the amount of food available, with higher concentrations of organisms located near higher concentrations of food is called the______
ideal free distribution model
Without phyotplankton in the oceans performing photosynthesis, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would ________ and the atmospheric temperature would ________.
increase, increase
How does earth's natural greenhouse effect work?
insulating the planet by trapping heat and preventing it from leaving the atmosphere
A single kind of organism or a small collection of different kinds of organisms that occupy a vital ecological niche in a given location is called a ___________
keystone species
Because water is virtually incompressable, under water pressure icreases in a ___________ manner, unlike in the atmosphere where pressure changes in a ___________ manner.
linear/exponential
How have New England tree species such as hemlock, white pine, maple, beech and hickory responded to the changing climate?
migrate northward
In the 2007 IPCC report, what areas on the planet were expected to experience more warming? Where less warming?
more warming in the high northern latitudes and over land ; less warming over the southern oceans and North Atlantic
_________ describes the amount of energy that remains available for plant growth after subtracting the fraction that plants use for respiration.
net primary productivity
These are the essential, and often limited mineral nutrients required for ecosystem health
nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium
Over the past thousand years, average global temperatures have varied by less than: Select one:
one degree
__________ are microscopic plants that live in the water column of oceans, seas, and bodies of fresh water and are the foundation of the marine food chain.
phytoplankton
An interaction where one species benefits and one is harmed is termed _________.
predation or paraitism
Ecology is the study of
relationships in the natural world
What are the predators of the horseshoe crab?
sharks and sea turtles
Which of the folowing are the closest relatives to the horseshoe crab?
spiders and scorpions
A fundamental concept in ecology that refers to the more or less predictable and orderly changes in the composition or structure of an ecological community
succession
An abandoned agricultural field transitions back to forest and sun-tolerant weeds and herbs appear first, followed by dense shrubs like hawthorn and blackberry. After about a decade, birches and other small fast-growing trees move in, sprouting wherever the wind blows their lightweight seeds. In 30 to 40 years, slower-spreading trees like ash, red maple, and oak take root, followed by shade-tolerant trees such as beech and hemlock. What ecological concept does this example illustrate?
succession
Which of the following is NOT a primary producer?
tadpole
Geography has a profound impact on ecosystems because global circulation patterns and climate zones set basic physical conditions for the organisms that inhabit a given area. The most important factors are
temperature ranges, moisture availability, light, and nutrient availability
What color is the blood of the horseshoe crab and why is this?
the blood is blue due to copper
Which terrestrial geographic zones tend to have the highest plant and animal biodiversity?
tropical
Generally speaking, plant and animal biodiversity is uniformly distributed across the planet
true
The low rate of energy transfer between trophic levels makes decomposers generally more important than producers in terms of energy flow.
true
Which of these is NOT a force involved in the mixing of ocean waters?
volcanoes
____________ are microscopic animals that live in the water column of oceans, seas, and bodies of fresh water.
zooplankton
In the last 30 years, what fraction of the earth's natural resources have been consumed?
1/3
Within six months after purchase, what proportion of purchased goods are still in use?
1%
How old is the horseshoe crab species?
350 million years old
Midway Atoll is a small, coral-reef basd island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Midway Atoll is important wild life refuge for seabirds. What percent of albatross chicks died on the Atoll due to plastics being fed plastic debris by their parents?
40%
In 1930, what change did the Kellogg Company, the world's leading producer of ready-to-eat cereal, announce?
A decrease in the work day to 6 hours with an increase in the hourly wage
What is the difference between a point source and a nonpoint source of water pollution?
A point source has a distinct temporal and spatial origin; a nonpoint source is diffuse and has no clear single origin.
What is marine debris?
A regional phenomena occurring in coastal nations with excessive use of plastic waste
What is an artesian well?
A well drilled into an aquifer under pressure, requiring no pumping to get water flow
How does the industry of goods production encourage consumers to keep shopping and buying new goods?
Advertising that promotes shopping and purchasing new goods
Why are plastics so harmful in the environment?
All of above
When we buy a cheap product that's cheaper than all the real associated costs, who pays for the hidden costs?
All of these
Climate change has been observed to make several major weather system alterations with major impacts globally. How is climate change associated with more frequent dust storms from Africa reaching the Caribbean?
All the above
What are some of the ecological benefits that rivers with natural flood periods provide?
All the above
What does Leonard in "The Story of Stuff" report as missing from the simple delineation of the Materials Economy?
All the above
Which of the following are human activities increase atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations?
All the above
Which of the following are ways in which climate changes is expected to change hydrologic cycles and weather patterns? Select one:
All the above
What is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)?
An international organization of climate experts formed to study climate change and make recommendations to world governments
The water table is:
An underground area located at the top of the saturated zone of ground water
Global warming potential (GWP) is a unit used to compare the estimated climate impact of a greenhouse gas in comparison to an equivalent amount of
Carbon dioxide
During the Pleistocene Epoch (the last two million years), scientists have documented frequent and dramatic temperature swings that are likely due to:
Changes in the earth's gravitational pull
What are oceanic gyres?
Circular ocean currents that drive accumulations of plastic debris
Anthropogenic climate change is defined as
Climate change due to the increase of greenhouse gas concentrations from human activities
What are aerosols and how do they relate to global climate change?
Compounds suspended in the atmosphere that reflect heat energy from the sun
How do the ecologists track the Porcupine River caribou population over time?
Counting caribou based on aerial photos
What is the reported link between the increasing rate of asthma among children and coral health reduction in the Caribbean.
Dust storms from Africa appear to be driving both phenomena
What did a recent review of more than 40 scientific studies find were the broad impacts of climate change on plants animals and natural ecosystem processes?
Earlier spring events, range shift northwards and a shift in organismal communities towards those that are more heat-tolerant
In contrast to planned obsolescence, what is perceived obsolescence?
Marketing: the goods are not designed to fail, but consumers are encouraged to throw things away because they seem old or outdated
Which of the following is not an important paleoclimate record that scientists have studied to better understand the earth's past climate history:
Measuring global average temperature because the climate can't have changes that much from its current state
What is the effect on caribou of climate change's altered winter snowfall?
More snow leaving less access to dried lichen (wintertime Caribou food)
What is the effect on caribou of climate change's altered spring storms?
More spring rainfall - higher river levels drowning calves during migration
Warmer temperatures in Alaska is resulting in:
More winter rain and snow
Why doesn't the American public see or come in contact with the toxic by-products of and wastes from industrial production?
Most of the toxic compounds are shipped off to other countries
What's the relationship between the National Happiness of a country and the quantity of goods they own?
Negatively correlated - more goods less happiness
Does the increase in Alaskan temperature make survival easier for the caribou and other native organisms?
No, because the change in climate is very rapid and the organisms won't have time to adapt
What problems were Orange County facing that prompted them to build the Groundwater Replenishment System? Choose 3 issues from the list:
Over-pumped underground aquifers running low Saltwater intrusion into groundwater from the ocean
Where does water from toilets in Orange County end up?
Purified at the treatment facility and discharged into a small lake
Jared Diamond reports that, according to history, when once-powerful societies collapse, they tend to do so ______ ?
Quickly and unexpectedly
Organisms that tend to be small, short-lived, opportunistic, and to grow through irregular boom-and-bust population cycles are termed _________.
R-selected
What does a reverse osmosis filter do?
Removes all impurities from the water through tiny pores
By moving to new territory, what are the caribou giving up?
Rich foliage in the valleys
The CWA requires states to identify "impaired" water bodies and develop Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements for these systems. What are TMDLs?
TMDLs specify the maximum levels of overall pollution and unnatural substances allowed in to a system, based on aesthetic and ecosystem-perceived value
The central U.S. law regulating water quality is _______.
The Clean Water Act
The horseshoe crab blood has a special adaptation due to natural selection, what is this adaptation?
The adaptation allows them a clotting ability much like white blood cells in humans that helps fight off bacteria
How does the increased average temperature relate to mosquitos in Alaska?
The increased temperature is lengthening the mosquito season
What observation have biologists made regarding the tide pool species composition in relation to climate change?
The mix of tide pool species is changing with fewer species
In general, when organisms are forced to live in warmer conditions than their optimal environmental conditions, what is the effect on the organism?
The organisms exhibit a stress response reducing survivorship with increasing disruption of environmental conditions
The article describes plastic as not biodegradable, but instead as photodegradable. Why is this a problem?
The plastic becomes brittle and fragments with sun exposure into smaller and smaller pieces, but the molecular structure is never broken down
In response to climate change, what is happening to the Porcupine River caribou population?
The population is decreasing
Following the zooplankton reduction observed in the 1980s and 1990s, what happened to the zooplankton population?
The population rebounded and recovered
In the first half of the 20ths century, American industry established a shift in their production strategy. What was this shift? Select one:
The shift from fulfilling basic human needs to creating new ones
When considering ecosystem functions such as trophic levels in food webs, migrations of various species, and population decline how does a decline in horseshoe crabs affect the larger ecosystem picture, if a decline does at all?
The spawning of of the horseshoe crabs is timed with the red knot migration and a decline in horseshoe crabs will negtively affect the red knot population
What important human health impact related to toxic compounds has not yet been studied ?
The toxicity of combined compounds
What important human health impact related to toxic compounds has not yet been studied?
The toxicity of combined compounds
Where does the large proportion of purchased goods go one year after purchase?
The vast majority are thrown away as trash
What has the Mississippi river water gone through by the time New Orleans residents drink it?
The water has been in and out of more than a dozen cities
What does 'potable' mean in terms of water?
The water is drinkable
Why are BFRs so toxic to the ecosystem?
They are resistant to biodegradation and accumulate up the food chain
How was Kellogg's altered workday viewed by his fellow business leaders?
They had little support for the shorter workday vision
Researchers have found marine plastic debris:
Throughout the water column
What were the objectives of Orange County when they went into "hyper-beaver" mode along the Santa Ana River and build the Prado Wetlands?
To capture and clean the river water and help more of it trickle into the groundwater basin
Why does the county use hydrogen peroxide and ultraviolet light in their water treatment?
To further purify the water and remove any organic compounds
Why does Orange County put the water back into the ground after purifying it aka recharge into the aquifer with purified water?
To satisfy the public's psychological dilemma posed by drinking treated sewage water
What does TDS stand for and what does it generally indicate?
Total dissolved solids - a measure of water purity based on the amount of trace elements in the water
What is the difference between waterborne diseases and water-related insect vectors?
Waterborne disease are caused by drinking water containing infectious viruses or bacteria, while water-related insect vectors are insects that breed in or on water, and spread disease
What is the basic geologic spatial unit that scientists focus on to characterize an area's water supply and water quality?
Watershed
How are work hours and political participation linked?
Working shorter days leaves more time and energy to understand and participate in politics
Does drinking water from our natural environment come into contact with sewage water?
Yes, most American's drinking water has come in contact with treated sewage water in streams or rivers
During periods when the thermohaline circulation slowed down temperatures in the Norther Hemisphere __________, while during periods when the thermohaline circulation sped up temperatures in the Norther Hemisphere ____________. Select one:
decreased, increased
