ENV 1100 Exam 3

Select the true statements regarding the Earth's water resources. (Select all that apply.)

Only 2.5% of the Earth's water is fresh. Of the available fresh water, 21% is in ground and surface waters.

Select the false statements regarding the human impact to waterways. (Select all that apply.)

People are sustainably withdrawing water and stabilizing the surface and ground water resources. There are areas of water scarcity like Canada, Brazil, and Iceland.

Which of the following are true statements regarding wetlands? (Select all that apply.)

Wetlands provided many ecosystem services such as filtration, flood reduction, runoff deceleration, and groundwater recharge. Wetlands are heavily impacted by human activities, including draining and filling for agriculture and development, irrigation withdrawals, pollution, and damn construction.

Match the following weather and climate terms.

a circular current driven by temperature differences; warm, moist air raises while cool air descend and its density increases.: connective circulation a layer of cool air becomes trapped beneath warm air, preventing any vertical mixing from occurring.: temperature inversions specifies atmospheric conditions in a location over short time periods: weather The band of air where temperature abnormally rises with altitude; traps pollution near the ground especially in valleys.: inversion layer patterns of atmospheric conditions in a location over long periods of time: climate

Select the true statements regarding the Earth's atmosphere. (Select all that apply.)

has evolved continuously as Earth as aged and changed (Example: photosynthetic microbes releasing oxygen). functions: climate moderation, oxygen source, shield from meteors and hazardous solar radiation, cycling and transport of water and nutrients

Match the following atmospheric layers.

highly important and functional layers of gases that envelops our planet: atmosphere atmospheric layer that is drier and less dense, where the protective ozone layer resides: stratosphere layer of stratosphere filled with ozone molecules that acts a UV protectant (Earth's sunscreen): ozone layer lowest level of the atmosphere where we live, breathe and experience weather: troposphere

Place the following greenhouse gases in order from the greatest global warming potential to the least global warming potential as detailed by the 2007 report from the IPCC.

hydrofluorocarbons nitrous ixide methane carbon dioxide

Match the following water pollution forms.

non-biodegradable trash that makes it way to oceans and remains in ocean gyres indefinitely.- solid waste pollution infrequent but catastrophic accidents from fossil fuel harvesting- oil spill used water from human activities such as toilets and dishwashers- wastewater soil particles carried by rivers- sediments

Microscopic _______________ form the base of the marine food chain and are estimated to be responsible for 50% of the world's oxygen production.

phytoplankton

Environmentalists and scientists advocate immediate intervention regarding global climate change because ________.

they are concerned about future global societal and ecological consequences from climate change

The Maldives held an ________________________ to bring attention to the plight of their low lying island nation.

underwater cabinet meeting

Which of the following things change regarding the Earth and its orbit around the sun, therefore leading the planet into natural climate variations?

All of the provided answers are correct

Which of the following are ways you can personally help with global climate change and reducing your carbon footprint?

All of the provided answers are great ways to help reduce your carbon foot print.

Select all that apply regarding ocean currents.

Disruption of the thermohaline circulation could trigger rapid climate change. Studies have shown that the thermohaline circulation is already slowing down. Ocean currents impact the Earth's climate through the movement of warm equatorial water towards the poles.

Select the incorrect statement regarding global climate change (GCC).

Most greenhouse gases come from natural sources so we can't have an impact on GCC.

Which of the following occurs as oceans absorb carbon dioxide?

Ocean pH becomes more acidic and marine organisms (especially corals and shellfish) are negatively impacted.

The _______________ aquifer is the world's largest aquifer and suffering from long term overuse.

Ogallala

Match the following surface water terms.

area directly around a river or stream that are particularly productive and species rich; act to protect the river system: riparian zone area of land that periodically floods when river systems flow over banks due to high precipitation or snow melt: floodplain topographical area that drains into a particular river system: watershed above ground water sources like rivers, streams, ponds, pools, wetlands, etc: surface water flow of water over terrestrial landscapes until it reaches waterway or waterbody: runoff

Air pollutants that are judge to pose especially great threats to human health are known as _______________

criteria pollutants

Select all that applies to the benefits provided by marine reserves.

192% total biomass increase and 31% average organisms size increase species larvae from the reserves "seed the surrounding seas" 23% increase in species density

All of the following are lines of evidence that support the existence of anthropogenic climate change except

All of the provided answers are lines of evidence for the existence of anthropogenic climate change.

We know that climate change is of anthropogenic sources due to

All of these are lines of evidence for the anthropogenic causes of climate change

Which of the following are true statements regarding carbon dioxide and global systems.

Atmospheric CO2 concentrations have risen over 100 ppm since the late 1700s. Anthropogenic sources of CO2 include burning of fossil fuels and wood products. While carbon dioxide has a lower global warming potential than other greenhouse gases (GHGs), it us currently having the greatest impact due to the levels of CO2 release and abundance in the atmosphere.

Select the true statements regarding air quality and air pollution in Los Angeles and Mexico City. (Select all that apply.)

Both cities have made strides to improve their air quality of the last two decades but as populations grow pollution continues to be a problem. Mexico city has closed oil an oil refinery, switched power plants to natural gas, switched to unleaded gasoline and reduced sulfur in diesel. Most pollutants had been reduced by more than 75% but urban sprawl and severe traffic commutes have remained an air pollution problem.

Select the true statements regarding impacts to ground water resources.

Continuous withdrawal of groundwater concentrates the pollutants that are present there. Groundwater pollution is hard to detect and even harder to cleanup. Contaminants remain in groundwater sources until they slowly decompose.

Air pollution emissions and regulation in China, Venezuela or Australia are not a concern of citizens in NC.

F

Air quality is highly regulated and therefore in good quality in newly industrializing nations such as China and India.

F

Fishery management that has established harvesting maximum sustainable yields for fish populations which has been successful and there is no need for an ecosystem based management system.

F

Generally speaking, indoor air pollution is considered safer than outdoor air pollution.

F

Greenhouse gases have been on the rise since the early 1900s.

F

Groundwater renews quickly and easily via recharge zones.

F

Our ocean fisheries are being fished sustainably, fish stocks (populations) are viable and the global harvests are growing.

F

Sea level rise is only a problem for low lying Pacific island nations.

F

The Stern Review of the Economics of Climate Change concluded that climate change could cost the world 5-20% of the GDP by year 2200 and no amount of investing at this point will help avoid these costs

F

The United States and European economies have suffered by trying to cut GHG emissions while countries like China and Germany are not seeing a return on their investment in renewable energy technologies.

F

The surface of the Earth absorbs the majority of the solar energy that hits the planet.

F

Select the false statements regarding the greenhouse effect. (Select all that apply.)

Greenhouse gases (GHGs) cool the lower atmosphere. All of the GHGs have the same relative heat trapping capabilities and thus are all equally concerning.

Select the true statements regarding other greenhouse gases. (Select all that apply.)

Halocarbons impact to GCC has slowed due to production control set by the Montreal Protocol. Water vapor is the most abundant greenhouse gas but its global concentrations have not changed over recent centuries and is not viewed as a driver of industrial-age climate change.

Select the incorrect statements regarding the large scale circulation and global climate patterns. (Select all that apply.)

Precipitation and air lift at 60 latitude can be attributed the Coriolis effect. The doldrums deflects objects to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and the left in the Southern, resulting in curving wind patterns Solar influenced Hadley cells cause the slow sinking and compression of air that results in the tropical rainforests.

Which of the following are false statements regarding the climate change and the United States?

President Obama started the Climate Action Plan which was largely comprised of climate change mitigation strategies. This Climate Action Plan has been upheld and expanded by the Trump Administration. Carbon dioxide has never been listed as a regulated air pollutant. The United States along with all other nations of the UN ratified the Kytoto Protocol.

Select the true statements regarding debates over climate change. (Select all that apply.)

Public debates over climate change are primarily the result of corporate interests, political think tanks, and a handful of scientists funded by fossil fuel industries The majority of scientists agree that most or all of today's global warming due to the well-documented recent increase in greenhouse gas concentrations. The US was working toward addressing climate change until our current administration.

Select all that apply regarding oceans.

Salts and sediments of the ocean is a result of dissolved salt rich runoff from land. Ocean water movement includes both horizontal surface oscillations and vertical oscillations.

Select the correct statements regarding GCC impacts on Miami. (Select all that apply.)

Southern Florida lies on flat, porous limestone, making it especially vulnerable to flooding from the ocean. Miami's local leaders have been working on GCC management strategies such as raising roadways, floodwater pump installation, develoing more inland and stop the financial subsidies for insurance in low lying coastal areas.

Select all that apply to pooled (lakes and ponds) surface waters.

Standing water is divided into different zones based on location and incidence of sunlight. Eutrophic lakes are areas of high productivity, high nutrients levels and low oxygen. Pooled waters are recharged with nutrients and sediments via deposition from entering flowing waters.

ENSO cycles occur about every 2-8 years and scientists are exploring the impacts of global climate change on the ENSO cycles.

T

Global climate change is everyone's problem and everyone has a role, large and small, to play in fixing this issue.

T

Globally, human use of fresh water has doubled in the last 50 years.

T

If left undisturbed and untapped, groundwater can remain underground for thousands of years.

T

In the United States, we treat both our drinking water as well as our waste water.

T

Many types of fishing techniques result in death of unintended organisms such as dolphins, sea turtles, sharks, albatrosses; bottom trawling by dragging nets destroys entire benthic ecosystems.

T

Prior to industrialization, the natural carbon sources (release to the atmosphere) and the carbon sinks (sequestration) roughly balanced each other.

T

The EPA estimates that between 1970 and 1990, clean air regulations and technological advances in pollution control saved 200,000 American lives.

T

The Earth has a natural greenhouse effect that is important to sustainment of life but human activities are intensifying both the effect and the impacts.

T

The existence of polar ice is highly important in regulating the amount of solar radiation the earth absorbs and therefore to our historical climate trends.

T

The use of cap and trade policy has had some success in the US regarding the reduction of sulfur dioxide.

T

What happens to water anywhere in the globe impacts other parts of the world due to the high connectivity of the hydrological (water) cycle.

T

While air quality is much improved in the US, most smog in urban areas results from automobile exhaust.

T

Which of the following are true regarding humans impact on the natural sources of air pollution. (Select all that apply.)

Unsustainable agriculture can results in increased wind erosion and desertification. Living in or near fire prone ecosystems can worse the air quality impacts to humans during a fire or fire season.

Select the false statements regarding the regulation of air quality in the United States. (Select all that apply.)

The Clean Air Act funds pollution control research, sets standards for air quality, but does nothing to encourage emissions standards and fuel efficiency for automobiles and other point sources. In the last 50 years, there has been no appreciable reduction in the emissions of the six criteria air pollutants since the passing of the Clean Air Act.

Select all that apply regarding ocean acidification.

The absorption of atmospheric CO2 is resulting in chemical reactions that are decreasing the ability of corals, shellfish and other marine organisms to build their shells. Absorption of CO2 results in a lowering of ocean pH.

Which of the following is the magic bullet for stopping climate change?

There is no "magic bullet" for stopping climate change, but all of the provided answers are smaller changes that can add up.

Climate change can be faced with two strategies; mitigation and adaptation. Which of the following is an adaptation response to climate change?

a low lying Pacific island nation building higher seawalls

________________ are microscopic droplets that can have either a warming or cooling effect when present in the atmosphere. Examples include ___________________ which acts as an atmospheric warmer and ___________________ which acts as an atmospheric cooler.

aerosoles; soot; sulfur

While the release of methane from melting ice and thawing permafrost would be an indirect anthropogenic cause of increased methane, the following are more direct anthropogenic cause of increased methane. (Select all that apply.)

all apply

Select all that apply regarding legislation and regulation of water resources and pollution.

all except; Agencies that enforce pollution legislation have been well funded and well staffed which results in rare violations and very limited exposure of American citizens to unsafe drinking water.

Which of the following are true regarding surface water alteration impacts. (Select all that apply.)

all except; Excessive withdrawal from rivers doesn't really have any impact downstream because surfaces water are so quickly replenished.

Select all that apply to indoor air pollution.

all except; Limiting ventilation and decreasing windows would cause increased indoor air quality.

Select the true statements regarding the Earth's natural climate variations.

all except; Oceans hold 50X more carbon than the atmosphere and their carbon storage ability increases as they warm.

Which of the following are true statements regarding the impacts of global climate change? (Select all that apply.)

all except; Our planetary reflectance (albedo) of solar radiation is increasing as more ice sheets melts and reveal dark surfaces. Insurance companies have seen a halving in losses in Europe but a tripling of losses in other parts of the world.

Which of the following are good points to make when someone tells you that "Global warming is not real because it snowed here last week."

all except; The Earth has natural shifts in climate and humanity is too insignificant to have any impact on a system as large as our global climate.

Select the true statements regarding climate modeling and the IPCC.

all except; The efficacy of computer climate models are subject to conjecture because they cannot be verified as accurate or somewhat accurate.

Identify the appropriate freshwater wetlands to its characteristics.

an aquatic succession stage filled with floating mats of thick vegetation: bog temporary, often seasonal wetlands that is particularly important to amphibians as an offspring nurseries: vernal pool shallow water area typically without many trees, vegetated by low lying plants such as cattails and rushes: marsh standing water area typically vegetated by shrubs and trees: swamp

Milankovitch cycles ________.

are changes in Earth's tilt, wobble and orbit that may trigger climate variation

Match the following greenhouse gas reduction strategies.

compensation to the public for the external costs of anthropogenic climate change: carbon pricing no net transfer of revenue from taxpayers to the government: revenue-neutral carbon tax voluntary payments intended to enable another entity to reduce emissions that one is unable to reduce oneself: carbon offsets technology or strategies to remove carbon from combustion emissions.: carbon capture a permit trading system where polluters who do not exceed the governmental cap can sell their carbon credits to other parties.: carbon cap and trade carbon taxes are paid to consumers as a tax refund or dividend: fee and dividend fee of carbon polluters to incentive them to reduce their carbon emissions.: carbon tax a risky, last ditch idea that involves trying to reverse global climate change.: geoengineering undeveloped technology where the storage of emission derived carbon in pressurized, underground areas that theoretically won't seep out.: carbon sequestration

Match the following fishery terms.

farm raised aquatic organisms which has risen as wild fisheries collapse: aquaculture long nets that target open water species: driftnetting the goal to capture as much fish as possible while still maintaining a viable, reproducing population: maximum sustainable yield the shift to smaller, less desirable fish species as other fisheries collapse: "fishing down the food chain" extremely long fishing lines with hundreds or thousands of evenly spaced baited hooks: longlining dragging weighted cone-shaped nets through pelagic or benthic zones: trawling large nets suspended around schools of fish: purse seining accidental capture of untargeted species during commercial (industrial) fishing: bycatch

________________ is the relative ability of a greenhouse gas (GHG) molecule to contribute to warming.

global warming potential

Which of the following are contributors to the depletion of ozone in the ozone layer? (Select all that apply.)

halocarbons chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) ozone depleting substances

Match the following water usage terms. (You will need to use outside sources to answer some of these.)

irreversible, gradual caving in or sinking of an area of land due to ground water depletion: aquifer subsidence unsustainable water usage: water mining movement of salt water into coastal freshwater aquifers when freshwater has been removed: salt water intrusion sudden collapsing of land where the bedrock and/or aquifers no longer support overlying strata: sink hoes

Match the following smog terms.

lethal for some smog caused by a combination of industrial pollution and high-pressure weather conditions.: "killer" smog events brown-air smog that forms when sunlight drives chemical reactions between primary pollutants and atmospheric compounds.: photochemical smog gray-air smog caused by the incomplete combustion of coal or oil when burned: industrial smog general term for a mixture of air pollutants that can accumulate in the air due to industry and heavy automobile traffic: smog

Match the following.

long-term regional or global effects: long residence more localized impacts over short periods: short residence the amount of time a pollutant spends in the atmosphere before settling to the ground.: residence time results from reactions of primary pollutants and other atmospheric components.: secondary pollutant pollutants released directly from the source: primary pollutant the maximum allowable concentration for each pollutant: ambient air quality standard

___________________ are areas of ocean where fishing is prohibited while ___________________ restrict some human activities like oil drilling but allow fishing and other extractive activities.

marine reserves; marine protected areas

Earth's atmosphere is warming due to _______.

molecules in the atmosphere trap heat re-radiated from Earth's surface

The _________________ is an international treaty in which 196 countries agreed to phase out the use of ozone depleting chlorofluorocarbons which has helped in the restoration of the protective stratospheric ozone layer.

montreal protocol

Matching the following general air pollution terms.

occurs inside buildings, sources such as radon, cigarettes smoking, VOCs: indoor air pollution release of substances to the atmosphere that degrades the air quality: air pollution unidentifiable, building related illness produced by indoor air pollutants: sick building syndrome gases or particulate matter added to the atmosphere that can affect climate or harm living organisms: air pollutants occurs outside of buildings, fire smoke, vehicle emissions, ozone: outdoor air pollution

Match the following oceanic zones with its corresponding characteristics.

open ocean area found between the ocean surface and the ocean floor: pelagic zone area where sunlight does not penetrate: aphotic zone fluctuating tidal zone where the ocean meets land: intertidal zone ocean floor: benthic zone area where sunlight penetrates and allows for the growth a phytoplankton: photic zone

Match the following water pollution terms.

pesticides, petroleum products, heavy metals, acids: chemical water pollution pathogenic bacteria and parasites: biological water pollution diffuse or multiple inputs of pollution over large areas: non-point sources discrete locations that release water pollution: point source nutrient excess results in algal bloom, bacteria population spikes and hypoxic waters known as dead zones: cultural eutrophication extremely low dissolved oxygen concentrations in a water body: hypoxia any changes in the chemical, physical, or biological properties of water due to human activities: water pollution harmful red-pigmented algal blooms that release toxins to the water and often results in fish and shellfish illness which can cause human health impacts: red tide

The most influential factor in dealing with climate change may be the collective actions of millions of _________________ people, like you and me.

regular

Match the following ways we can reduce our use of freshwater.

reusable water bottles, turn off faucet when brushing teeth, choose products are manufactured with less water,: personal water conservation lined irrigation canals, leveling fields, install drip irrigation, plant less water demanding crops: agriculture water conservation low flow faucets, showerheads and toilets; rainwater harvesting, graywater reuse, xeriscaping: residential water conservation recycle treated wastewater for irrigation, fix leaky pipes, shift manufacturing processes to use less water: Municipal/Industrial Water Conservation landscape plantings adapted to arid environments: xeriscaping

Many argue that the benefits of damn removal far outweigh the benefits provided by damn waterways. Which of the following would be some of the benefits seen from damn removal? (Select all that apply.)

reviving of river recreation return shellfish and fish habitats in and around the mouths of rivers disrupted by damns restored ecosystems and fisheries (all apply)

There are many technologies and strategies to reduce air pollutant emissions such as _______________which remove air pollutants from smokestacks and ______________that react with vehicle exhaust air pollutants to convert them into carbon dioxide, water vapor and nitrogen gas.

scrubbers; catalytic converters

Match the following oceanic terms.

shallow ocean floor along coastlines: continental shelf downward movement of warm water laden with dissolved oxygen and carbon dioxide: downwellings downwelling region near Western Europe that helps moderate the Western European climate: north atlantic deep water systematic shift in atmospheric pressure, sea surface temperatures and ocean circulation in the tropical Pacific ocean.: El Niño - Southern Oscillation (ENSO) upward movement of deep, cold, nutrient rich water: upwellings steep slope down to the deep ocean basin: continental slope global ocean currents where surface waters are warmer, salinity low while denser, saltier water move below.: thermocline circulation

Select the six criteria air pollutants monitored and regulated by the Clean Air Act.

sulfur dioxide carbon monoxide tropospheric ozone lead nitrogen dioxide particulate matter

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is an international panel that ________.

summarizes and reports climate change research and offers mitigation and adaptation suggestions.

A particular region of oceans life supporting ability depends on which of the following? (Select all that apply

sunlight temperature nutrients salinity topography

Climate change can be faced with two strategies; mitigation and adaptation. Which of the following is an mitigation response to climate change?

switching to clean and renewable energy sources

Match the following ground water terms.

upper border of the groundwater that is completely filled with water- water table Porous, spongelike formations of rock and sand where water resides in pores- aquifers area where water filters through soil layers to reach a groundwater source like an aquifer- recharge zone water below the soil surface that resides within the pore spaces between soil and rock- ground water water trapped between layers of impermeable clay- confined aquifer water not trapped between layers of impermeable clay- unconfined aquifer

Match the following sources to their greenhouse gases.

vehicle and industrial combustion, electrical utilities: nitrous oxide refrigerants, propellants, aerosol spray cans,: halocarbons burning of fossil fuels and wood products: carbon dioxide photochemical smog which develops from nitrogen oxide and VOC emissions.: ozone

Match the following uses of water.

water usage that doesn't return water to groundwater or surface water sources: consumptive 10% of freshwater: residential 20% use of freshwater: industry major use of freshwater (70%): agriculture water usage only temporary removes (if at all) water from its source: non-consumptive use

Which of the following are components of weather and climate? (Select all that apply.)

wind precipitation and humidity temperature solar radiation barometric pressure