Ch. 56 HW

After 1800, the atmospheric concentration of methane rose dramatically, but concentrations of the other gases remained constant. - Supported - Not supported - Cannot be determined from this graph

- Not supported

Which size forest fragment would be most affected by habitat fragmentation over a given period of time? - 1000 hectares. - 100 hectares. - 10 hectares. - 1 hectare.

- 1 hectare. The smallest fragments would be most affected by habitat fragmentation due to disturbances flowing into the fragment from the exterior.

In the 250 years from 1500 to 1750, the atmospheric concentration of methane (CH4) hovered around 700 parts per billion. What was the approximate concentration of methane 250 years later, in 2000? - 700 parts per billion - 375 parts per billion - 1,800 parts per billion - 1,100 parts per billion

- 1,800 parts per billion

What was the approximate atmospheric concentration of CO2 at year 0? - 255 parts per million - 275 parts per million - 900 parts per billion - 255 parts per billion

- 275 parts per million

In 2050, the atmospheric concentration of CO2 will be 400 ppm. - Supported - Not supported - Cannot be determined from this graph

- Cannot be determined from this graph

Which of these three gases is most abundant in the atmosphere? - Nitrous oxide (N2O) - Carbon dioxide (CO2) - Methane (CH4) - The concentrations of the three gases are approximately equal.

- Carbon dioxide (CO2)

Which gas is plotted using the y-axis on the right? - Nitrous oxide (N2O) - Methane (CH4) - Carbon dioxide (CO2) - The total of all three gases

- Methane (CH4)

Carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane all had relatively stable atmospheric concentrations before 1800. - Supported - Not supported - Cannot be determined from this graph

- Supported

From 1900-2000, the atmospheric concentration of CO2 rose from approximately 300 ppm to 350 ppm. - Supported - Not supported - Cannot be determined from this graph

- Supported

Which of the following statements about the effects of forest fragmentation on plant biomass and species diversity is true? - The loss of plant biomass correlates mostly with the death of understory plants. - Large forest fragments (>1000 hectares) are not affected by edge effects and their species diversity is expected to be stable over a long period of time. - Small forest fragments lose their species diversity at the same rate as large forest fragments. - The loss of plant biomass has a domino effect on other species that live in the forest fragment.

- The loss of plant biomass has a domino effect on other species that live in the forest fragment. This phenomenon exacerbates the edge effects seen in forest fragments and causes a more rapid loss of species diversity in the fragment.

True or false? Biologists studied the effects of forest fragmentation by calculating the difference between the amount of plant biomass in the edges of forest fragments and the interiors of unfragmented forest. - True - False

- True Through these studies, biologists found that the edge plots lost about 14 percent of their biomass every two years, starting at two years after the fragmentation occurred.

The bioenergy garden at Georgia Southern University is used to show plants that can be used __________. - to directly generate electricity from photosynthesis in the leaves - to conserve water - as biofuels that will not add any extra carbon dioxide into the atmosphere - as landscaping, providing energy-saving shade to homes and businesses

- as biofuels that will not add any extra carbon dioxide into the atmosphere Corn is one of the most common biofuels in the world. Grains are commonly used to generate ethanol, which can be added to gasoline or used directly to power internal combustion engines like those in cars.

LEED standards in the construction of new buildings establishes criteria that __________. - require that all energy used in the building comes from wind or solar sources - limit construction to the use of recycled materials - conserve energy and water and improve indoor air quality - encourage the consumption of local foods

- conserve energy and water and improve indoor air quality LEED certification of buildings is increasing in the United States. You might check to see whether any of your campus buildings have achieved LEED certification.

The water reuse system on the campus of Georgia Southern University __________. - collects runoff water from lawns and parking lots to water lawns and gardens on campus - conserves water by using treated city wastewater instead of city tap water for irrigation - uses water from campus sinks and toilets to water lawns and gardens on campus - uses tap water to water lawns and gardens and then catches and reuses any water that runs off of these systems

- conserves water by using treated city wastewater instead of city tap water for irrigation In places like the southwestern United States, where water supplies are very limited, using treated wastewater in this way can make a big difference.

One common way to increase the sustainability of a food system is to buy and consume __________. - processed foods that require little to no preparation before consumption - foods that are grown locally - food that is individually wrapped - meat instead of fruits and vegetables

- foods that are grown locally In addition to promoting environmental sustainability, farm markets help the local economy.

Which of the following processes remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere? - the burning of fossil fuels - photosynthesis - cellular respiration by plants - decomposition

- photosynthesis If you had trouble with this question, review the following material: During photosynthesis, photosynthetic organisms absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and convert the carbon in CO2 to organic compounds, such as sugars. In contrast, decomposition, cellular respiration, and the burning of fossil fuels all release CO2 as an end product, thereby increasing the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere.

What environmental problem is being addressed by the use of bio swales, large vegetated ditches or depressions, on the campus of Georgia Southern University? - a shortage of water for irrigating lawns and landscaping - the local production of food - the pollution of streams by oily runoff water from parking lots - the production of biofuels used to generate electricity on campus

- the pollution of streams by oily runoff water from parking lots In addition to reducing the pollution of local streams, bio swales and large runoff ditches help to prevent surges of water into these local systems. Large surges of water can lead to local flooding and erosion problems after a heavy downpour. Return to Assignment