Earth's Resources: Human Impact on Resources
Which is an important question to consider when creating an environmental policy? - How can it reduce the need for green spaces? - How can it help to increase human impact on resources? - Is the benefit worth the cost? - How will it reduce tourist activity?
Is the benefit worth the cost?
Why is urbanization contributing to pollution? - People in urban areas strip the soil of nutrients and make it difficult to grow crops. - People in urban areas consume more energy, food, and water. - People in urban areas remove minerals and metals from the ground, which increases erosion. - People in urban areas log forests and mine, which causes climate change
People in urban areas consume more energy, food, and water.
An artificial reef is a human-made structure that is designed to mimic a natural coral reef. Artificial reefs may be created by sinking structures such as ships and oil rigs. Algae and corals attach to the sunken surfaces, forming the artificial reef. These reefs provide habitats for marine life and can also be beneficial in preventing beach erosion. Artificial reefs provide economic benefits by attracting divers and tourists. Some scientists worry that artificial reefs can damage the natural ecosystem if the sites and materials are not chosen carefully and monitored closely. Which statements describe the benefits of artificial reefs? Select three options. They can attract marine organisms. They can form on top of existing reefs. They can prevent beach erosion. They can damage the natural ecosystem. They can attract tourists to the area.
They can attract marine organisms. They can prevent beach erosion. They can attract tourists to the area.
Which is an issue that governments must consider before passing conservation policies? urbanization implications cost to implement conservation policies desertification implications cost to implement deforestation
cost to implement conservation policies
What term refers to the practice of renewing destroyed ecosystems? erosion terrace farming habitat restoration tree belting
habitat restoration
Which challenge arises from trying to protect the environment? high clean-energy startup costs less access to clean water lower taxes for citizens more land available for farming
high clean-energy startup costs
What is one way people positively affect water resources? polluting from nonpoint sources increasing farming and construction disposing of chemicals in water limiting use of acid and other pollutants
limiting use of acid and other pollutants
What process leads to deforestation and increased erosion? mining reforestation desertification urbanization
mining
Which correctly lists three main causes of deforestation? air pollution, mining, logging mining, cattle ranching, logging cattle ranching, water pollution, air pollution water pollution, logging, mining
mining, cattle ranching, logging
Which activities are ways to reduce the negative impacts humans have on Earth's resources? Select two options. eroding river banks moving to urban settings monitoring air quality burning fossil fuels building marine refuges
monitoring air quality building marine refuges
Which is a cause of desertification? farming creating reservoirs overgrazing driving motor vehicles
overgrazing
What is the most effective way to protect dry lands from desertification? terrace farming mine digging planting a tree belt constructing a dam
planting a tree belt
Which environmental policy must consider the expensive startup costs associated with building machines that harvest energy from clean sources? reducing air pollution regulating deforestation introducing new farming methods protecting ocean reefs
reducing air pollution
Which statement provides the best argument in favor of deforestation? - Deforestation prevents erosion of farmland. - Deforestation prevents air and water pollution. - Deforestation does not affect climate around the globe. - Deforestation opens up land for mining and cattle ranching.
Deforestation opens up land for mining and cattle ranching.
Commercial fertilizers, which are made by humans, are used to enrich soil for healthier crops. However, erosion may carry the fertilizer chemicals to the oceans. The presence of these chemicals may cause certain kinds of algae to reproduce rapidly. This decreases the amount of oxygen in the water, which can cause organisms that depend on it, like fish, to die. Which statements describe the impact of the use of fertilizers? Select two options. It improves the growth of crops. It provides more food for fish. It causes erosion and washes away soil. It causes the death of crops. It harms organisms that live in the oceans.
It improves the growth of crops. It harms organisms that live in the oceans.
Which best explains the effect of reforestation on land? - It allows crops to grow in wide steps along slopes. - It turns land slowly into desert. - It turns habitable land uninhabitable. - It restores trees to areas where they once grew.
It restores trees to areas where they once grew.
Which statement provides the best argument against making major changes to the atmosphere to help protect Earth's resources? - There will be less soil and dust in the air as construction increases. - The atmosphere will improve as more people move to large cities. - Making major changes to the atmosphere can be a costly process. - It is more important to protect land and water resources than the atmosphere.
Making major changes to the atmosphere can be a costly process.
Which is a nonpoint source of pollution? - Tourists throw trash into the ocean. - A car mechanic pours oil on the ground. - Rain contains chemicals that seep into the ground. - A pipe dumps waste from a factory into a stream.
Rain contains chemicals that seep into the ground.
Which statement explains how smog forms? - Volcanoes erupt and release ash into the sky. - Strong storms pick up soil and mix it with fog. - Sunlight and heat react with gases in the atmosphere. - Gases move high into the atmosphere and then fall to Earth in rain.
Sunlight and heat react with gases in the atmosphere.
Oil is a fossil fuel used to run cars, heat up homes, and produce electricity. Oil can be removed from the bottom of the ocean through drilling. Drilling machines dig deep down into the Earth. When oil is found, pipes carry it to the surface. Sometimes, accidents happen that cause the oil to spill into the oceans. The oil can not only kill marine organisms, but when it reaches the surface of the water, some chemicals evaporate, become part of the atmosphere, and pollute the air. Based on the passage, which resources and organisms are affected by oil spills? Select three options. air land water birds in the air trees on land organisms in water
air water organisms in water
Which option identifies ways that people positively affect Earth's resources? - use cars that emit fewer harmful gases, build dams, and stop using all resources - stop using all resources, increase mining efforts, and halt the runoff of factory waste into rivers and streams - build dams, use cars that emit fewer harmful gases, and halt the runoff of factory waste into rivers and streams - increase mining efforts, build dams, and use cars that emit fewer harmful gases
build dams, use cars that emit fewer harmful gases, and halt the runoff of factory waste into rivers and streams
Sand dunes protect beaches against erosion and flooding due to storms. Which human activity would have the most negative impact on dune grasses and the coast? driving vehicles along the beach building houses near the beach walking on the dunes of the beach allowing kids to play on the beach
building houses near the beach
How has the EPA improved air quality over the last 30 years? - by monitoring pollutants and passing regulations to reduce air pollution - by decreasing soil erosion and dust storms - by building marine refuges to help protect marine life and reduce air pollution - by decreasing of fossil fuel use in motor vehicles and industry
by monitoring pollutants and passing regulations to reduce air pollution
How does the construction of dams positively affect natural resources? - by providing water for irrigation and restoring trees to areas where forests once existed - by creating reservoirs, preventing flooding, and renewing destroyed ecosystems - by preventing flooding, creating reservoirs, and providing water for irrigation - by renewing destroyed ecosystems and restoring trees to areas where forest once existed
by preventing flooding, creating reservoirs, and providing water for irrigation
The best action humans can take to decrease the effect of harmful growth and reproduction of algae is to: ban the use of fertilizers. decrease crop production. control the use of fertilizers. use other chemicals.
control the use of fertilizers.
Which activity is a method of habitat restoration? - cleaning up after environmental disasters - allowing trees to grow naturally - farming techniques like terrace farming and tree belts - creating a reservoir to prevent flooding
cleaning up after environmental disasters
What human activity contributes to air pollution? construction reforestation habitat restoration dam development
construction
Which is a negative effect of deforestation on the environment? habitat restoration desertification soil production urbanization
desertification
Which term refers to the process by which land is worn away by natural forces or human activity? erosion desertification urbanization deforestation
erosion
What is one way people have negatively affected land resources? habitat restoration urbanization terrace farming reforestation
urbanization
What is one way to make a positive impact on air quality to reduce air pollution? moving to a large city using public transportation planting crops in terraces releasing gases into the air
using public transportation
Which action has a positive effect on air resources? using fossil fuels building new homes walking to work or school removing vegetation such as trees
walking to work or school