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An area of land in which there is little or no human development is referred to as a

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Wilderness

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Environmental science is an interdisciplinary are of study that deals with all of the following EXCEPT

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None of the above: Politics / Economics / Ethics

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An ecosystem approach

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Would include the study of how humans interact with the natural world

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All are changes in Yellowstone's ecosystem after wolves were introduced EXCEPT

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An increase in coyote population What did occur: an increase in willow and aspen stands / a reduction in elk populations / and an increase in beaver populations

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The result of the 1997 Kyoto Summit was an international commitment to

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Reduce emissions of greenhouses gases

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In which region has the original, natural ecosystem been replaced by agriculture?

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The Middle US

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Global Security is a concern in environmental science because

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An increased number of people are competing for scarce resources

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Which region of the country has serious water contamination problems from toxic chemicals that bioaccumulate in fatty tissue of fish, birds, and top predators?

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The Great Lakes and Industrial Northeast

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Ethics is

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a branch of philosophy

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Environmental ethics can best be defined as

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Examining the moral basis of environmental responsibility and its extent

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Biocentrism is also known as

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Life-centered environmental ethics

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The theory of environmental ethics espouses that all forms of life have the right to exist is referred to as

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Bocentric

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The concept of environmental justice emerged

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When studies demonstrated that toxic waste was more likely disposed of in low income areas

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Sustainable development means

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Development that allows nature to replenish itself

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Risk based corrective action was formed to

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Protect environmental ecological resources

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Most environmental decisions involve

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A balance between the costs of a risk and the economic impact of removing that risk

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Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of sustainable development

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Assigning value to everything

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When people have shared ownership of a resource, economists argue that there is a strong tendency to overexploit that resource. This is referred to as:

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Misfortune of Shared Ownership

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Point at which there is no significant health or environmental risk

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Negligible risk

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The four steps in the risk assessment process are

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Hazard identification, exposure assessment, dose-response assessment, and risk characterization

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This step in the risk assessment process determines potential health concerns from exposure to certain amounts of toxin, usually through laboratory tests on animals, as well as human health data

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Exposure assessment

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The scientific method is

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Reliable, impartial, and limited in when it can be used (all of these are correct)

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Photosynthesis occurs in

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Plants

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The first law of thermodynamics states that

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Energy can neither be created nor destroyed

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The second law of thermodynamics states that

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Energy is the ability to do work

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Process whereby organisms break down large molecules to obtain energy

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Respiration

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Which of the following is an example of abiotic factor?

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The climate of the community

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Natural selection is the process that determines

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Which individuals within a species will reproduce and pass their genes to the next generation

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The development of herbicide resistance in populations of weeds over several generations is an example of

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Evolution

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This concept states that no two species can occupy the same ecological niche in the same place and the same time

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Competitive Exclusion Principle

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Habitat can best be defined as

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The place an organism lives

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Secondary consumers are

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Carnivores

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What is the term used to describe food chains which overlap and intersect

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Food web

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In addition to burning fossil fuels, which activity has caused significant changes to the carbon cycle?

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Conversion of forests to agricultural lands

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A community of living organisms interacting with one another and the physical and chemical factors of their nonliving environment is called

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An ecosystem

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Grazing animals and the grasses they eat have both evolved in response to each others influence. this process is known as

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Coevolution

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Which of the following organisms is a primary producer

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Fungi

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Which of the following organisms is a secondary consumer

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Wolf

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In a mutualistic relationship

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Both species benefit

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Each step in the flow of energy through an ecosystem is known as a

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Trophic level

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The relationship between frogs and insects is an example of

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A predator-prey relationship

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Which biome is characterized by organisms which are inactive during the day and burrow underground?

answer

Desert

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Which biome is characterized by high levels of rainfall brought in from cool coastal waters and slow evaporation leaving a lot of moisture to sustain large evergreens

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Temperate rainforest

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Which biome is characterized by tree frogs, large vines, and fruit-eating birds and bats

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Tropical rainforest

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The two major factors influencing vegetation in biomes are

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Precipitation and temperature

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Savannas are found in

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Tropical parts of Africa

question

Mediterranean Shrublands (Chaparral) have been heavily impacted by humans because

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Both they are near the oceans and have a moderate climate

question

Human impact on temperate forests include

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Farming, logging, population centers All of these are correct

question

Which group of organisms forms the base of the energy pyramid in a pelagic marine ecosystem?

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Plankton

question

In addition to northern latitudes, patches of tundra-like plant communities are also found

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On mountain tops

question

Which is an example of secondary succession?

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A burning field

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Primary succession is

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A progression that begins with a total lack of organisms

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Ecologists have learned that succession is influenced by many factors other than climate alone including

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Invasive species, disease, human land use history, and seed dispersal

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K-strategists

answer

Are long-lived organisms

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By feeding plants to animals, and harvesting animal products, what percent of the energy in the original plan is lost

answer

90

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The size of the population of a particular organism that can be supported by the local environment is known as the

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Carrying capacity

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The r-strategy in reproduction includes the production of offspring which

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Are provided with little food and parental care

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What is the term used to describe a shallow, partially enclosed area where freshwater enters the ocean?

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Estuary

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Seaweed and other attached marine organisms prefer to grow in which of the following regions

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Benthic

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You would find a temperate rainforest along the coasts for all of the following states except

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Northern New York

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Photosynthetic free-floating marine organisms are called

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Phytoplankton

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Which of the following is the correct sequence of phases in a typical population growth curve

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Lag, exponential, stable equilibrium

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Which phase of a population growth curve is characterized by very slow growth due to reproduction and offspring growth?

answer

Lag phase

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Terms used to describe factors (or sets of factors) that limit population size (limiting factors) include

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Extrinsic and intrinsic

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Factors that control populations that come from outside the population are known as

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Extrinsic limiting factors

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Ecologists refer to the maximum sustainable population for an area as

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Carrying capacity

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Which condition is necessary for a population to grow?

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Natality must exceed mortality

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A measure of the land area required to provide the resources and absorb the wastes of a population is referred to as the

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Ecological footprint

question

Two ways to reduce your carbon footprint are

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Walk or bike more, and choose wind power for your electricity

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Which organism is affected the most by the accumulation of waste

answer

Bacteria

question

K-strategists are

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Large and long-lived and controlled by density-dependent factors

question

Which of the following is NOT an environmental factor limiting population size

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Disease

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Deer invest a great deal of energy in a few offspring that have a good chance of living to reproduce. They are said to be

answer

K-strategists

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Oysters produce a million eggs of which only a few find sustainable habitat to live. they are said to be

answer

R-strategists

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Movement out of an area that was once one's place of residence

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Emigration

question

The remains of plants, animals, and microorganisms that lived millions of years ago is commonly referred to as

answer

Fossil fuels

question

Electricity is both a way that energy is consumed and a way that it is

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Supplied

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In order for a nation to participate in the Industrial Revolution, they had to have

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A source of coal

question

Which country has the highest per capita energy use for transportation

answer

United States

question

The price of a liter of gasoline is determined by

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The cost of processing crude oil into gasoline The cost of purchasing crude oil State and federal taxes All of the above

question

Choose the correct historical sequence of fuel use in the US from 1800to the present

answer

Wood, coal, oil, gas

question

Almost all electrical energy is produced as a result of

answer

Burning fossil fuels

question

Which of the following is a renewable method to generate electricity

answer

Geothermal Hydroelectric Wind All of the above

question

Biomass such as_____ is used by much of the developing world as its energy source

answer

Wood

question

What percentage of the world's commercial energy is furnished by fossil fuels

answer

80%

question

Which of the following is included in the alternative to drilling for oil in ANWAR

answer

...

question

Which fossil fuel is the most abundant

answer

Coal

question

Which form of coal is relatively abundant and most widely used

answer

Bituminous

question

Which of the following processes involves removing materials from the top of a vein of coal to get to the coal beneath

answer

Surface mining

question

Solar, geothermal, and tidal energy are forms of

answer

Renewable resources

question

The best sites for tidal hydroelectric plants are

answer

Fast flowing rivers near the coast

question

Environmental problems associated with geothermal energy include

answer

Air pollution, corrosion of pipes, and may be toxic to fish

question

Unlike batteries, fuel cells

answer

Run continuously and do not need to be recharged

question

Environmental problems associate with wind power are

answer

Hazardous to birds, vibrations cause structural problems, and noise and visual pollution

question

Naturally occurring substances that can be extracted under current conditions are called

answer

Resources

question

Heat energy from the Earth's core

answer

Geothermal energy

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Known deposits from which materials can be extracted profitable under current economic and technological conditions are called

answer

Reserves

question

The first goal for developing nuclear energy was to

answer

Produce bombs

question

One of the greatest terrorism-related nuclear threats is from

answer

Dirty bombs

question

Choose the correct sequence of steps in the nuclear fuel cycle

answer

Mining, enrichment, fabrication

question

Which one of the following processes involves increasing the U-235 content of the ore from 0.7% to 3%

answer

Enrichment

question

_________ is a controversial location proposed as a repository for long-term storage of nuclear waste in the United States

answer

Yucca Mountain, Nevada

question

What radioactive isotope is generally used to fuel a controlled nuclear chain reaction

answer

Uranium 235

question

Decomposition of an atoms' nucleus with the release of energy

answer

...

question

Biodiversity is a broad term used to describe the

answer

Diversity of genes Diversity of species Diversity of ecosystems All of these are correct

question

Extinction of a species in one area of its range is called

answer

Local extinction

question

Over the past few hundred years, humans have increased the species extinction rate by as much as

answer

1000 times

question

Which of the following is NOT a technique for managing wildlife

answer

NOT ---> Introduction of exotic species YES ---> Establishment of refuges Predator control Habitat management

question

Species are more likely to become extinct if they

answer

Have both a low population density and reproductive rate

question

Which of the following is an example of a species that is not likely to become extinct soon

answer

Rabbits

question

Which is the greatest cause of extinction

answer

Habitat alteration

question

The Endangered Species Act of 1973

answer

Gave the federal government jurisdiction over any species that were designated as endangered

question

The taxonomic group that displays the greatest biodiversity is

answer

Insects

question

Those species that could become extinct if a critical factor in their environment were changed

answer

Threatened species

question

Process of changing the natural community to encourage the increase in populations of certain desirable species

answer

Habitat management

question

Early towns were usually built

answer

Near rivers, lakes, and oceans

question

Large-scale migration to cities was caused by which of the following

answer

Increased immigration from Europe Increased job opportunities in cities Cultural activties in cities All of these are correct

question

Which of the following encouraged suburban growth

answer

Rising automobile usage

question

The impacts of urban sprawl include

answer

Increased traffic congestion Air pollution Loss of habitat All of these are correct

question

Characteristics of a smart or sustainable community may include

answer

Promoting economic success Seeking to protect and enhance the environment Enhancing a sense of community All of the above

question

"Green buildings" have been built over the past few years using a standard called

answer

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)

question

Characteristics of high-performance green buildings are

answer

Low flow water fixtures Location near public transportation Native vegetation used in landscaping All of these are correct

question

An example of a local growth management action would be

answer

To establish growth limits by restricting building permits

question

Mass transportation systems are often underfunded because they are

answer

...

question

Development along transportation routes

answer

Zoning

question

Large, regional urban center

answer

Megalopolis

question

Unplanned suburban growth

answer

Urban sprawl

question

Which term describes the movement of large plates on the surface of the Earth

answer

Plate tectonics

question

________ increase the decomposition rate of organic matter

answer

High rainfalls

question

Land has characteristics that influence how it can be used, including

answer

Soil, climate, and degree of slope

question

Which of the following do plants need to live

answer

Water Carbon Dioxide Oxygen ALL of these are correct

question

Soil building begins with the physical fragmentation of layers of rock known as

answer

Parent material

question

Decaying organic material is called

answer

Humus

question

Soil erosion is linked to which of the following environmental issues

answer

Soil pollution

question

The crust and solid outer mantle of the Earth

answer

Lithosphere

question

Physical and chemical breakdown of parent material into soil

answer

Weathering

question

Series of layers seen as one digs down into soil

answer

Soil profile

question

Sustainable agriculture utilizes methods that

answer

Do not deplete soil, water, air, or wildlife resources

question

"Organically grown" is a legally defined term which requires that

answer

Organic farms be certified Organic farms must increase soil fertility Prohibits the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers All of these are correct

question

Which is a typical method used by organic farmers to control pests

answer

Predator or beneficial insects such as the ladybug

question

A genetically modified organism has had one or more

answer

Genes altered

question

The price and availability of chemical fertilizers is strongly influenced by

answer

the price of oil an the world market

question

Increased crop yields in the US are the result of

answer

Improved agricultural methods More efficient machinery The application of fertilizers All of these are correct

question

Which of the following is NOT a problem associated with pesticides

answer

Bio-accumulation

question

Pesticide resistance is

answer

Pesticide tolerant individuals who survive and reproduce, which makes the pesticide less effective for future pest generations

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