question

What is an abiotic factor

answer

temperature

question

The best description of a sustainable system component is ________.

answer

one which is in balance with the system as a whole

question

Ecosystem services ________.

answer

are economically valuable services provided by natural systems

question

How did the agricultural revolution lead to an increase in human population numbers?

answer

Farming allowed for the discovery of pesticides, which allowed for better food production.

question

A(n) __________ is a testable statement that attempts to answer a scientific question.

answer

hypothesis

question

A(n) _________ tests the validity of a hypothesis.

answer

experiment

question

A condition in an experiment that can change is called a(n) ____________.

answer

variable

question

A scientist manipulates the _________________ ______________ in an experiment.

answer

Independent Variable

question

A scientist measures the __________________ __________________ in an experiment.

answer

Dependent Variable

question

A(n) _______ is an unmanipulated point of comparison for treatments in an experiment.

answer

Control

question

__________ is information obtained from scientific studies.

answer

Data

question

Ethicists who believe that the guidelines for making environmental decisions are context-specific, depending on the cultures, social issues and other factors framing the decision are ________.

answer

relativists

question

What is Earth's natural capital?

answer

It is the sum of Earth's wealth of resources

question

Which statement best exemplifies the concept of sustainability?

answer

Water extracted from underground resources must be equal to or less than the water that recharges the underground resources.

question

Which one of the following represents quantitative data?

answer

levels of nitrate pollution in local waterways

question

All of the following contribute to 21st century sustainability EXCEPT __________.

answer

lowering the federal tax on gasoline to lessen the financial burden on citizens living below the poverty line

question

A __________ is widely accepted and has been extensively validated by a great amount of research.

answer

Theory

question

Sustainable development ________.

answer

means consuming resources without compromising future availability

question

In a controlled experiment, __________.

answer

the effects of all of the variables are controlled except the one whose effect he or she is testing

question

Which of the following can be depleted if overused?

answer

fresh water

question

Advances in agriculture ________.

answer

have often resulted in alteration and destruction of natural systems

question

The average citizen of which of the following nations has the largest ecological footprint?

answer

The United States

question

Water purification, nutrient cycling, and plant pollination are all examples of Earth's __________.

answer

ecosystem services

question

A scientific field of study

answer

Ecology

question

Information expressed with numbers

answer

quantitative data

question

The variable that is manipulated

answer

independent variable

question

Expectations of experimental outcome

answer

Prediction

question

Widely accepted, well-tested explanation of one or more cause-and-effect relationships

answer

Theory

question

Type of discipline describing environmental science

answer

interdisciplinary science

question

Who is credited for articulating the conservation ethic and for founding the U.S. Forest Service?

answer

Gifford Pinchot

question

Scientific inquiry is based on ________.

answer

an expanding knowledge based on observation, questioning, testing and discovery

question

A(n) __________ expresses environmental impact in terms of the cumulative area of land and water required to provide the resources a person consumes.

answer

ecological footprint

question

Environmental problems whose dimensions include differential exposure to risk from toxic wastes and air pollution or lack of access to the natural beauty of parks based on ethnicity or race are issues of ________.

answer

environmental justice

question

John Muir, a great American environmentalist, felt that ________.

answer

pristine wilderness should be preserved because \"We need beauty as well as bread\"

question

The Endangered Species Act, passed by Congress nearly four decades ago, has spawned a continuous series of debates between those who feel the ethical necessity to protect species at the brink of extinction and others who feel that if we have to protect every habitat of every species at risk, then there will be a loss of jobs and a blow to an already shaky economy. This boils down to a conflict between ________.

answer

anthropocentrists and ecocentrists

question

If a scientist travels to the rain forest to observe and catalog new species, he or she would be conducting __________.

answer

descriptive science

question

________ gives inherent value to certain living things or to the biotic (living) realm of the earth in general; both human and nonhuman lives have ethical standing.

answer

Biocentrism

question

A __________ occurred when scientists determined that the earth is round rather than flat

answer

paradigm shift

question

Later in his life, pioneering environmental philosopher Aldo Leopold would have most likely agreed with which one of the following statements?

answer

Humans are members of the land-community.

question

The entire area of land that a river drains is called its __________.

answer

watershed

question

The __________ includes all of the water that is underground, in surface bodies, and in the atmosphere.

answer

hydrosphere

question

The structural sphere of Earth that is best described as the rocks and sediment is the __________.

answer

lithosphere

question

If the pond above is chemically treated to raise the pH to 7.0 ________.

answer

the pond is now pH neutral and it has more hydrogen ions than at pH 7.5

question

All organic compounds contain __________.

answer

carbon

question

How do organic compounds differ from inorganic compounds?

answer

Organic compounds consist of carbon atoms joined by covalent bonds and may contain other elements, such as nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, and phosphorus. Inorganic compounds lack carbon-carbon bonds

question

In all ecosystems energy is eventually lost to the environment via ________.

answer

heat resulting from respiration

question

River water held behind a dam is best described as a form of ________.

answer

potential energy

question

That all the energy of the universe remains constant, is conserved, neither created nor destroyed, but may change form is a statement of the ________.

answer

First Law of Thermodynamics

question

According to the first law of thermodynamics, the total amount of energy in the universe __________.

answer

remains constant

question

In most ecosystems, the original source of energy for the living things in the system is __________.

answer

the sun

question

Which of the statements below best describes energy?

answer

Energy provides the ability to change the position, the composition, or the temperature of matter

question

Which of the following are the reactants (ingredients) needed for photosynthesis to occur?

answer

carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight

question

The second law of thermodynamics states that __________.

answer

in any transformation, some of the original energy is converted to heat, and the system becomes more disordered

question

During photosynthesis within plants, ________.

answer

there is net consumption of water and carbon dioxide

question

During the light reactions of photosynthesis, the solar energy absorbed by chlorophyll is used to ________.

answer

split water molecules and release oxygen in the form of O2 and produce small, high-energy molecules that are used in the Calvin cycle to manufacture sugars

question

A leaf falls from a tree and lands on the ground. Through time, bugs and bacteria consume the leaf. Which of the following statements regarding this scenario is true?

answer

The nutrients from the leaf have been recycled and released back into the soil.

question

Most energy in the majority of ecosystems arrives as __________ and exits in the form of __________.

answer

radiation from the sun; heat

question

The greatest human impact on the carbon cycle has been through ________.

answer

combustion of fossil fuels

question

Some organisms, such as plants, algae, and cyanobacteria, produced their own food by absorbing the sun's radiation. These organisms are referred to as ________.

answer

autotrophs or producers

question

How do plants contribute to the water cycle?

answer

through the process of transpiration

question

The process that makes nitrogen available to plants by mutualistic and free-living bacteria is called __________.

answer

nitrogen fixation

question

Although 78% of Earth's atmosphere is nitrogen, nitrogen is limited in most ecosystems because __________.

answer

the natural conversion of atmospheric nitrogen occurs via only lightning and nitrogen-fixing bacteria

question

Which of the following is the major reservoir for phosphorus in the phosphorus cycle?

answer

sedimentary rock

question

In order for two organisms to belong to the same species, individuals of their species must __________.

answer

be able to reproduce and have fertile offspring

question

A single, small population that exists only in one place on the planet is considered __________ to that area.

answer

endemic

question

___________ is the only process that can change a gene's DNA and therefore give rise to new variations of the gene

answer

Mutation

question

The sixth mass extinction event is likely being caused by __________.

answer

human-induced events

question

Which of the following populations would be most vulnerable to extinction?

answer

a small, endemic population

question

The two processes that determine the world's current biodiversity are ________.

answer

extinction and speciation rates

question

The fossil record clearly shows that ________.

answer

all species evolve from pre-existing species

question

One example of artificial selection is ________.

answer

broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and brussels sprouts bred from Brassica oleracea

question

Which of the following is the broadest (most all-encompassing) level of ecological organization?

answer

the biosphere

question

A __________ is defined as the living and nonliving elements in the area around an organism.

answer

habitat

question

Which of the following is considered a community?

answer

several interacting species living in the same area

question

a scientist spends his time studying communities and the nonliving materials that they interact with, he or she would be considered a(n) __________.

answer

ecosystem ecologist

question

is the scientific study of the interactions among organisms and of the relationships between organisms and their environments.

answer

Ecology

question

a single fish living in the lake's shallow water near the shoreline

answer

Organism

question

a group of fish of the same species inhabiting the shallow water near the shoreline

answer

Population

question

fishes, invertebrates, plants, and microbes inhabiting the shallow water near the shoreline

answer

Community

question

: the fishes, invertebrates, plants, microbes, rocks, sediments, and water in the lake, and the interactions between them

answer

Ecosystem

question

Most extinction is ________.

answer

gradual, generally occurring when species cannot adapt genetically to changes in environmental conditions

question

Endemic species ________.

answer

are found only in one place on the planet

question

Of the following, ________ would be most vulnerable to extinction

answer

an orchid endemic to a mountaintop forest where logging is occurring

question

__________ is the number of individuals in a population per unit area.

answer

Population density

question

Which of the following best represents the overall growth rate of a population?

answer

(birth rate - death rate) + (immigration rate - emigration rate)

question

The __________ of a population is the proportion of males to females in the population.

answer

sex ratio

question

Density-dependent factors __________.

answer

have a greater impact at higher population densities

question

A uniform distribution will occur when __________.

answer

individuals are competing for an evenly distributed resource such as space

question

If a population of 1000 individuals has an annual growth rate of 5%, how many individuals will be in the population one year later?

answer

1050

question

A population is a group of ________.

answer

individuals of a single species that live and interact in one area

question

The functional role of a species in its community is its ________.

answer

niche

question

Population distribution describes ________.

answer

spatial arrangement of individuals of a single species within a particular area or ecosystem

question

Populations lacking any environmental resistance tend to increase by ________.

answer

exponential growth

question

Density-dependent factors ________.

answer

include the effects of disease, predators, and food on a single species within a community

question

Of the following, ________ are the major factors that determine a population's growth rate.

answer

birth rate, death rate, emigration, and immigration

question

An ecosystem ________.

answer

encompasses all the organisms and the physical and chemical environment within an area

question

In ecology, a ________ is made up of interacting populations of different species that inhabit the same area.

answer

community

question

The niche of a species is the functional role of that species in the community that it belongs to. Species that have narrow niches (have very specific resource requirements) are said to be ________, while species that have broad niches (able to use a wide array of resources) are known as ________.

answer

specialists; generalists

question

When the organisms of a particular population seek habitats or resources that are unevenly spaced, the distribution of the individuals in the population is ________.

answer

clumped

question

__________ is the visitation of natural areas for enjoyment, often in areas near less-affluent communities that economically benefit from conserving the natural area.

answer

Ecotourism

question

Many interacting species that live in the same area

answer

Community

question

Communities and the abiotic material with which their members interact

answer

Ecosystems

question

Stabilizes a population at its carrying capacity

answer

Environmental Resistance

question

Species occurring in only one area

answer

Endemic

question

Which of the following statements about ecosystems is true?

answer

Ecosystems describe the living and non-living entities in a given area, and their interactions.

question

Individuals of a single species fighting over access to a limiting resource is one example of ________.

answer

intraspecific competition

question

Microbes in our digestive tract that help us digest food demonstrate a ________ association.

answer

Symbiotic

question

Global warming has been hypothesized to cause many plants to flower earlier. If bees and other pollinators begin search for food earlier in response to this, this would represent ________ within the community.

answer

coevolution

question

The relationship between flowering plants and bees is best described as ________.

answer

Mutualism

question

Many wild orchids cannot be successfully dug up and transplanted because they need the native mycorrhizae (a fungus) in the soil to survive. What kind of interaction is this?

answer

Mutualism

question

Fungi and bacteria are __________, organisms that break down leaf litter and other nonliving matter, making it available for plant uptake.

answer

decomposers

question

________ capture solar energy and use photosynthesis to produce sugars

answer

Producers

question

Grazing animals such as deer are ________.

answer

Primary consumer's or herbivores

question

Zooplankton-eating fish are ________.

answer

Secondary consumers

question

Detritivores include ________.

answer

millipedes, soil insects, many ants

question

The energy content and biomass of ________ is lowest in any food web.

answer

Top carnivores

question

What kind of interaction occurs when two cardinals (birds of the same species) are trying to build a nest in the same tree?

answer

Intraspecific Competition

question

Autotrophs, at the base of the trophic pyramid, exist in greater numbers than organisms at higher levels of the pyramid and also have greater stores of energy as well as greater __________.

answer

Biomass

question

What moves through the community from one trophic level to another as organisms feed on one another?

answer

Matter and Engery

question

Which is enhanced by decomposers and detritivores as they recycle nutrients?

answer

Soil

question

What potential energy-bearing compound is produced through photosynthesis and made available for consumers?

answer

carbohydrates

question

Ecological restoration tries to __________.

answer

return ecosystems to a more \"natural\" state, often what they were like before industrial civilization altered them

question

If a human consumes both plant and animal products, then he or she is considered a(n) __________.

answer

Omnivore

question

Which trophic level provides energy for all of the other trophic levels?

answer

first

question

Secondary succession ________.

answer

occurs after a fire or flood

question

_________ terrestrial biome has the most biodiversity

answer

Tropical Rainforest

question

Of the following, ________ are pioneer species.

answer

lichens

question

A trophic cascade is the effect of ________ on ________.

answer

top consumers; abundance of lower consumers

question

What two factors exert the greatest influence over a terrestrial biome?

answer

annual average temperature and precipitation

question

Which of the following biomes has acidic soil with few nutrients and little organic matter?

answer

a tropical rainforest

question

What type of biome has been converted most frequently by humans for agricultural use?

answer

temperate grassland

question

In general, when one views a food chain, they can expect the biomass of herbivores (organisms that eat plants) in an ecosystem to be about _____ of the biomass of the plants and other photosynthetic organisms in the ecosystem.

answer

10%

question

Which type of feedback loop acts to resist change in natural systems, thereby enhancing system stability and promoting conditions favorable for life?

answer

Negative Feedback

question

What is the term that refers to the substances and forces that sustain our society and everyday lives?

answer

Natural Resources

question

Which term is used to describe the conversion of natural resources into goods and services in addition to the ongoing trade of such goods and services?

answer

Economy

question

How do economists assess (calculate) the economic health of a nation?

answer

Gross Domestic Product

question

What costs are associated with transactions that can result in damage to the environment, human health, and property?

answer

External Costs

question

A distinguishing feature of ecological economics is the concept of ________.

answer

steady-state economies that, like natural systems, neither grow nor shrink

question

What event is credited with leading to the passage of the Clean Water Act?

answer

the Cuyahoga River catching fire

question

Who signed the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)?

answer

Richard Nixon

question

Which of the following was NOT part of public policy during the early years of the United States?

answer

The Superfund

question

Environmental policy aims to ________.

answer

promote fairness among people and groups in the use of resources

question

During what century did consumption of natural resources and pollution increase dramatically for the first time in human history?

answer

19th Century

question

Which of the following acts to discourage unsustainable activities?

answer

Green Tax

question

Most of the environmental progress made over the past few decades has come about through __________ methods.

answer

command-and-control

question

An environmental impact statement is required ________.

answer

for any federal action that may affect U.S. environmental quality

question

The social changes in the United States in the 20th century gave rise to environmental laws concerned primarily with ________.

answer

reducing pollution caused by industry

question

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) ________.

answer

required environmental impact statements for any projects funded by the U.S. government

question

The entire environmental policy process ________.

answer

includes more steps than the average citizen is able to accomplish alone

question

What is sustainable development?

answer

promoting a viable economy while maintaining a viable environment and meeting social needs

question

Approximately $15 billion in support from the U.S. federal government was provided to the renewable energy industry from 2002-2008. Approximately how much federal support was provided to the fossil fuel industry over that same period?

answer

$70 billion

question

During the period ________ the world's population more than doubled.

answer

1950-2000

question

If a population roughly doubles in the course of 50 years, its growth rate would be close to ________%.

answer

1.5

question

__________ death rates and __________ infant mortality rates are due in large part to technological advances, improved sanitation, and better medical care in developed countries.

answer

lower;lower

question

Which was Thomas Malthus's argument?

answer

He argued that if there was no control over population growth, then the population would come under check because of war, disease, and starvation.

question

When birth rates decline, what happens to a given population?

answer

The average age of the population grows older.

question

Which of the following are the three principal effects of a human population that determine its impact on the environment (the IPAT model)?

answer

population, affluence, technology

question

Which large country is currently experiencing zero or even negative population growth?

answer

Russia

question

Which of the following is an input to a given population?

answer

Immigration

question

Why do we study demography?

answer

Demography investigates the relationship between population ecology and population changes.

question

What keeps a population size stable?

answer

replacement fertility

question

Which of the following statements about Earth's carrying capacity for humans is true?

answer

Human beings are not unlike other animals concerning carrying capacity, but we utilize technology to artificially raise the carrying capacity increasingly higher.

question

Which of the following is not one of the world's top five most populous nations?

answer

Vietnam

question

Increasing levels of literacy among women is shown to ________.

answer

lower TFR

question

The term demographic transition refers to ________.

answer

the decline in death rates followed by decline in birth rates, occurring as a country economically develops

question

The richest one-fifth of the world's population possesses approximately ________ times the income of the poorest one-fifth, and the richest one-fifth uses over 86% of the world's resources.

answer

80

question

In the demographic transition model, the highest population growth rate in a country is likely to occur during ________.

answer

stage 2, the transitional stage

question

Most of the world population growth in the near future will be in ________.

answer

developing countries

question

Which term describes the amount of cumulative land and water required to provide the raw materials a person or population consumes and to dispose of the waste that is produced?

answer

ecological footprint

Environmental Science Chapter 1-6

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