Chapter 1 Studying the State of Our Earth

When we discuss "our environment" we are referring to

•     All conditions in the world.
• the sum of all the conditions surrounding us that influence life.
• primarily interactions that harm the atmosphere.
• only interactions that affect human life.

Ecosystem services

• are the processes by which life supporting resources are produced.
• can be provided by a forest.
• can be provided by an aquifer  and soil.
• All of these answers are correct.

Evidence of biodiversity is seen in the

• number of species,  ecosystems and habitats in a region.
• genetic variation among human populations.
• variety of nutrients available in a region.
• All of these answers are correct.

The population with the greatest ability to respond to environmental change most likely is the one with

• high genetic diversity.
• low genetic diversity.
• one type of dominant organism.
• two types of dominant organisms

The number of species on Earth that have been identified is approximately

• 10 billion
• 1 billion
• 100 million   
• 2 million
  2 million

The health of frog populations is used as an indicator of environmental health because frogs

• are exposed to the water.
• are amphibious.
• eat insects which are very low on the food chain.
• live in the tropics.

Two square km is equal to   square meters.

• 200,000
• 2,000,000
  
• 20,000,000
• 2,000,000,000   

Use Figure 1-1. According to the figure above, which of the following statements about the overall trends in per capita wheat production is correct?

• Per capita wheat production increased from 1950 through the mid-1980’s and then started to decrease.
• There is no discernible trend.
• Between 1950 and 1960, per capita wheat production was stable and then decreased through 2005.
• Per capita wheat production has not changed since the 1950’s.

Factors that are responsible for grain production not keeping up with worldwide population include

• crop diseases and  soil degradation.
• use of food crops for fuel.
  
• government encouragement to let land remain uncultivated.
•    All of these answers are correct.

The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

• is increasing in part due to fossil fuel use and deforestation.
• has not significantly changed in the past 200 years.
  
• has been decreasing since the 1800’s.
• none of these