Ecology Human Impact

By what process is carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere?

• combustion
  
• decomposition
  
• respiration
  
• photosynthesis

The concentration of chemical food contaminants is higher in birds of prey than in many of the individual organisms that they eat. Which of the following statements best explains the reason for the higher concentration of food contaminants in birds of prey?

• Birds of prey store more of the food they eat
• Birds of prey catch animals with chemical contaminants more easily
• Only birds of prey store chemical contaminants
• Chemical contaminants are stored and magnified in organisms higher up the food chain

If elements are to be recycled in nature, which organisms must be present?

• Decomposers
  
• predators
  
• herbivores
  
• parasites

If worldwide deforestation is not regulated, what could most likely result?

• Acid rain could lower the pH of rivers and lakes to dangerous levels for aquatic life
• CO₂ levels in the atmosphere could increase and contribute to global warming problems
• Plants and animals could become better adapted to living in desert conditions
• Future generations of humans could have an excess of wood and paper products

In the carbon cycle, atmospheric carbon dioxide is converted into organic material by which process?

• cellular respiration
  
• decomposition
  
• photosynthesis
  
• transpiration

In the carbon cycle, carbon is transferred from animals to plants by which of the following?

• carbon dioxide
  
• oxygen
  
• sugars
  
• water

One bird species that feeds on large seeds nests in the same tree as a bird that feeds on small seeds. How are the birds able to coexist?

• They occupy different ecosystems
  D They occupy different habitats
• They occupy different niches
  D They occupy different habitats
• They occupy different communities
  
• They occupy different habitats

Recent climate data suggests a global warming trend. The most likely cause could be an increase in which gas?

• oxygen
  
• carbon dioxide
  
• nitrogen
  
• hydrogen sulfide

When deforestation occurs in an area, what immediate effect does this have on the water cycle?

• More precipitation is formed
  
• There is less runoff water
  
• More water is returned to the atmosphere
  
• Less water is returned to the atmosphere

Which environmental concern is most associated with burning fossil fuels?

• global climate change
  
• pollution of ocean waters
  
• ozone layer destruction
  
• decrease in levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide