8.4.3-4 Human Impacts on the Environment

Global warming has been linked to a decrease in 

• the size of the polar ice caps 
• the temperature of Earth 
• the rate of species extinction 
• the rate of carbon dioxide production

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Which human activity would preserve nonrenewable resources?

• deforestation
• removing carnivores from a forest 
• recycling
• heating homes with fossil fuels  

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Which human activity would most likely deplete nonrenewable resources?

• use of natural enemies to eliminate insect pests
• development of wildlife refuges 
• governmental restriction of industrial pollution 
• increased use of fossil fuels

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Deforestation by burning has been described as a "double whammy" to the environment, meaning it has 2 negative impacts. Why is this description accurate? 

• Forest burning releases CO₂ while decreasing oxygen, which disrupts cycles
• Deforestation reduces the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere, which depletes the ozone layer
• Forest clearing is often followed by land development, which often leads to increased noise pollution
• Deforestation increases the number of plant and animal species by destroying habitat

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Approximately 75 percent of the Earth's surface is covered in water. So why is water considered such a precious resource?

• The greenhouse effect is causing most of the world's freshwater to be trapped in the atmosphere
• Only a small fraction of the Earth's water is freshwater available for drinking and irrigation
• Each year, more freshwater is being trapped in icecaps located at the North and South Poles
• Global warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions will likely cause Earth's oceans to evaporate

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Many common products, such as wooden furniture, paper, and books, are made from trees. Which of the following is a likely consequence of humans cutting down a forest in order to make use of the natural resources there? 

• the decrease of chemical runoff into the oceans
• increased acid rain
• the increase of light pollution in cities
• the destruction of habitats

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What causes smog?

• The burning of particulates
• The formation of ozone
• Acid Rain
• the interaction of sunlight with pollutants produced by fossil fuels

What are renewable resources?

• Resources that are used faster than they form
• a.  Resources that can replenish themselves over time
• a.  Resources that exist only in urban areas
• Resources that exist only in rural areas

Human activities that degrade ecosystems result in a loss of diversity of the living and nonliving environment.  Two ways in which humans frequently harm ecosystems and affect other organisms is through land use and pollution.

How does land use cause a reduction in biodiversity? 

• It decreases the space and resources available to certain species
• It causes herbivores to become carnivorous
• It provides a more hospitable living environment
• It causes all the natural Earth cycles to stop

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Which of the following is a renewable resource?

• coal
• solar energy
• natural gas
• oil