Marine Biology Part 2

11. Dangerous materials moving up the food chain

• A. Bioremediation

• B. Biological Magnification

• C. Pollution

• D. Overexploitation

12. The variety of different life forms that exist on the planet

• A. Biodiversity

• B. Bioremediation

• C. Biological Magnification

• D. Eutrophication

13. Though we hear more about oil spills that occur in aquatic environments, they can also occur on land. Why would it be easier to contain an oil spill that occurs on land?

• A. Oil spills at sea are more likely to contaminate animal habitats than oil spills on land.

• B. Oil spills at sea are more likely to contaminate the atmosphere than oil spills on land.

• C. Oil spills at sea are more likely to cling to plants than oil spills on land.

• D. Oil spills at sea are more likely to spread with water currents than oil spills on land are through erosion and deposition.

14. Some people see the benefit of wind energy as a clean alternative to fossil fuels for energy production. Others believe it is dangerous for migratory birds. These opinions best illustrate that decisions about alternative energy sources ___________________________.

• A. Must be made by taking into account the present needs of the citizens without looking toward the future

• B. Must be made by weighing the risks and costs against the benefits

• C. Should be the responsibility of each individual

• D. Will usually favor older methods of energy production over newer methods

15. Algae are abundant in numbers and reproduce quickly. New fuels that are being produced from using algae are known as biofuels. This biofuel will be used as an energy source to power cars and buildings. The purpose of this research is to…

• A. reduce the use of nonrenewable resources

• B. increase the rate of air pollution

• C. reduce the rate of homeostasis in organisms

• D. cause a loss of biodiversity in the rain forests

16. Our oceans offer a variety of renewable and nonrenewable resources that we use for various purposes. One such resource is sea salt. Sea salt can be extracted from the ocean through a process called desalination. While this process helps provide an important resources (such as salt and clean water) to human populations, the process of desalination can be costly, and removing large amounts of salt from the Ocean can affect the pH of aquatic environments. Which statement best classifies sea salt and describes its costs and benefits?

• A. Sea salt is a renewable resource that is readily available, but production is not cost effective.

• B. Salt is a renewable resource that is processed with little energy input, but harvesting the salt disrupts coastal ecosystems.

• C. Sea salt is a nonrenewable resource that requires no processing, but at current rates, it will eventually become unsustainable.

• D. Sea salt is a nonrenewable resource that has a wide variety of uses, but harvesting from the ocean can disrupt coastal ecosystems.

17. The chart below shows energy consumption sources in the United States.

Which of the following statements is true regarding both the distribution of energy consumption in the United States and the impact this energy consumption has on the environment?

• A. The majority of energy consumed in the United States is produced using renewable resources, which has a positive impact on the environment.

• B. The majority of energy consumed in the United States is produced using renewable resources, which has a negative impact on the environment.

• C. The majority of energy consumed in the United States is produced using nonrenewable resources, which has a positive impact on the environment.

• D. The majority of energy consumed in the United States is produced using nonrenewable resources, which has a negative impact on the environment.

18. Increased use of fossil fuels as an energy source has increased the amount of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. The graph below shows this rate of carbon dioxide emissions side by side with levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

How does the monitoring of carbon dioxide emissions with atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide affect our decisions on both renewable and non-renewable energy sources?

• A. Renewable and non-renewable resources both result in the similar amounts of carbon dioxide emissions, so this data does not affect our choice of renewable and non-renewable energy resources.

• B. Renewable resources generally result in lower carbon dioxide emissions, therefore our goal should be to increase our use of renewable resources in order to slow our increase in levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide.

• C. Non-renewable resources generally result in lower carbon dioxide emissions, therefore our goal should be to increase our use of non-renewable resources in order to slow our increase in levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide.

• D. Renewable resources generally result in lower carbon dioxide emissions, but they are much more expensive when compared with non-renewable energy resources. Our goal should be to increase our use of non-renewable resources in order to save on the costs of using renewable resources.

19. Fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas supply much of the world's energy. However, these fuels have a tremendous negative effect on the environment. Which of the following would be the best strategy to alleviate this problem?

• A. Impose fines on individuals that overuse fossil fuels and use the money for environmental cleanup.

• B. Educate society on the harmful effects and gradually replace fossil fuels with alternative renewable resources

• C. Fund scientific research for discovering new energy sources and use the remaining supply of fossil fuels until then.

• D. Create an environmental policy that would ban the use of all fossil fuels due to the negative environmental effects.

20. Which of the following activities is the most likely cause of algal blooms in the Gulf of Mexico

• A. dead marine life on coastal beaches

• B. dredging of Deepwater regions for beach nourishment

• C. increased oil drilling platforms in deep water

• D. presence of nutrients caused by runoff from farmland