Human Impact

DDT and other pesticides used over 50 years ago are still affecting the environment today. Scientists have found these substances in recent glacier runoff. Glacier runoff occurs during the summer, when precipitation that has fallen on glaciers during the winter is released. Ice layers from existing glaciers have been analyzed. The results of this analysis show that the concentrations of DDT and other pesticides were highest about 10 years after the use of these substances was banned. This information shows that

• DDT and other pesticides cause glacier runoff during the summer.
• it takes humans over 50 years to analyze a glacier.
• precipitation helps to break down pesticides.
• the decision of one human generation may have an impact on future generations.

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Salt water is an abundant resource but unusable for irrigation and drinking. As demands on freshwater sources increase, the use of desalination processes to remove salt from ocean water is increasing. A concern of desalinating water is the large amounts of recovered salts that are returned to the ocean. Which of the following describes the most likely impact of desalination on the surrounding ocean environment? 

• Methane gas would pollute the ocean environment as shoreline organisms begin to die and decay.
• Alteration in ocean salt levels would cause loss of species and unbalanced populations in marine food webs.
• Nonrenewable resources in the ocean environment would become depleted and upset the ecosystem's balance.
• Increased levels of salts and minerals in the ocean would result in overpopulation of marine bivalves due to strengthened shells

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The diagram shows the carbon cycle.  If many trees are removed from a forest by logging, what is the most immediate effect on the carbon cycle in that forest?

•  increase in the rates of decomposition
• increase in the rates of atmospheric carbon dioxide
• decreased combustion of fossil fuel
•  increase production of organic compounds

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Many different types of organisms. 

• Pioneer species
• Community
• Biodiversity
• Population

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What is deforestation?

• Clearing Earth's forests on a massive scale
• Eating too much vegetables
• Going to a forest and pulling weeds
• Clearing the five trees in my backyard

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Which of the following is NOT a threat to biodiversity?

• Pollution

• Deforestation

• Invasive Species

• Ecological Succession

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The threat to biodiversity that occurs when the homes of different species are destroyed

• pollution

• habitat destruction

• overexploitation

• climate change

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When human-made chemicals and garbage find their way into nature and harm the air, soil, and water it is called

• pollution

• habitat destruction

• overexploitation

• climate change

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The largest threat to biodiversity is

• bacteria

• fungi

• humans

• plants

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Most water pollution is the result of

• human activities.
• drought.
• volcanic eruptions.
• storms.

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