2024_31st August quiz

Imagine a study that aims to assess the impact of a new irrigation system on plant growth and soil moisture levels. The researchers find that, after implementing the new system, there is a significant decrease in plant growth and an increase in soil salinity. However, upon closer examination, they realise that the study was conducted during an unusual rainy season. What is the confounding factor in this environmental study?

 

• The type of irrigation system used

• Plant growth

• Soil salinity levels

• The weather conditions (unusual rainy season)

What is the primary purpose of randomisation in experimental studies related to environmental management?

• To promote biased outcomes

• To ensure that findings apply only to specific contexts

• To control for variables that might obscure the true effects of interventions

• To enlarge the scope of the study by including more participants

Why is data informed decision making (DIDM) preferred over intuition or gut feelings in environmental science?

• It prioritises subjective perspectives.

• It ensures infallible results

• It eliminates all biases

• It relies on objective data and information

In planning an experiment to study the effects of a new water treatment method on aquatic ecosystems, which of the following steps typically comes first under "Design of experiments"?

• Defining the problem, such as identifying specific pollutants or organisms of interest

• Data analysis and iteration, involving the refinement of experimental procedures based on initial results

• Data collection, gathering measurements on water quality parameters and biological indicators

• Choosing a measure, such as selecting metrics to assess the health of aquatic organisms

A nutrition researcher wants to investigate the impact of a high-fibre diet based on cholesterol levels. They recruit participants and randomly assign half of the participants to follow a high-fibre diet for three months, while the other half maintain their regular diet. After the study period, they measure the cholesterol levels in both groups. This study design is an example of:

• An observational study

• A retrospective study

• A prospective study

• An experimental study

What is the purpose of the 5 Whys framework in the context of sustainability? (Select all that applies)

• It provides a systematic approach to problem-solving, helping teams to uncover the root causes behind sustainability issues.

• The framework relies on facts and data to identify underlying causes, making it a valuable tool for data-driven decision-making in sustainability initiatives

• Focus solely on immediate, surface-level issues.

• Assign blame to individuals responsible for the problem