Environmental Science Quiz

Aquaculture is the process of raising and harvesting aquatic life in farms. What is one way aquaculture can contribute to biodiversity?

• Aquaculture reduces the amount of pollution that enters ecosystems.

• Aquaculture increases the number of new species developed for food.

• Aquaculture reduces the possibility of overfishing a farmed species.

• Aquaculture increases the variety of species in any one farm.

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While most coal was formed millions of years ago, coal and lignite are still being formed by the deposition and compression of peat in bogs. If coal is still being formed, why is it considered to be a nonrenewable resource?

• New coal does not form within a human time scale.

• There is less plant material now in bogs than there was millions of years ago.

• Humans currently use coal faster than new coal can form.

• Burning coal leads to several types of air pollution.

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Nitrogen fertilizer is used to increase the growth of farm plants. If too much fertilizer is used, it can run off from farms and into streams and lakes. What is the most common effect of nitrogen runoff on freshwater ecosystems?

• It increases the growth of algae, whose decomposition decreases dissolved oxygen levels, harming insects and fish.

• It causes growth and reproduction of microorganisms that cause disease in insects and fish.

• It increases the growth of algae, improving the ecosystem by providing increased food for insects and fish.

• It harms the gills of fish and insects, making these animals unable to absorb enough oxygen.

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What has been the unintended result of building man-made levees bordering natural waterways in south Louisiana?

• increased biodiversity

• decreased transportation

• increased land loss

• decreased rainfall

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The plants of the world are not equally distributed. Some areas are densely covered with many plant varieties, and other areas are sparsely covered with few species. Which factor is most responsible for this inequitable distribution?

• climate

• elevation

• type of soil

• type of animals

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Use the graph titled "U.S. Carbon Dioxide Emissions by Sector" to answer the question: Which action would most likely have the greatest effect on reducing carbon dioxide emissions?

• Lower the cost of energy for the commercial sector.

• Place stricter emission controls on the transportation sector.

• Raise the cost of energy for the residential sector.

• Increase the use of electricity in the industrial sector.

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Fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas, are formed from the remains of organisms. Biomass fuels, such as plant material and manure, also come from organic matter. Why are biomass fuels classified as renewable resources and fossil fuels classified as nonrenewable resources?

• Biomass fuels can be replaced within a relatively short time.

• Fossil fuels have been used for a longer period of time.

• Biomass fuels are found on the surface of Earth.

• Fossil fuels are found deep inside Earth.

Which resources would be classified as renewable?

• gold mines in the Rocky Mountains

• oil fields in the Arctic tundra

• pine trees in Louisiana

• coal mines in the Appalachian Mountains

Ordinary plastic is made from petroleum, which is a fossil fuel. Corn plastic is made from corn starch. Which statement correctly explains whether these two materials are renewable or nonrenewable resources?

• Corn plastic is renewable because it can be composted, while ordinary plastic is nonrenewable because it does not decompose.

• Both types of plastic are considered renewable because, given enough time, the Earth can produce more corn and more petroleum.

• Corn plastic is renewable because corn can be grown in a single year, while ordinary plastic is nonrenewable because it takes millions of years to produce fossil fuels.

• Both types of plastic are considered nonrenewable because they are the result of complex chemical processing and not very similar to the original materials extracted or grown.

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Use the diagram to answer the question. The diagram shows a forest food web. The population of mountain lions in the forest decreased dramatically because of overhunting. Which population would be most likely to increase significantly as a result?

• snakes

• warblers

• deer

• hawks

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