Environmental Science 2024 Midterm Review 1

Front

What is the Ecological Footprint?

Back

The Ecological Footprint measures the demand for natural resources and ecological services by individuals, communities, or nations.

Front

What is Biocapacity?

Back

Biocapacity refers to the capacity of an ecosystem to regenerate resources and provide services, essentially measuring the supply of natural resources.

Front

How do Ecological Footprint and Biocapacity relate to each other?

Back

The Ecological Footprint measures demand while Biocapacity measures supply; a sustainable balance occurs when demand does not exceed supply.

Front

What is the Tragedy of the Commons?

Back

The Tragedy of the Commons is a situation in which individuals, acting in their own self-interest, deplete shared resources, leading to negative outcomes for the whole community.

Front

Give an example of the Tragedy of the Commons.

Back

Overfishing in the oceans is a classic example, where individual fishermen catch as many fish as possible, leading to the collapse of fish populations.

Front

What choices did the Once-ler make in the story?

Back

The Once-ler made choices that prioritized profit over environmental health, leading to the destruction of the Truffula trees.

Front

What happens in the Prisoner’s Dilemma if both prisoners cooperate?

Back

If both prisoners cooperate, they both benefit but receive a lesser reward than if one had defected.

Front

What is the significance of sustainable practices?

Back

Sustainable practices aim to meet current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Front

What role does government regulation play in environmental protection?

Back

Government regulation can impose limits and guidelines to protect endangered species and manage natural resources sustainably.

Front

What is an example of cooperative resource management?

Back

Cooperative farming techniques, where farmers work together to manage shared resources, is an example of sustainable practices.