Science

A coastal area that once supported a thriving fishing industry is overfished. The number of species found living in the marine ecosystem decreases.

Which of these activities is most likely to increase the natural biodiversity in the area?

• Building artificial reefs and limiting fishing activity

• Introducing non-native species to fill unoccupied habitats and banning fishing

• Building artificial reefs and increasing fishing activity

• Eliminating non-native species and encouraging fishing for large predatory fish

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Which of these human activities is most likely to cause the excessive growth of phytoplankton in the world’s oceans?

• The use of chemical fertilizers that are carried by runoff into rivers

• The logging of old-growth forests, which results in erosion

• The spraying of chemical herbicides that reduce carbon dioxide in the air

• The mining of fossil fuels, which requires digging underground tunnels

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Coral reefs support more species than any other marine environment. The biodiversity in a coral reef is great, and scientists estimate that there may be another 1 to 8 million undiscovered species of organisms living in and around reefs. Reef structures protect shorelines against waves preventing the destruction of beaches and coastal property.

An artificial reef is a man-made structure that mimics some of the characteristics of a natural reef. Often, old ships and even subway cars are sunk off the coastal shore to create an artificial reef environment.

What is the greatest benefit an artificial reef would provide to the people living along the coast?

• The artificial reef would create a place for scuba divers to explore.

• The artificial reef would decrease the biodiversity of the ecosystem off of the coast.

• The artificial reef would decrease erosion of the coastline.

• The artificial reef would provide a place for people to recycle large unused structures.

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When offshore oil rigs are finished drilling, the platforms are sunk into the ocean. How does this impact organisms in the area?

• The platform destroys all organisms in the area.

• The platform releases chemicals into the area.

• The platform is used for future oil research.

• The platform provides a habitat for organisms.

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The graph shows the change in commercial catch, or landings, of Atlantic cod in the Georges Bank fishery.

Which of these statements is best supported by the data in the graph?

• The Georges Bank cod fishery is currently sustainable.

• Overfishing of Georges Bank cod occurred in the 1980s.

• The Georges Bank cod population dropped sharply in the 1990s.

• The Georges Bank cod fishery will disappear in the next few decades.

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Bottom trawling is a fishing method that uses a large, weighted net that scrapes across the sea floor and collects everything in its path. Ecosystems in which of these areas of the ocean would be most affected by bottom trawling?

• neritic

• benthic

• oceanic

• pelagic

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Solid waste in the ocean can threaten different marine species in many different ways. Many communities are working to reduce solid waste. Which of the following actions would most help to protect marine species that eat jellyfish?

• banning plastic bags

• recycling plastic bottles

• composting cardboard containers

• requiring a deposit on glass

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How can a shipwreck that is left in place on the ocean floor benefit marine life?

• The fossil fuel in its engines can become food for algae and fish.

• Its interior can release oxygen from the surface to the deep ocean.

• It can provide a hard surface where organisms can attach and live.

• Plastics in the ship can break down and be released to the open ocean.

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Which of the following contains most of the water on Earth?

• the oceans

• watersheds

• the atmosphere

• ice and aquifers

Global warming affects sea levels. Which of these is a likely consequence if the trend of global warming continues in coming decades?

• Melting glaciers will cause flooding of coastal towns and cities.

• Melting glaciers will reduce lake sizes in mountainous regions.

• Evaporation will increase land areas in U-shaped valleys, as fjords dry up.

• Evaporation will enlarge land areas near coastlines, as sea levels drop.

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