Humans & The Environment

Which of the following human activities contributes most to the increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere?

• Recycling waste materials

• Burning fossil fuels

• Planting trees

• Using solar panels

Charleston, South Carolina has hot summers and cool winters. On a crazy Spring day, it SNOWED!! Which best describes this crazy day in terms of weather and climate?

• The climate was different from the normal weather for the area.

• Weather and climate were different from the normal properties for the area.

• The weather was different from the normal climate for the area.

• Climate and weather were changing into a new set of normal properties for the area.

The graph shows us that

• the earth temperature is always increasing

• the earth's temperature has steadily increased since 1900

• the earth's temperature has steadily rising since the 1960s

• the earth's temperature decreased during the 19th and 20th centuries

Studies show that if humans were to stop greenhouse emissions today it could take hundreds of years for the Earth to begin to cool to pre industrial revolution temperatures. The major contributor to this is the ocean. Which of the following explains why this is the case?

• A. The ocean stores most of the extra CO 2 and it would begin releasing it back to the atmosphere.

• B. The ocean absorbs most of the excess heat and would begin releasing it back into the atmosphere.

• C. The ocean holds most of the organisms that do photosynthesis and they would die without the extra greenhouse gasses.

• D. The ocean is full of rock and rocks store most of the excess heat and would begin releasing it back into the atmosphere.

What is the Greenhouse Effect?

• The only thing keeping Earth from looking like the Moon

• Earth's atmosphere trapping heat to warm the planet

• A natural process that makes Earth able to support life

• All of these

What two factors are affecting the oceans due to climate change?

• decrease in temperature and increase in pH

• increase in salt levels and decrease in sea levels

• increase in temperature and decrease in pH

“In a 2009 study, presented by the National Academy of Science, 97% of climate scientists agree that human activity is causing global warming." Which of the following statements is best supported by this study?

• Most climate scientists dispute the theory of human influence on global warming.

• Global warming is most likely alarmist propaganda based on false data.

• Global warming is definitely not caused by human influence on nature.

• Most climate scientists believe that there is evidence that explains global warming.

Reef systems in South Florida protect the shoreline against storms and slow beach erosion thus reducing maintenance and repair costs. Which of these is least likely to be considered, from an ecological perspective in the establishment of marine preserves?

• A. limiting the number of visitors to Florida Key reefs systems

• B. requiring licenses so the sports fishing industry will become self-sustaining

• C. maintaining viable population levels for fish and shellfish sold in stores and restaurants.

• D. protecting the reef systems off Biscayne Bay and the Florida Keys to preserve marine diversity.

As Earth gets warmer, what are the most likely effects on Earth's reflective (snow/ice) cover and global temperature?

• Reflective cover would increase, raising Earth's temperature.

• Reflective cover would increase, lowering Earth's temperature.

• Reflective cover would decrease, raising Earth's temperature.

• Reflective cover would decrease, lowering Earth's temperature.

Coral Reef are one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet. All of the following endanger the coral reef except for:

• warmer water with less oxygen and more CO2

• acidic water causing the Coral to be bleached

• Thinning Shells

• Respectful Snorkelers and divers taking underwater images