Review for Unit test Ecology

Global warming has been linked to a decrease in 

• the size of the polar ice caps 
• the temperature of Earth 
• the rate of species extinction 
• the rate of carbon dioxide production

Which human activity would preserve nonrenewable resources?

• deforestation
• removing carnivores from a forest 
• recycling
• heating homes with fossil fuels  

Which human activity is correctly paired with its likely future consequence?

• overfishing in the Atlantic — increase in supply of flounder and salmon as food for people 
• development of electric cars or hybrid vehicles — increased rate of global warming 
• use of fossil fuels — depletion of fossil-fuel based resources and increased CO₂ in atmosphere
• genetically engineering animals — less food available to feed the world’s population

Which human activity would most likely deplete nonrenewable resources?

• use of natural enemies to eliminate insect pests
• development of wildlife refuges 
• governmental restriction of industrial pollution 
• increased use of fossil fuels

When fertilizers run off farmland into streams and ponds, the nitrogen content of the water increases. This can lead to rapid growth of algae in a process called eutrophication. How can this process affect other organisms in the water?

• Oxygen is used up as algae is decomposed, reducing the amount available to other organisms.
• The water becomes better able to support aerobic organisms.
• The algae provide food for fishes and other organisms, leading to decreased algae populations.
• The extra nitrogen provides additional food for the other organisms, increasing their population.

What is deforestation?

• throwing someone out of a window
• selectively cutting trees for lumber, making sure the forest remains healthy
• allowing more animals to graze on the land than it can support
• cutting and removal of large tracts of forest to make land available for other uses

What are some consequences of deforestation?

• increased population in cities
• building of more infrastructure
• soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, loss of ability to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere
• more mercury and cyanide released into rivers

A large tract of land is purchased by a commercial agricultural company. The land is cleared of its native flora (plants), and a single crop is planted instead. What is the effect of this action?

• There is an increase in the variety of foods.
• The biodiversity of the area is reduced.
• There is a reduction in the size of the land
• The cost of the planted crop increases

What may happen when a lake ecosystem becomes polluted with fertilizers or pesticides?

• increase in dissolved oxygen
• eutrophication
• .  increased rate of decomposition by detritivores
• increase in carrying capacity of the ecosystem

 Which of the following activities contributes the most to carbon emissions globally?

• Deforestation
• Agriculture
• Burning fossil fuels
• Respiration