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WorksheetsKC: Human Impact
Total questions: 20
Worksheet time: 22mins
Salt water is an abundant resource but unusable for irrigation and drinking. As demands on freshwater sources increase, the use of desalination processes to remove salt from ocean water is increasing. A concern of desalinating water is the large amounts of recovered salts that are returned to the ocean. Which of the following describes the most likely impact of desalination on the surrounding ocean environment?
Nonrenewable resources in the ocean environment would become scarce and upset biodiversity.
Increased levels of salts and minerals in the ocean would result in over-harvesting.
Methane gas would pollute the ocean environment as shoreline organisms begin to die and decay.
Changes in ocean salt levels would cause a decrease of biodiversity
New fuels are being produced by converting corn and grasses into compounds containing alcohols that can be broken down for energy in various engines. The purpose of this research is to
increase the rate of air pollution
reduce the use of nonrenewable resources
reduce the rate of homeostasis in organisms
cause a loss of biodiversity in the rain forests
A community is concerned about the water quality of a nearby lake. Increased sedimentation in the lake is endangering the native habitat. The increased sedimentation is most likely caused by which of the following?
construction of homes along the lake
the amount of fish in the lake
the amount of sunlight on the lake
trees planted along the shore of the lake
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?
The extra nitrogen provides additional food for the other organisms, increasing their population.
The water becomes better able to support aerobic organisms.
The algae provide food for fishes and other organisms, leading to decreased algae populations
Oxygen is used up as algae is decomposed, reducing the amount available to other organisms.
A strip mining company wants to lease some land that is currently part of a national park. They promise to reclaim the land should any minerals be mined from the area, and they are willing to pay top dollar for the rights. As an ecologist, what factors would you raise with the local government?
the increased traffic in the area
the new jobs that would be created
management of the land after the company leaves
the threat to local biodiversity
Whaling was a very profitable profession until whale populations crashed. The global community came together to enact a ban on whaling. However, Japan and Norway have not agreed to stop whaling. Which of the following is the most likely consequence of their decision?
The whale populations are bouncing back very successfully and are unaffected by Japan and Norway continuing to whale.
The whale populations are not rebounding as quickly as they might if all of the countries agreed not to hunt whales.
The whale populations have mutated into new kinds of organisms.
The whales are getting better at avoiding capture
The presence of wastes, such as plastic bags and motor oil, in lakes and streams miles away from developed areas suggests that
ecosystems are interconnected and human action can alter ecosystem equilibrium.
recycling programs have failed to conserve biotic resources.
natural processes can alter ecosystem stability.
direct harvesting practices have led to irreversible destruction of ecosystems.
Which of these is one cause of deforestation?
Urbanization
Buying a Christmas tree during the holidays
Overbreeding birds in the wild
Cutting down the tree in your backyard
The largest threat to biodiversity is
bacteria
fungi
humans
plants
Which of these problems could happen if we don't look after the resources we have?
Loss of animal homes
Climate change
Increase in pollution
All of the above
Which of these are cons of non-renewable resources such as burning of fossil fuels?
harm to the environment
pollution
loss of biodiversity
gain of biodiversity
Which of these are cons of renewable energy sources?
limited to parts of the world that get lots of sun
pollution
expensive to install/build
expensive to maintain
Has learning about human impact on the environment made you care more about it?
YES
NO
MAYBE
