Worksheets2.3 Human Impact on the Environment - Review
Total questions: 16
Worksheet time: 53mins
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 _____.
reduce the use of nonrenewable resources.
increase the rate of air pollution.
reduce the rate of homeostasis in organisms.
cause a loss of biodiversity in the rain forests.
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.
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?
Methane gas would pollute the ocean environment as shoreline organisms begin to die and decay.
Alteration in ocean salt levels would cause loss of species and unbalanced populations in marine food webs.
Nonrenewable resources in the ocean environment would become depleted and upset the ecosystem's balance.
Increased levels of salts and minerals in the ocean would result in overpopulation of marine bivalves due to strengthened shells.
DDT and other pesticides used over 50 years ago are still affecting the environment today. Scientists have found these substances in recent glacier runoff. Glacier runoff occurs during the summer, when precipitation that has fallen on glaciers during the winter is released. Ice layers from existing glaciers have been analyzed. The results of this analysis show that the concentrations of DDT and other pesticides were highest about 10 years after the use of these substances was banned. This information shows that ____.
DDT and other pesticides cause glacier runoff during the summer.
it takes humans over 50 years to analyze a glacier.
precipitation helps to break down pesticides.
the decision of one human generation may have an impact on future generations.
The northern elephant seal was almost hunted to extinction in the 1800s. By the late 1890s, approximately one hundred seals were left, reducing the gene pool of the population. What will be the consequence of this reduction?
Competition within the population will increase.
The surviving elephant seals will be better able to adapt.
Inbreeding will be less frequent among the remaining population.
The elephant seals will be more vulnerable to environmental change.
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?
trees planted along the shore of the lake
construction of homes along the lake
the amount of sunlight on the lake
the amount of fish in 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?
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.
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 threat to local biodiversity
management of the land after the company leaves
the new jobs that would be created
the increased traffic in the area
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 dotted line on the graph represents the potential size of a population based on its reproductive capacity. The solid line on this graph represents the actual size of the population. Which statement best explains why the actual population growth is less than the potential population growth?
Resources in the environment are limited.
More organisms migrated into the population than out of the population.
The birth rate gradually became greater than the death rate.
The final population size is greater than the carrying capacity.
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 underground coal, oil, and natural gas supplies
genetically engineering animals — less food available to feed the world’s population
The Susquehanna River, which runs through the states of New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, received the designation ―America’s Most Endangered River‖ in 2005. One of the river’s problems results from the large number of sewage overflow sites that are found along the course of the river. These sewage overflow sites are a direct result of an increase in _____.
global warming
human population
recycling programs
atmospheric changes
Compounds containing phosphorus that are dumped into the environment can upset ecosystems because phosphorus acts as a fertilizer. The graph below shows measurements of phosphorus concentrations taken during the month of June at two sites from 1991 to 1997. Which statement represents a valid inference based on information in the graph?
There was no decrease in the amount of compounds containing phosphorus dumped at site 2 during the period from 1991 to 1997.
Pollution controls may have been put into operation at site 1 in 1995.
There was most likely no vegetation present near site 2 from 1993 to 1994.
There was a greater variation in phosphorus concentration at site 1 than there was at site 2.
The increasing demands for fossil fuels has led government and businesses to consider several possibilities to solve the energy crisis. Which solution will reduce the impact of this crisis on the environment and future generations?
increase the number of drilling sites for crude oil in North America
build more power plants away from population centers
limit the number of people in each vehicle
develop alternative fuel sources that can be produced from renewable resources
African elephant tusks consist of high-quality ivory. In recent years, the elephant population in certain African wildlife preserves has decreased. This decrease is most likely due to ______.
air pollution
human exploitation
pesticide use
biomagnification
Look at the food web provided. Which of the following organisms compete for the mouse as a food source?
hawk and snake
snake and kinglet
oak tree and pine tree
pine borer and salamander
