Seaport ECOL-C100 midterm exam
Seaport ECOL-C100 midterm exam
1. Organisms that feed only on plants are called
detritivores
omnivores
carnivores
herbivores
decomposers
2. Which of the following is NOT an example of an indicator species?
trout in water with a specifric temperature requirement
birds that need a large forested area
butterflies that use a specific plant as food
frogs that take in water and air though their skin
All are example of indicatory species
3. A species in an ecosystem that plays a central role in the health of that ecosystem, and whose removal may cause the collapse of the ecosystem, is called a(n)
foundation species
indicator species
native species
keystone species
specialist species
4. One way that species evolve over time to reduce niche overlap is called
competitive exclusion principle
resource partitioning
population distribution
chemical warfare
mimicry
5. Aerobic respiration requires
glucose and carbon dioxide.
glucose and oxygen.
oxygen and water.
carbon dioxide and water.
carbon dioxide and oxygen.
6. The first law of thermodynamics tells us that
Doing work always creates heat.
Altering matter is the best source of energy.
Energy cannot be recycled.
Energy is neither created nor destroyed.
Energy cannot be converted.
7. Which of the following is NOT a greenhouse gas?
carbon monoxide
water vapor
carbon dioxide
methane
nitrous oxide
8. Which of the following is an example of a density dependent population control
parasites
predators
infectious diseases
competitors with high niche overlap
all of these answers
9. If grass stores 1,000 energy units received from sun, the ecological efficiency of the ecosystem is 10%, and the trophic levels are grass > cow > human, how many units of energy does the human receive of the original 1,000 units?
900
200
100
10
1
10. Complex feeding patters for consumers in an ecosystem are called
food webs
food chains
trophic levels
pyramids of energy
trophic chains
11. All of the following are part of the freshwater aquatic life zones, EXCEPT
lakes
mangrove forests
inland wetlands
streams
rivers
12. In terms of habitat destruction, the greatest eliminator of species is
pollution of streams, lakes, and oceans
destruction of coral reefs
destruction of wetlands
plowing of grasslands
deforestation in tropical areas
13. The term malnutrition refers to people who consume
low calories
low carbohydrates
too much meat
low protein, high carbohydrate
high protein
14. In lakes, the nutrient-rich water near the shore is part of the
limnetic zone
benthic zone
littoral zone
profundal zone
abyssal zone
15. With the Arctic warming twice as fast as the rest of the world, which of the following organisms is rapidly moving toward threatened status?
sea lions
walrus
polar bears
seals
arctic fox
16. Which of the following is an ADVANTAGEof hydropower?
high methane emissions
disruption of downstream aquatic ecosystems
high-cost of energy
large land disturbance
large untapped potential
17. Even carefully designed logging roads have harmful effects, including all of the following EXCEPT
increased erosion
sediment runoff into waterways
habitat fragmentation
decrease access to farms, mines, and ranches
loss of diversity
18. Organisms in this area must be able to avoid being swept away, crushed by waves, or being left high and dry at low tides, and must survive daily on seasonal salinity and temperature changes.
estuaries
coastal wetlands
bathyal zone
intertidal zone
coral reefs
19. What can you do to help sustain terrestrial biodiversity? All of the following are things each of us can do, EXCEPT
Plant trees and take care of them.
Recycle paper and use recycled products.
Buy sustainable wood and wood products.
Help restore nearby degraded forests or grasslands
Do not plant your yard with local plants
20. Late successional plants are largely unaffected by plants at earlier stages of succession, a factor called
facilitation
imperturbability
inhibition
tolerance
intolerance
21. Which of the following does NOT represent kinetic energy?
the wind blowing
flowing water
reservoir behind a dam
ocean waves
electricity
22. Which of the following is said to occur when one organism feeds on another organism, usually by living on or in that other organism?
interspecific competition
predation
parasitism
mutualism
commensalism
23. The highest rate at which a renewable resource can be used indefinitely without reducing its available supply is called
conservation
sustainable yield
preservation
recycling
all of these answers
24. Scientists classify energy as either
chemical or physical
kinetic or mechanical
potential or mechanical
potential or kinetic
chemical or kinetic
25. Which of the following is NOT an abiotic factor?
water
potassium
bacteria
nitrogen
sunlight
26. All of the following are elements EXCEPT
water
oxygen
nitrogen
hydrogen
carbon
27. The mass number is equal to the sum of the
neutrons and isotopes
neutrons and electrons
neutrons and protons
protons and electrons
ions and isotopes
28. When plotting the number of individuals in a population against time the data yield a J-shaped curve, which indicates which of the following?
logistic growth
environmental resistance
exponential growth
carrying capacity
biotic potential
29. Carbon is a major component of
water
the oceans
organic compounds
the atmosphere
hydrologic cycle
30. Effects of pollution might include
being unable to see the top of skyscrapers because of smog
destruction of a statue in a city park by acid rain
spread of a disease from an open dump
fish kills in lakes and streams
all of these
31. It is necessary to use energy to get energy. The difference between what you get and what you use to get it is called
gain
loss
gross energy
profit
net energy
32. The middle, partially melted zone of the interior of the earth is called the
crust
tectonic plate
core
mantle
magma
33. The greatest marine biodiversity is located
in the bottom region of the ocean
in the surface region of the ocean
in the coastal region of the ocean
in the open ocean
in coral reefs
34. Which of the following is NOT true about surface fires?
They free valuable mineral nutrients tied up in decomposing litter.
They release seeds from cones of lodgepole pines.
They increase soil erosion.
Wildlife requires surface fires to maintain their habitats.
They help control diseases.
35. Global oil production peaks when
oil becomes cheap and use increases
demand for oil lessens
large new proven reserves are located
maximum global rate of production is reached
OPEC decides to slow oil production
36. The lack of sufficient water to meet the needs of the people in a country or region is called
water deficit
water shortage
drought
hydrological shortage
hydrologic cycle
37. The term undernutrition refers to people who consume
low calorie diet
high calorie diet
low protein, low carbohydrates
low protein, high carbohydrates
high protein, low carbohydrates
38. Deep lakes with steep banks that have a small supply of plant nutrients are
oligotrophic lakes
eutrophic lakes
culturally eutrophic lakes
hypereutrophic lakes
mesotrophic lakes
39. The United States uses what percentage of all the oil produced in the world?
6%
7%
8%
17%
23%
40. The most important factor in determining which biome is found in a particular area is
soil type
topography
geology
climate
landforms
final exam
1. All of the following are exmaples of environmental nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), except
World Wildlife Fund
Natural Resources Defense Council
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
The Nature Conservancy
Greenpeace
2. As a form of waste reduction, reuse does all of the following, EXCEPT
decreases the use of matter resources
decreases the use of energy resources
cuts pollution and waste
creates local jobs
costs money
3. Which of the following is NOT a type of ewaste?
discraded TV sets
discarded computer printer paper
discarded cell phones
discraded electronic toys
discarded computer monitors
4. At what level of exposure to a particular toxic chemical will the chemical cause harm?
toxicity
biomagnification
persistence
response
dose
5. Markets do well in the production and distribution of private goods, but are not so good at
accumulating resources
distribution of resources
public services
protecting sources of information
developing strategies
6. Typical rain in the eastern US is at least _____ times more acidic than what normal precipitation should be
2
5
10
20
50
7. Governments intervene in markets to do all of the following, EXCEPT
prevent degradation of open-access resources
provide public services
provide security ad protecton
manage public resources
direct production of goods and services
8. Developed contries, in the year 2000, pledged to devote 0.7% of their national income toward reducing hunger and poverty, and moving toward environmental sustainability. What is the average actual amount donated by these countries?
2.0%
1.5%
0.75%
0.50%
0.25%
9. The trickle-down effect describes how
Hhigh quality energy being converted to low quality heat energy
Toxic wastes filter down in landfills.
Use of microloans to alleviate poverty
Economic growth increases the number of jobs and helps the poor help themselves.
Movement of toxic pesticides percolate through a food web.
10. Which of the following would NOT traditionally support an eco-economy?
Shift taxes from wages and profits to pollution and waste.
Improve energy efficiency.
Shift from a carbon-based economy to a renewable fuel-based economy.
Repair ecological damage
Decrease subsidies for alternative fuel vehicles.
11. The process by which individuals and groups tries to influence or control the policies and actions of governments is known as
lobbying
policy making
politics
all of these answers
none of these answers
12. Countries whose environment has been severely degraded may be characterized by any of the following, EXCEPT
deterioration of vital infrastructure
increased immigration
allegiance to warlords
breakdown of law and order
violent internal conflict or civil war
13. Ecological and environmental economists consider which of the following to be a basic cause of environmental degradation, pollution, poor health, and premature death?
taxes on wages, income, wealth
using tradable permits or rights to pollute
government subsidies
laws and regulations to prevent pollution
poverty
14. Human inputs of outdoor air pollutants occur mostly
in rural areas
in the mountains
along the oceans
in urban areas
in the deserts
15. New and more innovative business replacing older ones that can no longer thrive under changing economic conditions is known as
free market system
economic competition
economic succession
neoclassical economics
environmental economics
16. ________relates to the amount of a potentially toxic substance as it passes through food chains and webs.
Toxicity
Biomagnification
Persistence
Response
Dose
17. Which of the following countries did not adopt Agenda 21, the global agenda for sustainable development in the 21st century?
Russia
England
United States
Australia
Canada
18. The atmospheric layer containing 75% of the mass of earth’s air is the
thermosphere
mesosphere
stratosphere
troposphere
tropopause
19. Levying taxes on each unit of pollution discharged into the air or water is an example of
tradable pollution rights
charging user fees
regulation
green taxes
subsidies for beneficial actions
20. Which branch of the U.S. government is responsible for instructing federal agencies on their tasks?
federal
military
executive
judicial
none of these answers
21. Environmentalists say that the best way to handle soft drink and beer containers is to
use landfills
use paper bottles
use stainless steel cans
use reusable glass bottles and PET containers and recycle
bury them
22. Which of the following is the LEAST desirable from an environmental standpoint?
repair
reduce
reuse
compost
recycle
23. Since 1980, the gap between the rich and the poor has
disappeared
increased
stayed the same
decreased
stayed the same and then decreased
24. The system responsible for defense against disease and harmful substances is the
circulatory system
endocrine system
immune system
excretory system
skeletal system
25. Most of earth’s weather occurs in the
troposphere
thermosphere
mesosphere
stratosphere
tropopause
26. The U.S. population is
shifting to the north and east
shifting to the north and west
shifting to the south and east
shifting to the south and west
shifting to the north and south
27. The leading cause of water pollution is?
industrial facilities
mining
agriculture
domestic sources
none of these answers
28. Pollutants in the Great Lakes of North America can take up to ____ to be flushed out to the Atlantic Ocean.
25 years
50 years
75 years
100 years
150 years
29. To qualify as a megacity, it must have a population of ____ people.
1 million
5 million
7 million
10 million
15 million
30. Waste that includes paper, food wastes, cans, bottles, yard waste, glass, wood, and similar items is called
industrial solid waste
hazardous waste
municipal solid waste
toxic solid waste
ewaste
31. In a warmer world, which of the following organisms are likely to be hardest hit?
polar bears
insects
weeds
fungi
all of these answers
32. One way to attempt to deal with the solid wastes we create is to attempt to reduce the environmental impact without trying to reduce the amount of waste produced. This is called
waste reduction
waste prevention
secondary pollution prevention
primary pollution prevention
waste management
33. With 4.6% of the world’s population, the United States produces about _____ of the world’s solid waste.
one-tenth
one-fifth
one-fourth
one-third
one-half
34. Without changing what we are doing to the environment, the projected amount of warming by the year 2100 is
2 degrees C
3 degrees C
4 degrees C
5 degrees C
6 degrees C
35. In general, acid deposition has harmful effects for terrestrial ecosystems when it falls below a pH level of
3.6
4.6
5.6
6.6
7.6
36. Large masses of floating plastics in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans are known as
Great Atlantic and Pacific Garbage Patches
Atlantic and Pacific Plastic Vortexes
Atlantic and Pacific Plastic Hotspots
Atlantic and Pacific Plastic Black Holes
None of these answers
37. Experts rate indoor air pollution as a
serious health problem for humans
non-serious health problem for humans
mildly serious health problem for humans
high-risk ecological problem
none of these
38. Which of the following is a point source of water pollution?
offshore oil wells
livestock feedlots
urban lands
croplands
parking lots
39. The degradation of Lake Washington resulted from the introduction by sewage treatment plants of which of the following?
phosphorus
nitrogen
oxygen
chlorine
fecal material
40. The most serious threat from ozone depletion is that increased UV radiation
causes cataracts
destroys phytoplankton
increases skin cancers
suppresses immune system
causes worse sunburns
41. According to a 2009 EPA report, between 1980 and 2008 the combined emissions of six major air pollutants decreased by how much?
17%
23%
36%
49%
54%
42. The amount of solid waste produced in the United States each year would fill a convoy of garbage trucks stretching around the world almost
2 times
4 times
6 times
8 times
10 times
43. Which has NOT been a major factor promoting urban sprawl in the United States?
A surplus of rural open space is still available.
Federal loan guarantees to WWII veterans.
The Homestead Act still gives land cheaply away in many areas of the country.
Cheap gasoline.
Poor urban planning.
44. Which of the following is NOT one of the world’s leading greenhouse gas producer?
India
European Union
China
Brazil
none of these answers
45. All of the following are on EPA’s “four most dangerous indoor air pollutants list,” EXCEPT
asbestos
radon-222
styrene
cigarette smoke
formaldehyde
46. To be considered safe for swimming, a 100 milliliter sample of water should contain ___ or fewer colonies of coliform bacteria.
0
5
10
100
200
47. The natural nutrient enrichment of a shallow lake, estuary, or slow moving stream is called
oligotrophy
runoff
upwellings
red tides
eutrophication
48. Which of the following is not a characteristic of PCBs?
is a carcinogen
is a teratogen
breakdown very slowly
are found almost everywhere
none of these answers
49. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates how many people on earth do NOT have access to clean drinking water?
1 out of 100
1 out of 50
1 out of 20
1 out of 10
1 out of 7
50. One fish in _____ taken from the Great Lakes is unsafe for human consumption.
ten
seven
five
four
three