Question 1

The gas that comprises 72% of the greenhouse gases in our atmosphere is:
A) methane.
B) oxygen.
C) nitrous oxide.
D) carbon dioxide.

Accepted Answer

Carbon dioxide is the gas that makes up 72% of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. While methane and nitrous oxide are also greenhouse gases, they make up a smaller percentage of the total. Oxygen is not a greenhouse gas.

Question 2

The farming specifically of marine organisms for human use is called:
A) nonextractive resource harvesting.
B) fish farming.
C) aquaculture.
D) mariculture.

Accepted Answer

Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic organisms, including fish, shellfish, and plants, in controlled environments for human consumption.

Question 3

One major concern about climate change is that:
A) crop production will increase.
B) solubility of oxygen will increase as ocean temperatures rise.
C) phytoplankton productivity will decrease.
D) the ocean will freeze.

Accepted Answer

Climate change can lead to changes in ocean temperature, acidity, and nutrient availability, which can have significant impacts on phytoplankton productivity. Phytoplankton are the base of the marine food chain and play a crucial role in regulating the Earth's climate by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. A decrease in phytoplankton productivity could have far-reaching consequences for marine ecosystems and global climate.

Question 4

The introduction of excess nutrients into a system that results in the increased growth of autotrophs is:
A) heterotrophy.
B) chemoautotrophy.
C) eutrophication.
D) oligotrophication.

Accepted Answer

Eutrophication is the process where excess nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, are added to aquatic systems, resulting in an increase in the growth of autotrophic organisms, such as algae. This increase in growth can cause problems such as algal blooms and loss of oxygen in the water. Heterotrophy is the process by which organisms obtain energy by consuming other organisms, while chemoautotrophy is a type of autotrophic metabolism where organisms use chemical energy to power the production of organic molecules. Oligotrophication is the process of nutrient depletion in an ecosystem, resulting in a decrease in autotrophic growth.

Question 5

In terms of the volume of oil spilled and subsequent environmental damage, the wreck of the tanker Exxon Valdez was the worst tanker accident in history.

Accepted Answer

The wreck of the tanker Exxon Valdez is one of the worst environmental disasters in history, but it is not the worst tanker accident in terms of the volume of oil spilled. The title of the worst tanker accident in history goes to the explosion and sinking of the tanker Amoco Cadiz off the coast of France in 1978, which released over 1.6 million barrels of crude oil into the sea.

Question 6

Most synthetic pollutants resist attack by water, air, sunlight, and living organisms because the compounds of which they are composed resemble nothing in nature.

Accepted Answer

Synthetic pollutants are designed to be chemically stable, which makes them resistant to degradation by natural processes. They often contain chemical bonds that are not found in nature, making them difficult or impossible for living organisms to break down.

Question 7

Drift nets were developed in response to demands that fishing nets take only target species, and that fishing ought to be more environmentally sensitive.

Accepted Answer

Drift nets were actually developed in the 1950s and 1960s as a more efficient method of catching fish, not necessarily in response to environmental concerns or a desire to target specific species. In fact, drift nets have been widely criticized for their detrimental impact on non-target species and the marine environment.

Question 8

Which of the following is true about a pollutant?
A) Pollutants are natural and so organisms develop adaptations to deal with them.
B) Pollutants can cause both indirect or direct damage by interrupting biochemical pathways of organisms.
C) Most pollutants are capable of causing massive mortality events for marine organisms.
D) The concentration of pollutants in the ocean has remained stable since the industrial revolution.

Accepted Answer

Pollutants can cause damage to organisms both directly, through physical contact, and indirectly, through the interruption of biochemical pathways.

Answer: A and C are both incorrect.
 Pollutants are usually synthetic and not naturally occurring substances. While some organisms can develop adaptations to deal with pollutants, many cannot, leading to negative impacts on populations. While some pollutants can cause massive mortality events, this is not true of all pollutants.

Answer: D is incorrect. 
 The concentration of pollutants in the ocean has increased since the industrial revolution, causing significant damage to marine ecosystems.

Question 9

Pollutants can have negative influences on organisms by interfering with biochemical processes.

Accepted Answer

Pollutants can disrupt or inhibit important biochemical processes in organisms, leading to negative effects such as reduced growth, reproductive impairment, or death.

Question 10

Though desalination is a theoretically attractive method for obtaining fresh water from seawater, no large commercial facilities for desalination exist.

Accepted Answer

This statement is false. There are many large commercial facilities for desalination around the world, particularly in regions where fresh water resources are scarce.

Question 11

Fishing is a growth industry, but the fishing consortia are, for the most part, careful to conserve this resource and not to exceed the maximum sustainable yield.

Accepted Answer

While fishing is a growth industry, many fishing consortia have historically struggled with overfishing, often exceeding the maximum sustainable yield, leading to depletion of fish stocks.

Question 12

An example of a nonextractive resource provided by the ocean is:
A) transportation.
B) crabs.
C) oil.
D) manganese nodules.

Accepted Answer

Transportation is a nonextractive resource provided by the ocean, as it involves using the ocean for the movement of people and goods without depleting any specific natural resource. Crabs, oil, and manganese nodules are all extractive resources that are taken from the ocean.

Question 13

Global warning by "greenhouse gases" would not have happened if humans had never generated excess carbon dioxide, methane, CFCs, and other gases with similar effects on the atmosphere.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Global warning by "greenhouse gases" would not...

Question 14

Which of the following statements is FALSE concerning bycatch?
A) Bycatch are targeted species.
B) Bycatch sometimes greatly exceeds the target catch.
C) Bottom trawling is one of the methods that results in a lot of bycatch.
D) Sea turtles are an example of bycatch.

Accepted Answer

Bycatch are species that are caught unintentionally while fishing for another species, not targeted species.

Question 15

Generally speaking, a spill of crude oil is more dangerous to marine life than a spill of refined oil.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Generally speaking, a spill of crude oil...

Question 16

One toxic substance found in pesticides, industrial solvents, and cleaning fluids that has exceeded dangerous concentrations in some coastal areas is:
A) petroleum.
B) chlorinated hydrocarbons.
C) emulsion.
D) oil.

Accepted Answer

Chlorinated hydrocarbons (such as DDT and PCBs) are often used in pesticides, industrial solvents, and cleaning fluids. They have been found to exceed dangerous concentrations in some coastal areas, leading to pollution and harm to ecosystems.

Question 17

The maximum of each species that can be caught without negatively influencing future populations of that species is called the:
A) maximum sustainable yield.
B) annual catch.
C) maximum global landing.
D) maximum global harvest.

Accepted Answer

Maximum sustainable yield refers to the maximum amount of a species that can be harvested without depleting the population for future generations. It takes into account factors such as reproductive rates, growth rates, and other ecological factors to ensure a sustainable harvest. The other choices do not take into account sustainability and may contribute to overfishing and negative impacts on the species and their ecosystems.

Question 18

Sometimes, the best thing to do in the event of a crude oil spill is to do nothing.

Accepted Answer

In some cases, natural processes like evaporation, biodegradation, and dispersion can effectively reduce the impact of an oil spill without human intervention, especially in remote or sensitive environments where cleanup efforts might cause more harm.

Question 19

Whaling has effectively ceased. Except for a small and relatively insignificant number of "pirate whalers," the taking of whales for profit is a thing of the past.

Accepted Answer

Several countries, including Japan, Norway, and Iceland, continue to practice commercial whaling despite international opposition and regulations aimed at protecting whale populations.

Question 20

An example of a fishing technique that is particularly disruptive is:
A) hook and line.
B) drift nets.
C) mid-water trawl.
D) spear fishing.

Accepted Answer

Drift nets are particularly disruptive fishing techniques because they are large, unselective nets that can trap and kill a wide range of marine animals, including non-target species such as dolphins, turtles, and seabirds. These nets can also cause damage to coral reefs and other sensitive marine habitats.

Quiz 15: Uses and Abuses of the Ocean

The gas that comprises 72% of the greenhouse gases in our atmosphere is:

The farming specifically of marine organisms for human use is called:

One major concern about climate change is that:

The introduction of excess nutrients into a system that results in the increased growth of autotrophs is:

In terms of the volume of oil spilled and subsequent environmental damage, the wreck of the tanker Exxon Valdez was the worst tanker accident in history.

Most synthetic pollutants resist attack by water, air, sunlight, and living organisms because the compounds of which they are composed resemble nothing in nature.

Drift nets were developed in response to demands that fishing nets take only target species, and that fishing ought to be more environmentally sensitive.

Which of the following is true about a pollutant?

Pollutants can have negative influences on organisms by interfering with biochemical processes.

Though desalination is a theoretically attractive method for obtaining fresh water from seawater, no large commercial facilities for desalination exist.

Fishing is a growth industry, but the fishing consortia are, for the most part, careful to conserve this resource and not to exceed the maximum sustainable yield.

An example of a nonextractive resource provided by the ocean is:

Global warning by "greenhouse gases" would not have happened if humans had never generated excess carbon dioxide, methane, CFCs, and other gases with similar effects on the atmosphere.

Which of the following statements is FALSE concerning bycatch?

Generally speaking, a spill of crude oil is more dangerous to marine life than a spill of refined oil.

One toxic substance found in pesticides, industrial solvents, and cleaning fluids that has exceeded dangerous concentrations in some coastal areas is:

The maximum of each species that can be caught without negatively influencing future populations of that species is called the:

Sometimes, the best thing to do in the event of a crude oil spill is to do nothing.

Whaling has effectively ceased. Except for a small and relatively insignificant number of "pirate whalers," the taking of whales for profit is a thing of the past.

An example of a fishing technique that is particularly disruptive is: