Deck 25: Human Impacts on the Biosphere

Question 1

The age structure diagram for rapidly growing populations

A) is in the form of a pyramid.
B) is characterized by a large percentage of the population in the post-reproductive years.
C) has a very broad base showing a large number of young.
D) has about equal distribution between all age groups.
E) is in the form of a pyramid and has a very broad base showing a large number of young.

Answer 1

E

Question 2

A situation in which the birth rate equals the death rate is called

A) an intrinsic limiting factor.
B) exponential growth.
C) saturation.
D) zero population growth.
E) geometric growth.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

A population's demographics include its

A) size.
B) age.
C) structure.
D) density.
E) all of these.

Answer 3

E

Question 4

A problem that is expected to develop with the occurrence of overpopulation is the ability to

A) grow enough food.
B) find enough drinking water.
C) find enough energy sources.
D) find enough raw materials to meet the population's needs.
E) all of these.

Question 5

How many years did it take for the world population to reach approximately one billion?

A) 10 million
B) 2.5 million
C) 100 million
D) 300 million
E) 1.5 million

Question 6

The total number of individuals in a given area of habitat is the

A) population density.
B) population growth.
C) population birth rate.
D) population size.
E) carrying capacity.

Question 7

The most reasonable method of limiting human population growth is

A) increasing carrying capacity.
B) decreasing birth rate.
C) decreasing competition.
D) increasing death rate.
E) exploiting outer space.

Question 8

The growth rate

A) does not vary from one species to another.
B) is controlled best through non-biological mechanisms.
C) is controlled by the frequency of assisted reproduction.
D) is controlled by the number of offspring produced.
E) does not vary as a result of density-dependent controls.

Question 9

The average number of children born to women of a population during their reproductive years is the

A) total fertility rate (TFR).
B) birth rate.
C) growth rate.
D) population density.
E) reproductive capacity rate (RCR).

Question 10

How many years did it take for the world population to go from one billion to six billion?

A) 100,000
B) 1 million
C) 200
D) 10,000
E) 1 billion

Question 11

Which characteristic of a population is a convenient way to express the rate of change within a population?

A) size
B) growth
C) density
D) carrying capacity
E) age

Question 12

To a person studying utilization of classroom space on campus, the most useful data concerning students in a classroom would be expressed by the number of

A) total individuals.
B) individuals per square yard.
C) individuals per room.
D) rooms per building.
E) students of each age.

Question 13

The maximum rate of increase of a population is its

A) potential.
B) carrying capacity.
C) exponential growth.
D) distribution.
E) reproductive base.

Question 14

In a population growing exponentially,

A) the number of individuals added to the population next year is less than the number added this year.
B) the population growth rate decreases year after year.
C) net reproduction per individual increases year after year.
D) the number of individuals added to the population next year is greater than the number added this year.
E) the number of individuals in the population will level off after ten generations.

Question 15

The highest rates of reproduction would be expected in which of the following countries?

A) United States
B) Germany
C) Nigeria
D) Argentina
E) Russia

Question 16

Population size depends upon

A) deaths.
B) births.
C) migration.
D) immigration.
E) all of these.

Question 17

The rate of increase for a population refers to what kind of relationship between birth rate and death rate?

A) their sum
B) their product
C) the doubling time between them
D) the difference between them
E) reduction in each of them

Question 18

The two countries that make up the majority of the world's population are

A) the United States and China.
B) China and Japan.
C) the United States and India.
D) India and Pakistan.
E) China and India.

Question 19

A population's age structure tracks

A) the average age of the members of the population.
B) how long the population has existed in the area.
C) the rate at which the population is aging.
D) the relative numbers of each age.

Question 20

If reproduction occurs early in the life cycle, what occurs?

A) the population growth rate increases
B) the population size declines
C) the population size is not affected
D) the generation time increases
E) the growth rate remains unchanged

Question 21

In itself, a flood that washes away an entire population of rabbits is

A) a density-dependent factor.
B) a limiting factor dependent on the individuals.
C) a consequence of exponential growth.
D) density-independent.
E) a result of natural selection.

Question 22

A change in a population that is NOT related strictly to the size of the population is best described as

A) density-dependent.
B) density-independent.
C) within.
D) an S-shaped curve.
E) a J-shaped curve.

Question 23

Air pollution does all of the following EXCEPT

A) eats away at marble.
B) corrodes metals.
C) causes various human diseases.
D) damages crops.
E) aid in resource development.

Question 24

The total resources a population consumes and the resulting wastes that are returned to the environment are referred to as a(n)

A) point source.
B) nonpoint source.
C) ecological footprint.
D) ecocycle.
E) biocycle.

Question 25

Air pollution may cause

A) lung damage.
B) DNA mutations.
C) skin cancer.
D) burning eyes.
E) all of these.

Question 26

The number of individuals of a species that can be sustained by the resources in a given area defines

A) the carrying capacity of the environment.
B) exponential growth.
C) the doubling time of a population.
D) density-independent factors.
E) the biotic potential.

Question 27

Pesticide runoff from a farm into a river is an example of a ____ of pollution.

A) nonpoint source.
B) reservoir.
C) point source.
D) pinpoint reserve.
E) watershed.

Question 28

Which of the following is NOT a density dependent, growth-limiting factor?

A) predation
B) water shortage
C) parasitism
D) competition
E) disease

Question 29

Fresh water and forests may be tapped indefinitely as long as they're replenished. They are classified as

A) nonrenewable resources.
B) renewable resources.
C) ecological sources.
D) biogeographical resources.
E) point sources.

Question 30

A substance that in some way harms the health, activities or survival of a population is a(n)

A) pollutant.
B) nonrenewable resource.
C) ecological footprint.
D) reservoir.
E) limiting factor.

Question 31

Populations

A) are limited by only one factor at a time.
B) increase arithmetically.
C) increase indefinitely.
D) are limited by the carrying capacity.
E) are represented by a minimum of two different sizes.

Question 32

In the United States, how many metric tons of pollutants are discharged into the atmosphere each day?

A) 1,000
B) 100,000
C) 700,000
D) 5 million
E) 15 to 30 million

Question 33

The carrying capacity of an environment is determined by

A) the net rate of reproduction of the female members.
B) an S-shaped curve.
C) the predation rate on the females.
D) diseases suffered by both sexes.
E) the sustainable supply of resources it provides.

Question 34

A single place or outlet that causes pollution is a

A) nonpoint source.
B) reservoir.
C) point source.
D) pinpoint reserve.
E) watershed.

Question 35

In natural communities, some feedback mechanisms operate whenever populations change in size; they are

A) density-dependent factors.
B) density-independent factors.
C) always within the individuals of the community.
D) always outside the individuals of the community.
E) the same as genetic drift.

Question 36

Transportation-produced smog causes air to turn

A) gray.
B) black.
C) brown.
D) red.
E) blue.

Question 37

Which of these is a density-dependent factor that controls the size of a population?

A) wind velocity
B) light intensity
C) nutrient supply
D) rainfall
E) wave action in an intertidal zone

Question 38

A growth pattern where a low-density population grows slowly, goes through a rapid growth phase and then levels off when the carrying capacity is reached is called

A) logistic growth.
B) exponential growth.
C) linear growth.
D) ascending growth.
E) capacity growth.

Question 39

Which of the following is NOT density-independent?

A) floods
B) earthquakes
C) tornadoes
D) volcanic eruptions
E) disease

Question 40

Human populations can grow at a maximum rate of

A) 5% per year.
B) 2 - 5% per year.
C) 10% per year.
D) 15% per year.
E) 20% per year.

Question 41

Which fungicide will account for 15 percent of ozone thinning in future years unless its production is stopped?

A) amphotericin B
B) nystatin
C) methyl bromide
D) dicarboximide
E) ethylmercury bromide

Question 42

The unequal distribution of acid rain over the United States is closely correlated with

A) per capita energy use.
B) fertilizer use.
C) burning fossil fuels for energy production.
D) average summer temperatures.
E) mountain ranges.

Question 43

Uses of chlorofluorocarbons include each of the following EXCEPT

A) gasoline additives.
B) air conditioner coolants.
C) refrigeration coolants.
D) plastic packaging.
E) solvents.

Question 44

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are pollutants because

A) biogeochemical mechanisms for their removal have not yet appeared in the biosphere.
B) they combine with water to form hydrochloric and hydrofluoric acids.
C) they are found in smog.
D) they are photochemical oxidants.
E) they combine with carbon dioxide to form acid rain.

Question 45

Which factor is NOT characteristic of a city primarily plagued by industrial smog?

A) high concentration of sulfur oxides
B) fossil fuels used for manufacturing
C) cold, wet winters
D) high concentration of nitrogen oxides
E) large factories of heavy industry

Question 46

Acid rain

A) attacks nylons.
B) attacks marble statues.
C) seriously damages the chemistry of the ecosystem.
D) contains sulfuric and nitric acids.
E) all of these.

Question 47

In brown air fog, which substance combines with nitrogen dioxide in the sunlight to form photochemical smog?

A) carbon monoxide
B) water vapor
C) hydrocarbons
D) sulfuric acid
E) carbon dioxide

Question 48

Each substance contributes to acid rain EXCEPT

A) the ozone.
B) waste products from the burning of coal.
C) nitrogen fertilizers.
D) waste products from the burning of gasoline.
E) motor vehicles.

Question 49

Each factor appears to be correlated with a decrease in atmospheric ozone ("ozone holes") EXCEPT

A) more serious sunburns.
B) loss of ocean phytoplankton.
C) increased incidence of skin cancers.
D) decreased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide.
E) increased occurrences of cataracts.

Question 50

Industrial smog would be the result of which of the following?

A) burning fossil fuels
B) particulates in the air
C) a thermal inversion
D) industrial smokestacks
E) all of these

Question 51

Nitric oxide in the exhaust of cars and trucks results in

A) photochemical smog.
B) industrial smog.
C) a thermal inversion.
D) none of these.
E) all of these.

Question 52

Which gasses are considered "greenhouse gasses"?

A) carbon dioxide
B) ozone
C) methane
D) nitrous oxide
E) all of these

Question 53

Based on industrialization, which region of the United States is most affected by acid rain?

A) northwest
B) southwest
C) northeast
D) southeast
E) central plains

Question 54

The atmosphere above which region is known to have a hole in the ozone layer?

A) Antarctica
B) eastern North America
C) northern Europe
D) the western Pacific
E) central Asia

Question 55

What results when nitrogen dioxide and hydrocarbons react in the presence of sunlight?

A) photochemical smog
B) industrial smog
C) a thermal inversion
D) acid rain
E) particulate fallout

Question 56

Which atmospheric gas does not affect global temperature?

A) carbon dioxide
B) ozone
C) methane
D) nitrous oxide
E) oxygen

Question 57

Industrial smog causes air to turn

A) gray.
B) black.
C) brown.
D) red.
E) blue.

Question 58

Which factor is NOT characteristic of a city primarily plagued by photochemical smog?

A) high concentration of sulfur oxides
B) high concentration of nitrogen oxides
C) significant amounts of PANs
D) large numbers of internal combustion engines
E) occasional thermal inversions

Question 59

Greenhouse gasses act to

A) warm the Earth's surface to support life.
B) cool the atmosphere.
C) block out ultraviolet radiation.
D) contribute to acid rain.
E) increase carbon monoxide concentrations.

Question 60

Which acid is a severe air pollutant?

A) carbonic acid
B) nitric acid
C) hydrofluoric acid
D) hydrochloric acid
E) boric acid

Question 61

In 2006, what was the average amount of garbage generated per person per day in the United States?

A) 25.6 pounds
B) 10.5 pounds
C) 15.2 ounces
D) 4.6 pounds
E) 1.5 pounds

Question 62

The new, high-yield crops require which of the following that cannot be supplied by subsistence agriculture?

A) irrigation
B) pesticides
C) fertilizers
D) fossil fuel energy
E) all of these

Question 63

The temperature of the lower atmosphere has risen the most

A) in the last 150 years.
B) in the last 60 years.
C) in the last 250 years.
D) in the last 100 years.
E) in the last 1000 years.

Question 64

Irrigated land accounts for approximately what percentage of human food production?

A) 10
B) 30
C) 50
D) 75
E) 90

Question 65

Of the earth's land, what is the maximum percentage now being used for agriculture?

A) 10
B) 15
C) 25
D) 50
E) 75

Question 66

For every million liters of water in the world, only about ____ liters are in a form that can be used for human consumption or agriculture.

A) 0.6
B) 6
C) 60
D) 600
E) 6,000

Question 67

Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels

A) drop in the winter.
B) drop in the spring.
C) drop in the summer.
D) drop in the fall.
E) always remain constant.

Question 68

Plastic bags may still be intact after

A) 100 years.
B) 500 years
C) 40 - 50 years.
D) 300 years
E) 75 - 100 years

Question 69

Approximately how much of the total U.S. trash is recycled?

A) one-half
B) six-tenths
C) one-third
D) three-quarters
E) less than one-tenth

Question 70

Deforestation results in

A) increased air temperatures.
B) decreased soil fertility.
C) decreased transpiration rates of individual plants.
D) increased air temperatures and decreased soil fertility.
E) increased air temperatures, decreased soil fertility, and decreased transpiration rates of individual plants.

Question 71

Man's pollution of public water sources includes

A) pesticides.
B) fertilizers.
C) carcinogenic chemicals.
D) radioactive materials.
E) all of these.

Question 72

A benefit of global warming includes

A) farming in areas that were too cold in the past.
B) more open shipping channels in the Arctic.
C) commercial fishing in the Arctic ocean.
D) milder winters in regions far to the north.
E) all of these.

Question 73

At present rates of clearing and degradation, most of the tropical rain forest biome will be gone by the year

A) 2035.
B) 2100.
C) 2150.
D) 2200.
E) 3000.

Question 74

What percentage of the world's tropical forests have been cut down for cropland, fuel wood, grazing land and timber?

A) 20%
B) 30%
C) 40%
D) 50%
E) 60%

Question 75

How many humans do not have enough clean water to meet basic needs?

A) five out of every ten
B) eight out of every ten
C) three out of every four
D) one out of every ten
E) two out of every five

Question 76

Forests serve to

A) hold water.
B) control soil erosion.
C) control flooding.
D) control sediment buildup in lakes, rivers and reservoirs.
E) all of these.

Question 77

Serious detrimental affects of global warming include

A) intense rains and flooding.
B) more frequent and intense droughts.
C) rising sea levels in coastal areas.
D) the disappearance of glaciers thus wiping out some fresh water supplies.
E) all of these.

Question 78

Landfills generally contain

A) all garbage.
B) nonbiodegradable wastes.
C) nonrecycled solid wastes.
D) biohazardous wastes.
E) all of these.

Question 79

Which is NOT a result or effect of irrigation?

A) increased food production
B) saltwater intrusion into water supplies
C) lowered water tables
D) uplifted land
E) salinization

Question 80

The primary cause of desertification in the world today is

A) increased salinity resulting from irrigation practices.
B) overgrazing of marginal lands.
C) clearing and degradation of tropical forests.
D) herbicide and fertilizer runoff.
E) use of water for industry.