Question 1

How do humans compare with other species in their ability to cooperate with other members of their species?
A) Humans are the only species capable of cooperating.
B) Unlike other social species,human primarily interact through selfishness and conflict.
C) Like other social species,humans cooperate only with related members of their species.
D) Humans are highly developed to cooperate with both related and unrelated members of their species.
E) Humans support and cooperate with other humans,but they show little interest in caring for other species.

Accepted Answer

While other social species also exhibit cooperation with related members, humans have the unique ability to cooperate with both related and unrelated members of their species, often through complex social structures and institutions. Furthermore, humans have developed the ability to communicate and coordinate on a large scale, allowing for cooperation on a global level. However, it is important to note that humans do also cooperate and show kindness towards other species as well.

Question 2

Satellite maps show that NPP,measured as distribution of photosynthetic biomass,varies most clearly with _______.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Satellite maps show that NPP,measured as distribution...

Question 3

With respect to matter,Earth is essentially a(n)_______ system,because the same matter cycles over and over through the system.

Accepted Answer

The answer of With respect to matter,Earth is essentially a(n)_______...

Question 4

As of July 2013,what was the approximate concentration of CO₂ in the atmosphere? A) 190 ppm B) 225 ppm C) 280 ppm D) 330 ppm E) 399 ppm

Accepted Answer

As of July 2013, the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere was approximately 399 ppm, reflecting the ongoing increase in atmospheric CO2 levels due to human activities.

Question 5

Low levels of NPP around 30°N and 30°S latitude are associated with low levels of _______.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Low levels of NPP around 30°N and...

Question 6

The only group of organisms capable of obtaining carbon from the atmosphere are the _______.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The only group of organisms capable of...

Question 7

How has the ability of humans to cooperate been reflected in the human response to climate change?
A) There has been little or no cooperation.
B) There has been cooperation within a few nations only.
C) Several international scientific groups have been formed to work on the problem.
D) Most national governments have agreed that tackling climate change is the world's most important challenge.
E) Most national governments have agreed that sustainable,steady-state economies must replace continual economic growth if we are to solve climate change.

Accepted Answer

The ability of humans to cooperate has been reflected in the creation of several international scientific groups, such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, to work on addressing climate change. However, there has been limited cooperation among nations in terms of implementing effective solutions.

Question 8

A common measure of ecosystem function is the rate at which an ecosystem produces primary-producer biomass,also called _______.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A common measure of ecosystem function is...

Question 9

The nutrient phosphorus,which is stored in rocks,is _______ to organisms in biogeochemical cycles until it undergoes a physical or chemical process,such as weathering.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The nutrient phosphorus,which is stored in rocks,is...

Question 10

The power that drives the water cycle around Earth comes from _______.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The power that drives the water cycle...

Question 11

Freshwater marshes along the southeastern coast of the United States are more productive than nearby estuaries and ocean waters at the same latitude.This higher productivity is most likely due to high availability of _______.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Freshwater marshes along the southeastern coast of...

Question 12

The earliest known measurable increase in the oxygen concentration of Earth's atmosphere resulted from activity caused by early
A) land plants.
B) human agriculture.
C) photosynthetic bacteria.
D) anaerobic prokaryotes.
E) eukaryotic ocean phytoplankton.

Accepted Answer

The earliest known measurable increase in oxygen concentration in Earth's atmosphere was caused by photosynthetic bacteria, which began producing oxygen through photosynthesis approximately 2.4 billion years ago. Land plants, human agriculture, eukaryotic ocean phytoplankton, and anaerobic prokaryotes all played roles in shaping the Earth's atmosphere, but did not occur until much later.

Question 13

By the end of 2012,atmospheric greenhouse gases had again reached new highs-the highest levels in 800,000 years.In the twentieth century,average world temperature rose by 0.7°C.If current trends continue,scientists expect that the average range of temperature increase by the year 2100 will be
A) 0.5-0.7°C.
B) 0.7-1.0°C.
C) 0.8-1.8°C.
D) 1.0-2.0°C.
E) 1.8-4.0°C.

Accepted Answer

Scientists project that if current trends continue, the average global temperature could increase by 1.8 to 4.0°C by the year 2100 due to the continued rise in greenhouse gas emissions.

Question 14

The flux of CO₂ into and out of its atmospheric compartment is not balanced;more CO₂ is entering the pool than is leaving it.This means that the overall size of the CO₂ pool in the atmosphere is _______.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The flux of CO₂ into and out...

Question 15

In what way is the current episode of climate change different from previous episodes?
A) It is being caused by a single species.
B) It involves increases in atmospheric oxygen.
C) It involves increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide.
D) It is occurring more slowly than previous climate changes.
E) It is causing changes that are toxic or damaging to many species.

Accepted Answer

The current episode of climate change is primarily driven by human activities, particularly the emission of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, making it unique as it is caused by a single species.

Question 16

Primary production in the ocean occurs only in the top layers;production at lower levels is limited by _______.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Primary production in the ocean occurs only...

Question 17

Water's high heat capacity and its ability to change state (from solid to liquid to gas)at Earth temperatures makes it an important medium for transferring _______ around Earth.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Water's high heat capacity and its ability...

Question 18

If global warming causes a mismatch between the time of a plant's flowering and the time of emergence of its major pollinator,this mismatch would be expected to affect all aspects of the plant-pollinator interaction except
A) the temperature at which the interaction occurs.
B) the pollinator's reproductive success.
C) the amount of pollen being transferred.
D) the number of pollinators visiting the plant.
E) the plant's reproductive success.

Accepted Answer

The mismatch in timing may affect several aspects of plant-pollinator interaction, but it would not affect the temperature at which the interaction occurs.

Question 19

Organisms remove nitrogen from the biosphere and return it to the atmosphere through the process of _______.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Organisms remove nitrogen from the biosphere and...

Question 20

Based on current knowledge,how are extreme weather events expected to affect species and communities in the coming years?
A) There may be major disruptions,as many impacted species will go extinct.
B) There may be some major disruptions due to sudden shifts in community composition.
C) There will likely be little impact because there will be fewer extreme weather events.
D) There will likely be little impact because species and communities are already adapted and will recover quickly.
E) There may be minor disruptions but most species and communities will adapt quickly to changed conditions.

Accepted Answer

Extreme weather events are expected to cause sudden shifts in community composition, as some species may be better adapted to the new conditions and outcompete others. This can lead to major disruptions in the ecosystem. However, it is hard to predict how severe these disruptions will be and which species will be most affected.

Quiz 45: The Global Ecosystem

How do humans compare with other species in their ability to cooperate with other members of their species?

Satellite maps show that NPP,measured as distribution of photosynthetic biomass,varies most clearly with _______.

With respect to matter,Earth is essentially a(n)_______ system,because the same matter cycles over and over through the system.

As of July 2013,what was the approximate concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere?

Low levels of NPP around 30°N and 30°S latitude are associated with low levels of _______.

The only group of organisms capable of obtaining carbon from the atmosphere are the _______.

How has the ability of humans to cooperate been reflected in the human response to climate change?

A common measure of ecosystem function is the rate at which an ecosystem produces primary-producer biomass,also called _______.

The nutrient phosphorus,which is stored in rocks,is _______ to organisms in biogeochemical cycles until it undergoes a physical or chemical process,such as weathering.

The power that drives the water cycle around Earth comes from _______.

Freshwater marshes along the southeastern coast of the United States are more productive than nearby estuaries and ocean waters at the same latitude.This higher productivity is most likely due to high availability of _______.

The earliest known measurable increase in the oxygen concentration of Earth's atmosphere resulted from activity caused by early

By the end of 2012,atmospheric greenhouse gases had again reached new highs-the highest levels in 800,000 years.In the twentieth century,average world temperature rose by 0.7°C.If current trends continue,scientists expect that the average range of temperature increase by the year 2100 will be

The flux of CO2 into and out of its atmospheric compartment is not balanced;more CO2 is entering the pool than is leaving it.This means that the overall size of the CO2 pool in the atmosphere is _______.

In what way is the current episode of climate change different from previous episodes?

Primary production in the ocean occurs only in the top layers;production at lower levels is limited by _______.

Water's high heat capacity and its ability to change state (from solid to liquid to gas)at Earth temperatures makes it an important medium for transferring _______ around Earth.

If global warming causes a mismatch between the time of a plant's flowering and the time of emergence of its major pollinator,this mismatch would be expected to affect all aspects of the plant-pollinator interaction except

Organisms remove nitrogen from the biosphere and return it to the atmosphere through the process of _______.

Based on current knowledge,how are extreme weather events expected to affect species and communities in the coming years?

As of July 2013,what was the approximate concentration of CO₂ in the atmosphere?

The flux of CO₂ into and out of its atmospheric compartment is not balanced;more CO₂ is entering the pool than is leaving it.This means that the overall size of the CO₂ pool in the atmosphere is _______.