What problems can arise when fertilizers are used to enhance crop growth?

What problems can arise when fertilizers are used to enhance crop growth?

Answer: The enhanced growth can deplete the soil of other nutrients, creating a dependence on fertilizer.

Why is the use of synthetic fertilizers considered unsustainable?

Why is the use of synthetic fertilizers considered unsustainable?

Answer: They are made from fossil fuels.

Takeo Furuno's duck-rice farm is considered sustainable because he:

Takeo Furuno's duck-rice farm is considered sustainable because he:

Answer: produces food without compromising future productivity of the farm.

Which of the following actions is an example of a mitigation strategy with regard to climate change?

Which of the following actions is an example of a mitigation strategy with regard to climate change?

Answer: Halting deforestation in tropical areas and planting trees in areas that have already been cleared.

Efforts intended to help deal with the climate change that has already occurred or will inevitably occur are known as ______

Efforts intended to help deal with the climate change that has already occurred or will inevitably occur are known as ______

Answer: adaptation.

Which of these can be used by scientists to estimate past climates?

Which of these can be used by scientists to estimate past climates?

Answer: An analysis of pollen grains trapped in layers of lake sediments

Why do scientists think that most of the current warming is due to human impact?

Why do scientists think that most of the current warming is due to human impact?

Answer: Climate models can accurately replicate the warming we have experienced but only when anthropogenic forcings are included in the evaluation; natural forcers alone cannot account for the warming we have experienced.

What natural event could cause climate to warm?

What natural event could cause climate to warm?

Answer: Changes in Earth's position in space relative to the sun.

Which of these is an example of a positive feedback loop related to global warming?

Which of these is an example of a positive feedback loop related to global warming?

Answer: As ice melts, water is exposed, increasing the temperature even more and causing more melt.

What problems does climate change present to species?

What problems does climate change present to species?

Answer: Species may lose important mutualistic or commensalistic partners.

Which of the following is evidence that suggests climate is changing?

Which of the following is evidence that suggests climate is changing?

Answer: Sea level is rising.

The meteorological conditions in a given place on a given day refer to its _________ whereas the long-term patterns and trends of meteorological conditions in that area are its _________.

The meteorological conditions in a given place on a given day refer to its _________ whereas the long-term patterns and trends of meteorological conditions in that area are its _________.

Answer: weather; climate.

Why is a change of a few degrees in average global temperatures more concerning than day-to-day weather changes of a few degrees?

Why is a change of a few degrees in average global temperatures more concerning than day-to-day weather changes of a few degrees?

Answer: An increase in average global temperatures means we should have more weather extremes that can cause problems.

Even if we continue to use HYVs and GMO varieties of crops, it is still important to keep the traditional varieties of crops around because:

Even if we continue to use HYVs and GMO varieties of crops, it is still important to keep the traditional varieties of crops around because:

Answer: They provide the genetic diversity we need to develop new varieties.

"Low-tech" solutions may be a better option than high-tech industrial agriculture in some places because these methods:

"Low-tech" solutions may be a better option than high-tech industrial agriculture in some places because these methods:

Answer: Are more accessible to low income farmers.

Critics say that GMOs are dangerous. Which of the following has not happened with GMOs?

Critics say that GMOs are dangerous. Which of the following has not happened with GMOs?

Answer: GMOs have caused cancer in humans.

"Superweeds" are weeds that:

"Superweeds" are weeds that:

Answer: Have acquired a gene for herbicide resistance from a genetically modified organism (GMO).

Which of the following about GMOs is true?

Which of the following about GMOs is true?

Answer: GMOs are organisms that have had their genetic information altered.

What is the focus of the next revolution that is once again increasing crop productivity?

What is the focus of the next revolution that is once again increasing crop productivity?

Answer: A Gene Revolution: Genetically modified crops and food animals.

Which of the following is considered a disadvantage of industrial farming?

Which of the following is considered a disadvantage of industrial farming?

Answer: Monocultures are more vulnerable to pests.

The Green Revolution depended on:

The Green Revolution depended on:

Answer: The use of high-yielding crop varieties as well as synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.

Populations of developing countries in protracted crisis (long-term ecological or political crises) have the highest level of undernourishment.

Populations of developing countries in protracted crisis (long-term ecological or political crises) have the highest level of undernourishment.

Truev

A person can be malnourished if he or she:

A person can be malnourished if he or she:

a. doesn't get enough calories.
b. gets enough calories, but doesn't get enough of one or more key nutrients.
c. gets too many calories.

Humans' overconsumption of Earth's resources is linked both to high population sizes of low-consuming developing countries and the high rate of resource consumption by developed countries.

Humans' overconsumption of Earth's resources is linked both to high population sizes of low-consuming developing countries and the high rate of resource consumption by developed countries.

Answer: True

How could it be possible that we are already living beyond the long-term carrying capacity of Earth?

How could it be possible that we are already living beyond the long-term carrying capacity of Earth?

Answer: Humans are using resources faster than they are replenished.

Which of the following tends to reduce population growth rates?

Which of the following tends to reduce population growth rates?

Answer: Increasing educational opportunities for women.

How does the reduction of infant mortality rates typically affect a population's growth rate?

How does the reduction of infant mortality rates typically affect a population's growth rate?

Answer: Growth rates go down since fewer children are needed to "replace" those that might die.

During the demographic transition, what event typically occurs first?

During the demographic transition, what event typically occurs first?

Answer: Death rates fall.

Which countries have already gone through the demographic transition?

Which countries have already gone through the demographic transition?

Answer: Industrialized countries such as the United States and England.

Which of the following populations would have the most population momentum?

Which of the following populations would have the most population momentum?

Answer: One with a large number of young people (an age structure diagram that resembles a triangle.)

How do desired fertility and actual fertility (total fertility rate) correlate?

How do desired fertility and actual fertility (total fertility rate) correlate?

Answer: Actual fertility closely tracks desired fertility.

A study of the history of population growth reveals that early on in human history growth rates were rapid but began to fall off after the Industrial Revolution.

A study of the history of population growth reveals that early on in human history growth rates were rapid but began to fall off after the Industrial Revolution.

Answer: False

In the Yellowstone ecosystem, what regulates the size of the elk populations?

In the Yellowstone ecosystem, what regulates the size of the elk populations?

Answer: In some cases it is bottom-up and in other cases it is top-down regulation.

In top-down regulation, the size of a rabbit population is determined by:

In top-down regulation, the size of a rabbit population is determined by:

Answer: The number of foxes and coyotes in the area

Which type of species is more likely to have its population size remain close to carrying capacity under normal conditions, rather than going through boom and bust cycles?

Which type of species is more likely to have its population size remain close to carrying capacity under normal conditions, rather than going through boom and bust cycles?

Answer: K-species

Deer mice are a species with individuals who live short lives and grow up rapidly. They have many, small offspring to which they give little parental care. This life-history strategy describes:

Deer mice are a species with individuals who live short lives and grow up rapidly. They have many, small offspring to which they give little parental care. This life-history strategy describes:

Answer: r-selected species

Factors whose impact on a population increases as population size increases are known as:

Factors whose impact on a population increases as population size increases are known as:

Answer: Density-dependent factors

Which of the following is an example of a density-independent factor for population growth?

Which of the following is an example of a density-independent factor for population growth?

Answer: Fire

What kind of things might cause a population experiencing exponential growth to transition to logistic growth?

What kind of things might cause a population experiencing exponential growth to transition to logistic growth?

Answer: More competition for food from other species in the area.

Under what conditions might we see exponential population growth?

Under what conditions might we see exponential population growth?

Answer: When there is a sudden influx of a new food source.

Individuals who live in social groups are usually found in a ________________ distribution.

Individuals who live in social groups are usually found in a ________________ distribution.

Answer: clumped

The number of individuals in a given area, such as an acre or a square mile, is a measurement known as:

The number of individuals in a given area, such as an acre or a square mile, is a measurement known as:

Answer: population density.

How have humans impacted the nutrient cycles for nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P)?

How have humans impacted the nutrient cycles for nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P)?

Answer: Our actions release much more N and P into the environment than what normally cycles.

An important conclusion drawn from the initial Biosphere 2 project was that:

An important conclusion drawn from the initial Biosphere 2 project was that:

Answer: it is difficult to predict all of the interactions in biogeochemical cycles.

Which type of species performs cellular respiration?

Which type of species performs cellular respiration?

a. Producers
b. Consumers

The resource so critical that its availability controls the distribution of a species in its biome is known as a

The resource so critical that its availability controls the distribution of a species in its biome is known as a

Answer: limiting resource.

Which population would have the greatest chance of being able to adapt to an environmental change?

Which population would have the greatest chance of being able to adapt to an environmental change?

Answer: The one with the widest range of tolerance for the changing environmental factor.

Biomes are defined as distinctive types of ecosystems determined by:

Biomes are defined as distinctive types of ecosystems determined by:

Answer: Climatic factors such as precipitation and temperature.

Ecosystems need to rely on a form of energy that is continuously supplied because

Ecosystems need to rely on a form of energy that is continuously supplied because

Answer: When energy is used by one organism, it is converted to a form that is not useful to others.

What is the major difference between matter and energy?

What is the major difference between matter and energy?

Answer: Matter can be recycled in ecosystems but energy flow is one way.

The role and relationships of a species in its community is known as its

The role and relationships of a species in its community is known as its

Answer: niche

At Yellowstone National Park, the elk, deer, wolves, buffalo, willow and aspen trees, squirrels, birds, worms, bugs, wildflowers, mosses and other living species who live there make up the park's?

At Yellowstone National Park, the elk, deer, wolves, buffalo, willow and aspen trees, squirrels, birds, worms, bugs, wildflowers, mosses and other living species who live there make up the park's?

Answer: community