ENVS 1126 Aixin Hou-Exam 1

Which of the following are the three vital concepts that move societies toward a sustainable future?

a. Sound science, sustainability, and stewardship

b. Sustainability, stewardship, and security

c. Stewardship, sound science, and security

d. Sound science, sustainability, and security

Sound science, sustainability, and stewardship

Which of the following terms best describes the practice of environmental science?

a. Abstract

b. Integrative and interdisciplinary

c. Highly specialized

d. Theoretical

Integrative and interdisciplinary

Which one of the following is the broadest scope of ecological study?

a. Population ecology

b. Landscape ecology

c. Community ecology

d. Ecosystem ecology

Landscape ecology

With few exceptions, inorganic compounds do not have

a. carbon-hydrogen bonds or carbon-carbon bonds.

b. potassium-sodium bonds or hydrogen-chlorine bonds.

c. hydrogen-nitrogen bonds or carbon-oxygen bonds.

d. nitrogen-oxygen bonds or carbon-oxygen bonds.

carbon-hydrogen bonds or carbon-carbon bonds.

All scientific investigations are initially founded upon

a. good observations.

b. an already accepted theory.

c. good experiments.

d. multiple hypotheses, some of which are unanswerable.

good observations

An average person might consume 2,000 Kilocalories of food in one day. This is enough energy to heat up how many 1-liter bottles of liquid water from 0 degrees Celsius to 100 degrees Celsius (just reaching the boiling point of water, but not turning the water into steam)?

a. 5 1-liter bottles

b. 1 1-liter bottle

c. 20 1-liter bottles

d. 10 1-liter bottles

20 1-liter bottles

As global climate change warms certain mountain ranges, the temperature optima for the insect species living on the mountain is causing these insects to

a. move farther up the mountain.

b. move to a new biome.

c. move down the mountain.

d. become parasitic.

move farther up the mountain.

As stated in the ENVS 1126 syllabus (posted on Moodle) and explained in the first class, there will be ______ graded class discussions via Moodle Forum this semester. These discussions will help better understand important, timely environmental issues that will be covered during the semester and encourage students to share their thoughts with each other. Discussion topics will be notified in advance of discussion. Students will have _____ weeks to discuss each topic.

a. five; five

b. two; two

c. five; two

d. two; five

five; two

Bacterial denitrification is an _______ process that converts NO3- to __________.

a. anaerobic; N2 (nitrogen gas)

b. aerobic; NH4+ (ammonium)

c. aerobic; N2 (nitrogen gas)

aerobic; N2 (nitrogen gas)

THE EXPERIMENT

Researchers wanted to determine if pesticide Z was effective at killing grasshoppers that typically invade cornfields. Two ten-acre cornfields located 1 mile apart were chosen. The cornfield to the west was sprayed only with water. The cornfield on the east received the same amount of water with a 10% solution of pesticide Z. Samples of the numbers of grasshoppers in the field were made every week for 10 weeks.

RESULTS

West field treated only with water:

The number of grasshoppers in the west field doubled after ten weeks.

East field treated with water and pesticide Z:

The number of grasshoppers in the east field declined by 50% after 10 weeks.

Based on the result of the experiment, which of the following is the most accurate conclusion?

a. East fields are more likely than west fields to have problems with grasshoppers eating corn crops.

b. Pesticide Z is a good way to control most insect infestation

If a cornfield is sprayed with pesticide Z, it will have fewer grasshoppers 10 weeks later.

In 1910, President Theodore Roosevelt said "I recognize the right and duty of this generation to develop and use the natural resources of our land; but I do not recognize the right to waste them, or to rob, by wasteful use, the generations that come after us." His message best reflects

a. an argument for economic growth.

b. a philosophy in conflict with Rachel Carson's.

c. a plea for good stewardship.

d. an argument against sustainable agriculture.

a plea for good stewardship.

In the scientific method, a ________ is an educated guess, while a _____ has been rigorously tested and confirmed.

a. theory; hypothesis

b. hypothesis; theory

c. paradigm; theory

d. hypothesis; experiment

theory; hypothesis

Natural organic compounds typically consist of some combination of carbon, hydrogen, and

a. oxygen, nitrogen, sodium, and/or potassium.

b. nitrogen, lead, mercury, and/or sulfur.

c. oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, and/or sulfur.

d. sulfur, oxygen, zinc, and/or chloride.

oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, and/or sulfur.

Nina got a new baby turtle from a friend and is told to feed it worms. For the first few months, the turtle seemed to grow well. But as time passed, the turtle's shell appeared soft and fragile. Someone suggested that the turtle might not be getting enough calcium in its diet. If this is true for this turtle, dietary calcium is

a. a limiting factor.

b. a natural environmental stressor.

c. an environmental condition.

d. a habitat condition.

a limiting factor

On a vacation, you spend much of the day walking along the water's edge on an ocean beach soaking up the sun. The place where you are walking is a good example of a(n)

a. population.

b. landscape.

c. biome.

d. ecotone.

ecotone

On land, the carbon used today in photosynthesis to form carbon atoms of plant tissues is mostly returned to the air because of

a. additional photosynthesis in the same plants.

b. erosion, decay, and general weathering.

c. plate tectonics.

d. cellular respiration in plants, animals, and organisms in the soil.

cellular respiration in plants, animals, and organisms in the soil.

Organisms with a very broad range of temperature tolerance would most likely occur in

a. Hawaii.

b. the Midwestern United States.

c. tropical environments.

d. the oceans.

the Midwestern United States

Over the past 40 years, human well-being has been steadily improving, while natural ecosystems, from which we derive many goods and services, have been declining. Which one of the following does not help to explain this so-called environmentalist's paradox?

a. The measurements of human well-being have been flawed; it is actually declining

b. Food production, a crucial ecosystem service that has been enhanced, outweighs the effects of declines in other ecosystem services

c. There is a time lag between ecosystem decline and human well-being; the worst is yet to come

d. Human technology, such as irrigation and synthetic fertilizers, makes us less dependent on ecosystem services

The measurements of human well-being have been flawed; it is actually declining

Resources for seagulls living along an ocean shore would include

a. nesting sites.

b. ocean temperature.

c. shifting tides.

d. the strength and direction of the wind.

nesting sites

Some birds have been seen to consume certain soils in what is called geophagy. In some cases, the soils help the birds digest toxins that occur in their diets. These birds eating soil represent a member of the

a. lithosphere consuming a component of the biosphere.

b. atmosphere consuming a component of the hydrosphere.

c. biosphere consuming a component of the lithosphere.

d. hydrosphere consuming a component of the atmosphere.

biosphere consuming a component of the lithosphere.

The concept of sustainable development includes

a. the importance of developing the arts.

b. the fastest ways to economic prosperity.

c. growth in profits from international trade.

d. the needs of future generations.

the needs of future generations.

The little blue heron (Egretta caerulea) inhabits southern Louisiana year-round. Which of the following about the scientific name of the little blue heron is true?

a. The snowy heron, Egretta thula, belongs to the same species.

b. The first part of the name, Egretta, is the species name.

c. The second part of the name, caerulea, is the genus name of little blue herons.

d. Both parts of the name are necessary to designate the little blue heron.

Both parts of the name are necessary to designate the little blue heron.

When a windmill turns to generate electricity, the amount of kinetic energy input in the process

a. is less than the amount of electrical energy produced.

b. is unrelated to the amount of electrical energy produced.

c. is more than the amount of electrical energy produced.

d. equals the amount of electrical energy produced.

is more than the amount of electrical energy produced.

Which of the following are products of photosynthesis?

a. oxygen and sugar

b. light and heat

c. water and oxygen

d. carbon dioxide and water

oxygen and sugar

THE EXPERIMENT

Researchers wanted to determine if pesticide Z was effective at killing grasshoppers that typically invade cornfields. Two ten-acre cornfields located 1 mile apart were chosen. The cornfield to the west was sprayed only with water. The cornfield on the east received the same amount of water with a 10% solution of pesticide Z. Samples of the numbers of grasshoppers in the field were made every week for 10 weeks.

RESULTS

West field treated only with water:

The number of grasshoppers in the west field doubled after ten weeks.

East field treated with water and pesticide Z:

The number of grasshoppers in the east field declined by 50% after 10 weeks.

Which field was the control group?

a. the east field was the control group

b. both fields were controls for one another

c. there were no controls in this experiment

d. the west field was the control group

the west field was the control group.

A population is growing exponentially with a doubling time of 10 years. If the size of the population now is 50, what will be the size of the population 30 years from now?

a. 400

b. 200

c. 300

d. 500

400

Why is exponential growth unsustainable?

a. A species cannot exceed carrying capacity indefinitely.

b. It produces too many old individuals.

c. It is found only in r-selected species.

A species cannot exceed carrying capacity indefinitely.

Which of the following is not a part of environmental resistance to population growth?

a. Lack of nutrients

b. Reproductive rate

c. Parasites

d. Predators

Reproductive rate

Which one of the following is a density-independent factor that is not involved in maintaining population equilibrium?

a. Food supply

b. Competition

c. Predation

d. Drought

Drought

Some beetles escape from a ship and fly to a small island covered with grass but with no trees or beetle predators. As the beetles feed, they destroy all the grasses. But with abundant food, the beetle population soars, doubling in size every month. After about a year, the population crashes as thousands of beetles have destroyed almost all of the plants and there is little left to feed the large population. This scenario best illustrates

a. logistic growth ending at its carrying capacity.

b. a population that has stabilized near its carrying capacity.

c. constant growth followed by equilibrium.

d. exponential growth followed by a population crash.

exponential growth followed by a population crash.

The population of game fish in a lake is under heavy fishing pressure. If too many fish are caught, the population will crash and future years of fishing will suffer. The game fish can exhibit logistic growth under certain circumstances. Assuming logistic growth, it would be best to manage this game fish population by permitting the harvesting of just enough fish to keep the game fish population

a. above its carrying capacity.

b. at 10% of its carrying capacity.

c. at its full carrying capacity.

d. at 50% its carrying capacity.

at 50% its carrying capacity

Which one of the following statements is true?

a. R-strategists have high biotic potential and poor recruitment most of the time.

b. R-strategists have high biotic potential and good recruitment most of the time.

c. R-strategists have low biotic potential and poor recruitment most of the time.

d. R-strategists have low biotic potential and good recruitment most of the time.

R-strategists have high biotic potential and poor recruitment most of the time.

Which one of the following is characteristic of a K-selected species?

a. short life span

b. fast reproductive rate

c. large body size

d. production of large numbers of offspring

large body size

Resource partitioning

a. increases intraspecific competition and increases species diversity.

b. increases interspecific competition and decreases species diversity.

c. reduces intraspecific competition and decreases species diversity.

d. reduces interspecific competition and increases species diversity.

reduces interspecific competition and increases species diversity.

When a single species evolves into two species, the new species must

a. evolve different diets.

b. be exposed to the same selective pressures.

c. live on a different continent.

d. be reproductively isolated.

be reproductively isolated.

Invasive species are dangerous because

a. they tend to be secretive, going unnoticed in their new ecosystems.

b. the native species have not evolved with these organisms.

c. they carry viruses that spread disease in new ecosystems.

d. they are almost all predators, disturbing ecological relationships by eating other species.

the native species have not evolved with these organisms.

A biologist studying a lake determines that the fish feed on shrimp that feed on the bacteria. This food chain represents a

a. consumer eating a producer, which then consumes chemoautotrophic bacteria.

b. second order consumer eating a first order consumer, which then eats a producer.

c. tertiary consumer eating a secondary consumer, which eats a primary consumer.

d. primary consumer eating a secondary consumer, which eats a tertiary consumer.

second order consumer eating a first order consumer, which then eats a producer.

The According to this figure, what happens to the beak sizes of the two finch species when they occur on the same island?

a. They both evolve larger beaks.

b. One of the species will move to another island.

c. They both switch to larger nuts to eat.

d. Their beak sizes become more different from each other.

Their beak sizes become more different from each other.

Deep in the ocean off the shore of Japan are communities nestled around hydrothermal vents, where super-heated water springs from the bottom of the ocean. No sunlight ever penetrates to these deep regions. In these communities, bacteria have special enzymes that allow them to form organic matter by chemosynthesis. These communities frequently have giant tube worms, clams, shrimp, and many other organisms clustered together. Based on this information, which of the following is true about hydrothermal vent communities?

a. There is no photosynthesis, but heat drives chemosynthetic producers.

b. Energy is transferred in the form of heat between trophic levels.

c. Producers depend on energy generated by consumers.

d. Temperature is the most important biotic factor.

There is no photosynthesis, but heat drives chemosynthetic producers.

In general,

a. food webs consist of either consumers or producers.

b. food chains are interconnected to form food webs.

c. food chains consist of many interrelated food webs.

d. food webs usually consists of 8-10 trophic levels.

food chains are interconnected to form food webs.

Cattle and termites both have symbiotic microorganisms living in their digestive tracts that help these animals by

a. producing oxygen.

b. producing large organic molecules.

c. releasing kilocalories.

d. digesting cellulose.

digesting cellulose

Which of the following statements is true?

a. All of the above

b. Aerobic respiration requires oxygen; anaerobic respiration does not require oxygen

c. Aerobic respiration completely oxidizes respiratory material; anaerobic respiration partially oxidizes respiratory material

d. Aerobic respiration produces maximum 38 ATP molecules per glucose; anaerobic respiration produces only 2 ATP molecules glucose.

All of the above

The information of an energy pyramid reveals that for human food choices,

a. consumers at lower trophic levels do not have as much energy and biomass as consumers at higher trophic levels.

b. it is more expensive and less efficient to get most of your dietary calories from grains.

c. consumers at higher trophic levels are usually more abundant than consumers at lower trophic levels.

d. it is more expensive and less efficient to get most of your dietary calories from meats.

it is more expensive and less efficient to get most of your dietary calories from meats.

A form of a biome is largely predicted by its

a. diversity of soil microorganisms.

b. diversity of plant and animal species.

c. temperature and rainfall.

d. distance from the ocean.

temperature and rainfall

Terrestrial biomes are groups of ecosystems characterized by similar types of

a. Carnivores and herbivores

b. Climate and carnivores

c. Herbivores and plants

d. Plants and climate

Plants and climate

Which one of the following represents the process of photosynthesis?

a. 2 NO3? + 10 e- + 12 H+ -----> N2 + 6 H2O

b. C6H12O6 + 6O2 ---> 6CO2 + 6H2O

c. 6 CO2 + 6 H2O -----> C6H12O6 + 6 O2

6 CO2 + 6 H2O -----> C6H12O6 + 6 O2

Which of the following represent ecosystems with high average annual net primary productivity?

a. Boreal forest, temperate grasslands, and tropical dry deciduous forest

b. Estuaries, tundra, lakes, and streams

c. Algal beds, reefs, tropical rain forests, swamps, and marshes

d. Open ocean and continental shelves

Algal beds, reefs, tropical rain forests, swamps, and marshes

What once was an open pasture on a long abandoned farm has changed over time without the direct influence of humans. After the cattle had been removed, shrubs and bushes could be seen dotting the grass-covered hillsides. A few years later, small pine trees and then larger deciduous trees appeared. Now, there are so many trees and shaded regions it is difficult to tell that this was once a field. These ecological changes in the abandoned pasture represent

a. primary succession.

b. aquatic to terrestrial succession.

c. secondary succession.

d. intermediate succession.

secondary succession

Which one of the following is an example of primary succession?

a. Lichens appear on basalt rock 50 years after a volcanic eruption on the Big Island of Hawaii

b. Grasses emerge from the soil after saltwater from a tsunami kills all above-ground vegetation in a meadow

c. After a forest fire, pine trees grow from seeds that were protected beneath pine needles

d. Trees reappear on the slopes of Mount St. Helens after the fallout of volcanic ash kills all the above-ground vegetation

Lichens appear on basalt rock 50 years after a volcanic eruption on the Big Island of Hawaii

Which of the following represents a resilience mechanism?

a. crown fires resulting from many years of fire suppression

b. the emergence of a meadow in a recently burned forest

c. burned trees accumulating on a forest floor after a fire

d. soil erosion resulting from burned soil washing away from a forest floor

the emergence of a meadow in a recently burned forest