Environmental Science and Ecology: Key Concepts and Case Studies

Which major continental region has the highest TFR (total fertility rate)?

Africa

Which of the following is not one of the top four nations growing GM crops?

United States, Brazil, Argentina, India

What does the Antiquities Act of 1906 allow the U.S. president to declare?

National monuments

What is the goal of new urbanism?

To design neighborhoods on a human scale with homes, businesses, schools, and amenities close together.

What did the Green Revolution in the 1970s achieve?

Increased agricultural yields dramatically through high-yield crop varieties, synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and intensive irrigation.

Who is well known for studies of reproductive abnormalities in alligators in Florida?

Louis Guillette

What percentage of the world's resources is consumed by the wealthiest 20% of the population?

86%

What does the Conservation Reserve Program do?

Pays farmers to remove environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and plant species that improve environmental health.

What is an example of a species not invasive to the United States?

A species native to the US

What does the term demographic transition refer to?

The shift in a population's birth and death rates as a country develops economically.

How can you approximate the doubling time of a population with a growth rate of __% per year?

Rule of 70/growth rate

What does soil texture refer to?

The relative amounts of sand, silt, and clay particles in soil.

What type of pollination do staple grain crops use?

Wind pollination

Which animal requires the least land and water per kilogram of protein produced?

Chicken

What is permissible for use on certified organic crops?

Natural fertilizers, biological pest controls, and certain naturally derived substances.

What are neonicotinoids used for?

To control insect pests on crops.

In which group is the greatest species diversity found?

Insects

What has killed tens of billions of conifers in the western United States since the 1990s?

Bark beetles

Why do developing nations impose few or no restrictions on logging?

Economic and social pressures make strict logging regulations difficult to implement.

What percentage of the state of Nevada is federally managed?

80%

What does Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring focus on?

Environmental problems associated with pesticides.

What are teratogens?

Substances that cause birth defects.

What is Bisphenol-A?

A plastic-related chemical that can disrupt hormones.

Why are contaminants found at higher concentrations in polar bears and people living in Greenland?

Due to biomagnification combined with long-range transport of pollutants.

What is the first goal of the Stockholm Convention?

To reduce and eventually eliminate harmful persistent chemicals globally.

What is the mission of The Nature Conservancy (TNC)?

To conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends.

In how many US states does TNC work?

All 50 states

Where will COP30 take place?

Belem, the Brazilian state of Para.

How can prescribed fire improve forest health?

Reinvigorates ecosystems, cuts back on encroaching woodies and invasives, reduces wildfire fuel, and enhances pollinator and grazing habitat.

Where in Iowa is Broken Kettle Grasslands located?

In the northern portion of loess hills, the Missouri River Valley.

What are the three principal wildways in North America?

Pacific Wildway, Western Wildway, Eastern Wildway.

Where do red wolves occur and how many are estimated to remain in the wild?

North Carolina, 15-20 left.

Do jaguars live in the United States?

No, but they have been spotted in Arizona.

Do barred owls live in Iowa and Colorado?

Yes, they live in Iowa and the majority of the eastern part of the United States.

Does the bobolink migrate?

Yes, they migrate.

What is a good nesting habitat for bobolinks?

Marshes or meadows and prairies with dense growth of grass and weeds.

What is the conservation status of the semipalmated sandpiper?

They migrate very long distances of 2,000 miles with nonstop flight.

What is the mating behavior of Lesser Prairie Chickens?

They live in southwest Texas and are considered threatened due to the conversion of natural prairie to farmland.

What do American goshawks eat?

They mostly eat birds and small mammals.

Where do whooping cranes spend their summers and winters?

They are endangered and often live in the south but will sometimes breed in the north.

How many properties are owned by Bur Oak Land Trust?

13 properties.

How many plant species exist at Strub Prairie?

100 native species.

Pawpaw trees are the host plant for which species of butterfly?

Zebra swallowtail butterflies.

Which is the larger of the two woodpeckers, hairy or downy?

The hairy woodpecker.

What is the average number of eggs laid in a pheasant nest?

12 eggs.

What is the average lifespan of a pheasant?

1 year.

Does the harvest of rooster pheasants harm the growth potential of the next year's population?

Yes, depending on the season they have a better survival rate.

How can male and female adult pheasants be differentiated in the field?

Males have white ring necks and colorful bodies