Question 1

Identify the anthropogenic sources of phosphorus,and explain why they are a problem.

Accepted Answer

The major anthropogenic source of phosphorus is effluent from sewage treatments,which tends to be phosphate rich.Fertilizers also provide large amounts of anthropogenic phosphorus,and many detergents play a part as well.Introduction of phosphates from all of these sources into surface waters causes eutrophication and algal growth,leading to murkier waters,hypoxic zones,and other changes in the structure and function of ecosystems.

Question 2

The biosphere is best defined as ______________

Accepted Answer

A) all living and nonliving parts,including the flow of energy and matter 
B) all Earth's organisms and their physical and aquatic environment where energy and matter are cycled 
C) all Earth's organisms and the nonliving environment with which they interact 
D) a regional grouping of plants,animals,and abiotic factors 
E) a grouping of plants and animals that interact with one another 
A) all living and nonliving parts,including the flow of energy and matter 
B) all Earth's organisms and their physical and aquatic environment where energy and matter are cycled 
C) all Earth's organisms and the nonliving environment with which they interact 
D) a regional grouping of plants,animals,and abiotic factors 
E) a grouping of plants and animals that interact with one another C

Question 3

The eutrophication that has taken place in Chesapeake Bay,the Gulf of Mexico,and other locations appears to be due to ______________

Accepted Answer

A) heavy metals dumped in the sewage 
B) excess nutrients from fertilizers 
C) weather alone,because it is only obvious in the summer 
D) pesticide use along the waterways 
E) global warming from human use of fossil fuels 
A) heavy metals dumped in the sewage 
B) excess nutrients from fertilizers 
C) weather alone,because it is only obvious in the summer 
D) pesticide use along the waterways 
E) global warming from human use of fossil fuels B

Question 4

Ecotones are the _____________.

Accepted Answer

A) areas between territories of organisms 
B) interactive behaviors leading to communication 
C) sounds that animal communities make in ecosystems 
D) studies of specific biomes by ecologists 
E) transitional zones between ecosystems 
A) areas between territories of organisms 
B) interactive behaviors leading to communication 
C) sounds that animal communities make in ecosystems 
D) studies of specific biomes by ecologists 
E) transitional zones between ecosystems

Question 5

Nitrogen and phosphorus are referred to as macronutrients because _____________.

Accepted Answer

A) they are needed to manufacture large biomolecules 
B) their cycles have larger reservoirs than those of micronutrients 
C) they are required in large amounts for organisms to survive 
D) they are needed by large organisms 
E) they are larger than other nutrients needed by plants 
A) they are needed to manufacture large biomolecules 
B) their cycles have larger reservoirs than those of micronutrients 
C) they are required in large amounts for organisms to survive 
D) they are needed by large organisms 
E) they are larger than other nutrients needed by plants

Question 6

The largest pool of carbon in the carbon cycle is _____________.

Accepted Answer

A) the hydrosphere 
B) in plants and animals 
C) sedimentary rock 
D) the ocean 
E) the atmosphere 
A) the hydrosphere 
B) in plants and animals 
C) sedimentary rock 
D) the ocean 
E) the atmosphere

Question 7

The Haber -Bosch process allows farmers to _____________.

Accepted Answer

A) apply synthetic nitrogen -rich fertilizers to their cropland 
B) apply synthetic phosphorus -rich fertilizers to their cropland 
C) extract nitrogen from animal waste products for use as fertilizer 
D) circumvent regulations meant to protect waterways from nutrient pollution 
E) fertilize their cropland without having to worry about nutrients getting into waterways 
A) apply synthetic nitrogen -rich fertilizers to their cropland 
B) apply synthetic phosphorus -rich fertilizers to their cropland 
C) extract nitrogen from animal waste products for use as fertilizer 
D) circumvent regulations meant to protect waterways from nutrient pollution 
E) fertilize their cropland without having to worry about nutrients getting into waterways

Question 8

The phosphorus in all biological tissues can be traced back to _____________.

Accepted Answer

A) phosphorus weathered from rock 
B) phosphorus dissolved in the ocean and taken up by shellfish 
C) volcanic activities 
D) atmospheric phosphorus gas 
E) phosphorus in animal bones 
A) phosphorus weathered from rock 
B) phosphorus dissolved in the ocean and taken up by shellfish 
C) volcanic activities 
D) atmospheric phosphorus gas 
E) phosphorus in animal bones

Question 9

Containing elements of both forests and coastal marshes,the swamplands of extreme southern Louisiana would be an example of ______________

Accepted Answer

A) an ecotone 
B) a closed ecosystem 
C) a dead zone 
D) an abiotic system 
E) a superbiome 
A) an ecotone 
B) a closed ecosystem 
C) a dead zone 
D) an abiotic system 
E) a superbiome

Question 10

Humans have dramatically altered the rate of nitrogen fixation into forms usable by autotrophs by _____________.

Accepted Answer

A) selectively removing leguminous plants 
B) using antibiotics to reduce the numbers of denitrifying bacteria 
C) burning of fossil fuels to meet our energy needs 
D) increasing the erosion of farmlands through poor agricultural practices 
E) producing synthetic fertilizers and applying them to crops,lawns,and parks 
A) selectively removing leguminous plants 
B) using antibiotics to reduce the numbers of denitrifying bacteria 
C) burning of fossil fuels to meet our energy needs 
D) increasing the erosion of farmlands through poor agricultural practices 
E) producing synthetic fertilizers and applying them to crops,lawns,and parks

Question 11

Which of the following describes matter and energy flow in an ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

A) Matter and energy both flow through an ecosystem. 
B) Matter and energy flow in opposite directions within an ecosystem. 
C) Matter and energy both cycle within an ecosystem. 
D) Matter flows through an ecosystem,whereas energy is recycled within an ecosystem. 
E) Energy flows through an ecosystem,whereas matter is recycled within an ecosystem. 
A) Matter and energy both flow through an ecosystem. 
B) Matter and energy flow in opposite directions within an ecosystem. 
C) Matter and energy both cycle within an ecosystem. 
D) Matter flows through an ecosystem,whereas energy is recycled within an ecosystem. 
E) Energy flows through an ecosystem,whereas matter is recycled within an ecosystem.

Question 12

Which of the following would reduce nutrient pollution in the Mississippi River and Chesapeake Bay watersheds?

Accepted Answer

A) removing the "buffers" around streams because they acidify the water 
B) closing or update sewage treatment plants that lack a process for removing nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater 
C) removing wetlands that are contaminating the waterways with nutrient pollution from wildlife waste and decaying vegetation such as cattails 
D) applying fertilizer to lawns and crops just before heavy rainstorms because the fertilizer would then infiltrate the soil rather than staying at the surface,where it can contaminate waterways 
E) allowing storm runoff from streets and parking lots to enter waterways rather than capturing it in lagoons because the lagoons can contaminate groundwater aquifers 
A) removing the "buffers" around streams because they acidify the water 
B) closing or update sewage treatment plants that lack a process for removing nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater 
C) removing wetlands that are contaminating the waterways with nutrient pollution from wildlife waste and decaying vegetation such as cattails 
D) applying fertilizer to lawns and crops just before heavy rainstorms because the fertilizer would then infiltrate the soil rather than staying at the surface,where it can contaminate waterways 
E) allowing storm runoff from streets and parking lots to enter waterways rather than capturing it in lagoons because the lagoons can contaminate groundwater aquifers

Question 13

How and why do ecologists use GIS software?

Accepted Answer

GIS software is used by landscape ecolog

Question 14

Mutualistic relationships between bacteria and certain root nodules play an important role in the global cycling of _____________.

Accepted Answer

A) carbon 
B) water 
C) rock 
D) phosphorus 
E) nitrogen 
A) carbon 
B) water 
C) rock 
D) phosphorus 
E) nitrogen

Question 15

In some areas,cattle on an open range may compact fragile soils while grazing.This can damage plant roots,leading to fewer,smaller plants,which may in turn cause cattle to graze more and work harder to obtain food.This is an example of a ______________ .

Accepted Answer

A) positive feedback loop 
B) dynamic equilibrium 
C) food web 
D) negative feedback loop 
E) homeostatic system 
A) positive feedback loop 
B) dynamic equilibrium 
C) food web 
D) negative feedback loop 
E) homeostatic system

Question 16

Define the term emergent properties and give an example from a natural system.

Accepted Answer

Emergent properties are characteristics

Question 17

Nitrogen fixation is a process that makes nitrogen available to plants and is carried out by _____________.

Accepted Answer

A) nitrogen gas dissolving in fresh water and in the ocean 
B) parasitic bacteria 
C) volcanic eruptions 
D) plants during photosynthesis 
E) mutualistic and free -living bacteria 
A) nitrogen gas dissolving in fresh water and in the ocean 
B) parasitic bacteria 
C) volcanic eruptions 
D) plants during photosynthesis 
E) mutualistic and free -living bacteria

Question 18

By damming rivers and creating reservoirs,we are _____________.

Accepted Answer

A) decreasing evaporation 
B) increasing transportation 
C) decreasing transpiration 
D) increasing transpiration while decreasing evaporation 
E) increasing evaporation 
A) decreasing evaporation 
B) increasing transportation 
C) decreasing transpiration 
D) increasing transpiration while decreasing evaporation 
E) increasing evaporation

Question 19

The atmosphere is an important reservoir (pool)in all the following cycles EXCEPT _____________.

Accepted Answer

A) phosphorus 
B) carbon 
C) hydrologic 
D) nitrogen 
E) Technically,the atmosphere is not an important reservoir in any of these cycles. 
A) phosphorus 
B) carbon 
C) hydrologic 
D) nitrogen 
E) Technically,the atmosphere is not an important reservoir in any of these cycles.

Question 20

Human activity has affected every aspect of the water cycle.Identify three ways that humans have altered the water cycle.What are the major concerns regarding our alteration of the water cycle?

Accepted Answer

Humans have dammed rivers to create rese

Exam 5: Environmental Systems and Ecosystem Ecology

Identify the anthropogenic sources of phosphorus,and explain why they are a problem.

The biosphere is best defined as ______________

The eutrophication that has taken place in Chesapeake Bay,the Gulf of Mexico,and other locations appears to be due to ______________

Ecotones are the _____________.

Nitrogen and phosphorus are referred to as macronutrients because _____________.

The largest pool of carbon in the carbon cycle is _____________.

The Haber -Bosch process allows farmers to _____________.

The phosphorus in all biological tissues can be traced back to _____________.

Containing elements of both forests and coastal marshes,the swamplands of extreme southern Louisiana would be an example of ______________

Humans have dramatically altered the rate of nitrogen fixation into forms usable by autotrophs by _____________.

Which of the following describes matter and energy flow in an ecosystem?

Which of the following would reduce nutrient pollution in the Mississippi River and Chesapeake Bay watersheds?

How and why do ecologists use GIS software?

Mutualistic relationships between bacteria and certain root nodules play an important role in the global cycling of _____________.

In some areas,cattle on an open range may compact fragile soils while grazing.This can damage plant roots,leading to fewer,smaller plants,which may in turn cause cattle to graze more and work harder to obtain food.This is an example of a ______________ .

Define the term emergent properties and give an example from a natural system.

Nitrogen fixation is a process that makes nitrogen available to plants and is carried out by _____________.

By damming rivers and creating reservoirs,we are _____________.

The atmosphere is an important reservoir (pool)in all the following cycles EXCEPT _____________.

Human activity has affected every aspect of the water cycle.Identify three ways that humans have altered the water cycle.What are the major concerns regarding our alteration of the water cycle?

Science and Sustainability

Earths Physical Systems

Evolution,biodiversity,and Population Ecology

Species Interactions and Community Ecology

Ethics,economics,and Sustainable Development

Environmental Policy

Human Population

The Underpinnings of Agriculture

Making Agriculture Sustainable

Biodiversity and Conservation Biology

Forests,forest Management,and Protected Areas

The Urban Environment

Environmental Health and Toxicology

Freshwater Systems and Resources

Marine and Coastal Systems and Resources

Atmospheric Science,air Quality,and Pollution Control

Global Climate Change

Fossil Fuels

Conventional Energy Alternatives

New Renewable Energy Alternatives

Managing Our Waste

Minerals and Mining

Sustainable Solutions

Filters