Exam 17: The Resource Cycle

Which of the following processes is the biggest consumer of water?

Traditionally, the human economy has been viewed as a reservoir into which resources and energy flow from a limitless source.

Conservation is the conscientious management of natural heritage and resources, whereas preservation is the maintenance of wilderness areas in near-pristine conditions.

Living resources are renewable, but problems arise when they are harvested more quickly than the rate at which they reproduce and grow.

__________ is the reason for Earth's limited ability to support industrialization and population growth.

____________ is the conscientious management of natural heritage and resources.

Arable soil is not particularly crucial for the maintenance of our global food supply.

___________ is generally the most economically efficient way to harvest wood from a forest, but also the most ecologically destructive.

An example of a severely depleted stock is the Atlantic __________ population off the eastern coast of Canada, which was fished to commercial extinction.

What is desalination?

___________ is any area where natural forces are more significant than human intervention, and where people do not live on a permanent basis.

Fish is an important source of dietary protein and income, especially in low-income countries.

Which of the following is a renewable resource?

How do forests affect the soil?

A reserve such as a national park, attempts to conserve and preserve which of the following?

Water loss -- that is, water that is consumed and not returned to the local hydrologic cycle -- occurs mainly through precipitation.

Some types of aquaculture require major inputs of fresh water and energy, and contribute to the loss of coastal wetlands and mangroves.

Monoculture has contributed to soil nutrient depletion and the loss of crop biodiversity.

The combination of decreasing yields and increased stream sediment load leads to

How can dams positively impact human populations while at the same time negatively impacting the environment? If a dam was to be built that would do just that, what variables would you weigh in order to conclude whether or not to build the dam?