Deck 13: Land Use

Question 1

Desertification of dry ecosystems is usually caused by a combination of factors, including all of the following except .

A) drought
B) crop production in areas too dry to support grazing
C) overgrazing
D) poor irrigation practices

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Suburban living promotes .

A) riding bicycles
B) small farms
C) the increased use of automobiles
D) walking

Answer 2

C

Question 3

The Conservation Reserve Program pays farmers to .

A) grow soybeans and other crops that can be used for biofuels
B) grow cattle feed instead of commercial crops
C) grow native crops such as corn and beans
D) stop cultivating cropland along streams

Answer 3

D

Question 4

is the buildup of salts in soils as a result of improper irrigation.

A) Erosion
B) Salinization
C) Desertification
D) Leachate

Question 5

According to the figure, it requires roughly times more feed input to produce 1 kg of eggs than 1 kg of milk.

A) 3
B) 4
C) 40
D) 30

Question 6

Irrigation can result in the salinization of soils because .

A) shortages of fresh water require the use of salt water for irrigation
B) many of the plants grown in these regions excrete salts into the soil
C) salts are deposited on the soil surface as water evaporates
D) the irrigation water washes away soil leaving behind concentrated salts

Question 7

Overgrazing by cattle primarily contributes to desertification by .

A) cattle outcompeting natural herbivores
B) spreading nonnative species
C) promoting erosion and loss of rooted plant cover
D) contaminating streams with cattle wastes

Question 8

There is a great deal of cropland but very little pasture and rangeland in .

A) Africa
B) Australia
C) North America
D) Europe

Question 9

Haiti and the Dominican Republic share the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. When tropical storm Jeanne hit Haiti and the Dominican Republic in September 2004, over 20 inches of rainfall occurred in 24 hours-more than a third of the rain that typically falls during an entire year. Forestry practices in these two tropical countries have been quite different. While the Dominican Republic's forests remain largely intact, most of Haiti's forests had been removed by 1990 as the rapidly growing population became increasingly dependent on subsistence farming in mountainous regions of the island. Tropical storm Jeanne created a national disaster for Haiti with over 3000 lives lost, but the Dominican Republic experienced very
short-lived effects and only 18 deaths.
Which of the following is most likely to be true?

A) Compared to the Dominican Republic, Haiti's citizens have better access to imported foods.
B) Before the deforestation occurred, Haiti already had far fewer forested areas than the Dominican Republic.
C) Citizens of both Haiti and the Dominican Republic rely heavily on subsistence farming in mountainous areas.
D) Compared to Haiti, the Dominican Republic has stronger laws preventing its citizens from deforesting their country.

Question 10

Haiti and the Dominican Republic share the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. When tropical storm Jeanne hit Haiti and the Dominican Republic in September 2004, over 20 inches of rainfall occurred in 24 hours-more than a third of the rain that typically falls during an entire year. Forestry practices in these two tropical countries have been quite different. While the Dominican Republic's forests remain largely intact, most of Haiti's forests had been removed by 1990 as the rapidly growing population became increasingly dependent on subsistence farming in mountainous regions of the island. Tropical storm Jeanne created a national disaster for Haiti with over 3000 lives lost, but the Dominican Republic experienced very
short-lived effects and only 18 deaths.
The deforestation in Haiti is largely a result of _ .

A) the need to sell timber for export
B) a strong Haitian government that mandates the cutting of timber on federal lands to supply wood for urban development
C) earthquakes on the Haitian side of the island
D) the need for fuel wood and agricultural land

Question 11

Which of the following best exemplifies land use intensification?

A) Buying an acre of prairie near your suburban home, tilling the land, and planting a large vegetable garden
B) Tilling up an acre of your lawn and planting a large vegetable garden
C) Cutting down an acre of forest on your property, tilling the land, and planting a large vegetable garden
D) Clearing an acre of tropical rain forest to create pastureland for your cattle and oxen

Question 12

Haiti and the Dominican Republic share the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. When tropical storm Jeanne hit Haiti and the Dominican Republic in September 2004, over 20 inches of rainfall occurred in 24 hours-more than a third of the rain that typically falls during an entire year. Forestry practices in these two tropical countries have been quite different. While the Dominican Republic's forests remain largely intact, most of Haiti's forests had been removed by 1990 as the rapidly growing population became increasingly dependent on subsistence farming in mountainous regions of the island. Tropical storm Jeanne created a national disaster for Haiti with over 3000 lives lost, but the Dominican Republic experienced very
short-lived effects and only 18 deaths.
All of the following are major causes of global deforestation except .

A) the need for fuel wood
B) the need for urban development and the expansion of cities
C) the need for agricultural expansion
D) the need for wood products

Question 13

The world's urban populations are .

A) growing at about the same rate as the rural populations
B) shrinking in developing nations
C) growing at a faster rate than the global population as a whole
D) shrinking compared to rural populations

Question 14

In which of the following countries is deforestation occurring most rapidly?

A) India
B) Brazil
C) China
D) United States

Question 15

Haiti and the Dominican Republic share the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. When tropical storm Jeanne hit Haiti and the Dominican Republic in September 2004, over 20 inches of rainfall occurred in 24 hours-more than a third of the rain that typically falls during an entire year. Forestry practices in these two tropical countries have been quite different. While the Dominican Republic's forests remain largely intact, most of Haiti's forests had been removed by 1990 as the rapidly growing population became increasingly dependent on subsistence farming in mountainous regions of the island. Tropical storm Jeanne created a national disaster for Haiti with over 3000 lives lost, but the Dominican Republic experienced very
short-lived effects and only 18 deaths.
Which of the following is the largest city in the world?

A) Delhi
B) Shanghai
C) Tokyo
D) New York

Question 16

Haiti and the Dominican Republic share the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. When tropical storm Jeanne hit Haiti and the Dominican Republic in September 2004, over 20 inches of rainfall occurred in 24 hours-more than a third of the rain that typically falls during an entire year. Forestry practices in these two tropical countries have been quite different. While the Dominican Republic's forests remain largely intact, most of Haiti's forests had been removed by 1990 as the rapidly growing population became increasingly dependent on subsistence farming in mountainous regions of the island. Tropical storm Jeanne created a national disaster for Haiti with over 3000 lives lost, but the Dominican Republic experienced very
short-lived effects and only 18 deaths.
Why would the effects of the storm have been so much more pronounced and long-lasting in Haiti than in the Dominican Republic?

A) Haiti received much more rain than the Dominican Republic.
B) The lack of forests in Haiti created a warmer land surface, which fed more heat energy into the hurricane, worsening the storm on that side of the island.
C) The deforested areas in Haiti experienced increased volume and speed of rainfall runoff, causing mudslides and severe flooding.
D) Because of the absence of forests, Haiti experienced stronger winds than the Dominican Republic.

Question 17

Which of the following is a result of clearing forests for agricultural purposes?

A) Biodiversity is increased because croplands attract insect pests and birds.
B) Water runoff is decreased because croplands tend to absorb more water than forests.
C) Soil erosion is increased because deforestation and tilling remove the vegetative cover.
D) Crop productivity is greatly increased because of the rich soil.

Question 18

In a food chain involving agricultural land, where is the most total energy available?

A) At the bottom trophic level
B) At the top trophic level
C) At the second trophic level
D) All levels have the same total energy available.

Question 19

Any consideration of the true costs of sprawl must include .

A) loss of cropland and increased use of fossil fuels
B) the restoration of natural areas in inner cities
C) residual pesticides on the land that is being converted to subdivisions, potentially harming those who move there
D) the economic problems created by decreased water and energy consumption

Question 20

Desertification is .

A) the formation of dryland ecosystems in regions where temperatures have increased
B) often the result of overgrazing and drought
C) the natural movement of deserts advancing into new regions due to shifts in wind direction
D) a natural process of succession that cycles from deserts to prairies to forests to deserts

Question 21

Which of the following most accurately describes cropland trends in the United States and China?

A) Both countries are increasing in cropland acreage to support their growing populations and to maintain a growing export industry.
B) The amount of land in crop production is decreasing in both countries despite the fact that both countries are increasing in population.
C) China's population boom has resulted in a recent increase in cropland acreage, while cropland acreage in the United States has stabilized.
D) The amount of land in crop production has stabilized in both countries despite the fact that both countries are increasing in population.

Question 22

The main cause of desertification is .

A) global increases in temperature
B) destruction of the ozone layer
C) human activities
D) shifting weather patterns

Question 23

Which of the following most accurately describes population trends in the United States during the latter half of the 20th century?

A) Large cities annexed nearby towns so they could grow and provide places for their residents without those residents having to move to the suburbs or rural areas.
B) Having grown weary of high crime rates and urban squalor, a mass migration of city dwellers into rural areas occurred in the years following World War II and the Korean War.
C) A large migration into the inner cities occurred after World War II as the economy recovered from the Depression and people were more able to live in areas close to where they worked.
D) A large migration from inner cities to suburbs occurred in the latter half of the 20th century, as people were attracted to new lower-density housing.

Question 24

Discuss the major environmental impacts of raising livestock for food.

Question 25

In 1950, 29% of the world population lived in urban areas. Today, live in urban areas, with that number growing annually.

A) 45%
B) 35%
C) 51%
D) 81%

Question 26

Cows require a high quantity of feed because they .

A) are raised on feedlots
B) can feed more people than pigs
C) take time to grow and have a low energy conversion efficiency
D) are the best source of high-quality protein

Question 27

Urban sprawl would result in which one of the following?

A) Increased reliance on public transportation
B) Narrower highways
C) Increased commuting distances
D) Increased population densities

Question 28

To feed a growing population, it would be most energetically efficient for people to eat more .

A) herbivorous animals like cattle and chicken
B) carnivorous animals like fish and alligator
C) soylent green
D) plant-based foods

Question 29

Describe two potential environmental benefits and two potential environmental drawbacks of urbanization.

Question 30

Irrigation has allowed humans to grow crops in areas where natural water supplies have been limited. A major challenge that exists in these areas has been .

A) soil salinization
B) soil erosion
C) high pesticide use
D) low crop diversity

Question 31

The rising global demand for food has recently been met by .

A) an increase in per-acre crop yields
B) cultivating more land
C) decreasing the per-capita amount of food available
D) switching to a diet high in fish and seafood, which do not require cropland

Question 32

All of the following would generally increase erosion except .

A) growing cover crops
B) deforestation
C) overgrazing
D) plowing and tilling