Deck 29: Mineral Resources and Mining

Question 1

Infographic 29.1

What is the pH trend in the seawater from the chart shown in Infographic 29.1?

A) The pH trend is not significant.
B) The pH is becoming more acidic.
C) The pH is becoming more basic.
D) There is no trend in the pH.
E) More information is needed to answer the question.

Answer 1

The pH is becoming more acidic.

Question 2

Which statement about coral reefs is FALSE?

A) Overfishing is a major cause of coral reef destruction.
B) Coral reefs serve as a source of current and potential medicines.
C) Coral reefs help protect shorelines from storms.
D) Coastal development does not affect coral reefs because they develop far away from the shore.
E) Most coral reefs are found between 30 degrees north latitude and 30 degrees south latitude.

Answer 2

Coastal development does not affect coral reefs because they develop far away from the shore.

Question 3

Infographic 29.3.

Refer to Infographic 29.3. Which ocean zone has the highest rate of photosynthesis?

A) abyssal
B) hadal
C) bathypelagic
D) epipelagic
E) meso

Answer 3

epipelagic

Question 4

If amounts of sunlight and depth are equal, an ocean ecosystem that is further from the mainland will have a higher level of biodiversity than an ecosystem closer to the mainland.

Question 5

When a solution becomes acidic it contains a greater amount of which of the following?

A) H₂O
B) OH-
C) CH₄
D) H⁺
E) O₂

Question 6

By some estimates, 30% of all the CO₂ released by humans in the last two centuries has been absorbed by the world's oceans. As ocean temperature increases, carbon dioxide becomes less soluble (dissolvable) in water. As a result, more CO₂ will stay in the atmosphere where it acts as a greenhouse gas to trap heat and warm the oceans. This is an example of a _______________.

A) negative feedback cycle
B) neutral feedback cycle
C) interspecific interaction
D) bioremediation
E) positive feedback cycle

Question 7

A small change of 0.1 in pH for an ocean ecosystem will not have a large effect on the level of biodiversity found in that ecosystem.

Question 8

"Less plankton leads to less carbon dioxide taken up by organisms, meaning that more carbon is left behind to further acidify ocean water." This statement is an example of what phenomenon?

A) negative feedback cycle
B) positive feedback cycle
C) planktonic shift
D) dissolution
E) neutral feedback cycle

Question 9

What is ocean acidification? How are humans contributing to ocean acidification?

Question 10

The majority of coral reefs on Earth are found between ______ and _______ of the equator.

A) 10 N; 10 S
B) 30 N; 30 S
C) 50 N; 50 S
D) 10 W; 10 E
E) 30 W; 30 S

Question 11

Infographic 29.1.

Refer to the graph depicting ocean acidification over time in Infographic 29.1. As the atmospheric concentration of CO₂ increases, the amount of CO₂ absorbed by the oceans (pCO₂) also increases. This type of relationship is _________.

A) directly proportional
B) inversely proportional
C) negative feedback
D) positive feedback
E) None of these answers are correct.

Question 12

What effect do acidic ocean waters have on shells made of calcium carbonate?

A) They cause increased dissolution (dissolving) of calcium carbonate shells.
B) They cause decreased dissolution (dissolving) of calcium carbonate shells.
C) There is no effect on shells made of calcium carbonate.
D) They cause shells to grow at faster rates.
E) They cause shells to overly calcify.

Question 13

What is the major cause of ocean acidification?

A) the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels caused by human activity
B) pollution
C) overfishing
D) naturally occurring pH changes in the ocean
E) invasive species

Question 14

nfographic 29.1.

Refer to Infographic 29.1. Carbon dioxide emissions have reduced the ocean's pH by about 0.1. Why is this acidification of the ocean a problem?

Question 15

nfographic 29.1.

Which factor in the ocean is key in determining environmental conditions?

A) space
B) depth
C) predators
D) pressure
E) biota

Question 16

The deepest zone in the ocean is the ____________.

A) abyssal
B) hadal
C) bathypelagic
D) epipelagic
E) meso

Question 17

The lowering of the pH of the oceans is known as ___________.

A) salting
B) reduction
C) alkalinity
D) acidification
E) chloride shifting

Question 18

Changes caused by an initial event trigger events that then reverse the response. For example, changes brought on by warming lead to cooling. This is an example of a(n) ___________.

A) negative feedback cycle
B) positive feedback cycle
C) amplification
D) dissolution
E) balanced feedback cycle

Question 19

Nutrient-rich areas where shallow rivers meet the ocean are known as ______.

A) intertidal zones
B) estuaries
C) coral reefs
D) abyssal zones
E) open ocean

Question 20

You would expect to find barnacles, starfish, and mussels in which of the ocean zones listed below?

A) abyssal
B) hadal
C) bathypelagic
D) intertidal
E) all of these answers

Question 21

Lower pH affects which coral developmental stage/process?

A) fertilization
B) larval development
C) settlement
D) A, B, and C
E) none of these answers

Question 22

Which of the following is TRUE of the environments that coral reefs are found in?

A) Colder water is trapped on top of warmer water, creating stratification.
B) There is intensive mixing of deep water and surface water.
C) The waters are saturated with nitrogen and iron.
D) They are nutrient poor.
E) They are typically deep waters.

Question 23

Coral are free-floating animals that spend their lives filtering nutrients from the water around them.

Question 24

Coral reefs are complex ecosystems with numerous interspecific interactions. Which of the following interactions is an example of commensalism?

A) clown fish and sea anemone
B) remora fish and manta ray
C) corals and zooxanthellae
D) sharks and tuna
E) octopus and crab

Question 25

Why do ecologists consider coral reefs a keystone species?

Question 26

Marc Slattery conducted several experiments using both natural and simulated coral reefs. When reef species (sponges) were subjected to higher temperatures and lower pH, most likely the conditions that will exist in the future ocean environment, they found that the reef species had slower growth rates and reduced reproduction. What was the cause of these results?

A) The higher temperature directly affected the growth rate of the sponge.
B) The higher temperature and lower pH reduced the sponges' symbiotic partner's ability to conduct photosynthesis.
C) The lower pH prevented the sponge prodigy from attaching to a solid surface.
D) The higher temperature and lower pH interfered with the sponges' reproductive cycle.
E) The higher temperature and lower pH increased the sponge's symbiotic partner's ability to photosynthesize, and it was therefore able to survive on its own.

Question 27

Coral bleaching is:

A) when the sun bleaches the pigment of the coral and turns it white.
B) when a chemical spill causes the coral to die and the skeleton, which is white, to show through.
C) when coral expel the zooxanthellae from their cells in response to stress.
D) when coral turns white due to lowering water temperatures.
E) when another organism colonizes the coral and turns it white.

Question 28

What benefit do corals get from their mutualistic relationship with zooxanthellae?

A) give coral their color
B) provide coral with food via sugars they make during photosynthesis
C) provide coral with a place to attach to the ocean floor
D) A, B, and C
E) only A and B

Question 29

Why do corals need a mutualistic relationship with other species, like zooxanthellae?

A) Corals typically live in nutrient-poor regions.
B) Corals grow on top of one another
C) Corals live in cold water.
D) Corals live so deep that the sunlight cannot reach them.
E) Corals live in oxygen-poor water.

Question 30

Zooxanthellae live inside coral cells.

Question 31

Where would you find the highest concentration of coral reefs?

A) freshwater lakes
B) freshwater streams
C) temperate marine areas
D) tropical marine areas
E) terrestrial areas

Question 32

Why is proximity to land an important factor in determining the abundance of an ocean region? Provide an example to support your reasoning.

Question 33

The skeleton of coral is mostly composed of ________.

A) nitrogen
B) aluminum
C) calcium carbonate
D) silicon
E) iron

Question 34

Why is depth such an important factor in determining the abundance of life in a given region of the ocean? Provide an example to support your reasoning.

Question 35

Describe the complex relationship that coral have with zooxanthellae ("zooks").

Question 36

It is estimated that ______ of all ocean species spend some portion of their life in a coral reef.

A) 10%
B) 25%
C) 50%
D) 75%
E) 90%

Question 37

Coral is a type of marine:

A) plant.
B) fungi.
C) bacterium.
D) animal.
E) protozoan.

Question 38

What event can lead to coral bleaching?

A) pollution
B) acidification
C) high temperatures
D) salinity changes
E) all of these answers

Question 39

Based on Marc Slattery's findings, in future ocean ecosystems, ones where the temperature is higher and the pH is lower, all current reef species will not survive.

Question 40

What benefit do zooxanthellae get from their mutualistic relationship with corals?

A) oxygen
B) sugars from photosynthesis
C) color
D) carbon dioxide
E) lower pH

Question 41

Infographic 29.6.

Refer to Infographic 29.6. What does the white area on this coral indicate? Discuss the possible causes and the ecological impact of this phenomenon.

Question 42

Infographic 29.4.

Refer to the graph in Infographic 29.4. The graph shows the level of each of the four major threats that coral reefs currently face. Which are the correct labels for the graph?

A) a = overfishing; b = marine-based pollution; c = coastal development; d = inland pollution
B) a = inland pollution; b = marine-based pollution; c = overfishing; d = coastal development
C) a = coastal development; b = inland pollution; c = marine-based pollution; d = overfishing
D) a = overfishing; b = coastal development; c = inland population; d = marine-based pollution
E) a = marine-based pollution; b = coastal development; c = inland pollution; d = overfishing

Question 43

More than ______ of the oceans today contain at least one invasive species.

A) 20%
B) 40%
C) 50%
D) 60%
E) 80%

Question 44

Coral reefs are limited to shallow water, and there is a concern that rising sea levels will affect the reefs. This is because ______________.

A) they require the lower salinity found in shallow waters
B) there are more nutrients found in shallow water
C) their symbiotic zooxanthellae require light to survive
D) they require coastal upwellings of CO₂ in order to survive
E) it is too difficult for them to build reefs in deeper water

Question 45

What are the causes of algal blooms, and how do algal blooms affect coral reefs?

Question 46

The greatest threat to coral reefs worldwide is ___________.

A) marine-based pollution
B) inland pollution
C) coastal development
D) overfishing
E) none of these answers

Question 47

Fishing pressures (overexploitation) have eliminated ______ of top trophic-level predators in the oceans.

A) 15%
B) 30%
C) 55%
D) 75%
E) 90%

Question 48

In some areas of Florida, divers who remove non-native lionfish from coral reefs are eligible for a $10,000 prize. This is because ___________.

A) lionfish produce a chemical in great demand in the pharmaceutical industry
B) lionfish exclusively eat grouper, a fish considered a delicacy in fine dining
C) lionfish aggressively kill native fish outright or outcompete them when foraging
D) lionfish populations are dwindling in some parts of their range and this is a way to repopulate them in those regions
E) lionfish are in high demand by aquarium enthusiasts

Question 49

When lionfish invade a coral reef, the survival rate of native fish can decline by as much as ______.

A) 10%
B) 20%
C) 40%
D) 60%
E) 80%

Question 50

Where does the majority of ocean pollution come from?

A) offshore mining and oil drilling activities
B) human activities on land that runoff into ocean ecosystems
C) accidental oil spills from oil tankers transporting crude oil
D) deliberate dumping of litter in the ocean by cruise ships
E) atmospheric contaminants that enter the ocean via precipitation

Question 51

All of the following actions would threaten the ocean's ability to provide ecosystem goods and services EXCEPT ___________.

A) dumping motor oil down storm drains
B) fishing using bottom trawlers
C) spilling gasoline while fueling your lawn mower
D) soil erosion from construction sites
E) installing solar panels

Question 52

All of the following are major threats to reefs EXCEPT _________.

A) overfishing
B) coastal development
C) inland pollution
D) marine-based pollution
E) aquarium collection

Question 53

What are invasive species? Discuss the possible causes and the ecological impact of this threat to ocean ecosystems using the lionfish as an example.

Question 54

Which of the following is NOT a source of human impact on marine ecosystems?

A) fishing practices such as bottom trawling
B) resort development in coastal areas
C) agricultural use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides
D) offshore oil drilling
E) All of the above are examples of human impact on marine ecosystems.

Question 55

You have been given the task of monitoring the health of a coral reef. Over the years, you have documented a decrease in the biodiversity of life in the reef. What could be some of the reasons why the reef is suffering?

Question 56

Match the human activity to its correct consequence for marine ecosystems.

A) drilling for oil - coral bleaching
B) using fertilizer - ocean acidification
C) fishing with dynamite - algal blooms
D) releasing ballast water from ships - introduction of invasive species
E) None of these answers are correct.

Question 57

NOAA estimates that ______ of coral reefs worldwide are threatened by either human activity or environmental changes.

A) 10%
B) 25%
C) 50%
D) 75%
E) 90%

Question 58

The ocean is so vast it is hard to imagine that human activities could harm it. However, the evidence of human impact is unmistakable. Discuss the nature of marine ecosystem destruction from pollution and overfishing.

Question 59

Which of the following changes will have the MOST global effect on coral reefs despite their particular geographic location in the oceans?

A) increased water temperatures from anthropogenic CO₂ emissions
B) increased salinity from desalination of ocean water for human use
C) increased oxygen concentrations from algal blooms due to nutrient pollution
D) increased predation of native coral reef fish by non-native lionfish
E) increased sediment pollution from clear-cut inland forests that smother reefs

Question 60

Correctly match the strategy with how it reduces the threat to marine ecosystems.

A) reducing beachfront development - reduces overfishing
B) designating marine-protected areas - enables recovery from coral-bleaching events
C) transitioning to non-fossil fuel energy sources - reduces algal blooms
D) prohibiting bottom trawling - prevents introduction of invasive species
E) banning release of ballast water from ships - reduces ocean acidification

Question 61

Which of the following is NOT a major threat to ocean ecosystems?

A) overfishing
B) plate tectonics
C) pollution
D) rising sea levels
E) invasive species

Question 62

The majority of coral reefs that have been destroyed are found near less-developed countries. What are some of the reasons why these coral reefs have been more damaged compared with reefs found near countries that are more developed?

Question 63

What are MPAs?

A) fishing areas for commercial fishermen
B) places where fishing and other human activities are restricted or completely prohibited
C) delicate intertidal communities
D) areas that are overrun with invasive species
E) places near shorelines that have been extremely polluted by sediment

Question 64

Table 29.1.

Refer to Table 29.1. Describe ways that you can reduce the threats to ocean ecosystems through your personal actions.

Question 65

Which strategy is INCORRECTLY matched with its effect on ocean ecosystems?

A) prohibiting bottom-trawling in vulnerable areas - reduces exposure to land-based pollution
B) reducing the use of fossil fuel - reduces the amount of anthropogenic carbon dioxide released and slow ocean acidification
C) reducing pollution - reduces infections and keeps coral healthy
D) designating MPAs - protects ocean communities to help them recover from environmental damages
E) prohibiting bottom-trawling in vulnerable areas - protects reefs from destructive practices

Question 66

Which of the following statements is(are) TRUE regarding reducing threats to marine ecosystems?

A) Evidence shows that MPAs do not improve marine ecosystems, as it is impossible to keep community connections intact and because ocean ecosystems are generally not resilient.
B) A transition to energy sources not based on fossil fuels will reduce the amount of anthropogenic CO₂ released and slow ocean acidification and warming.
C) Given that sea levels are likely rising, it is less critical to reduce nutrient (fertilizer or sewage) or toxic pollution, as the larger volume of water will dilute the pollutants.
D) Overfishing is not the problem, but rather the problem lies in the fishing techniques. So, we can continue to fish at current levels and still improve ocean ecosystems if we just change how we fish.
E) All of these statements are true regarding reducing threats to marine ecosystems.

Question 67

How can we reduce threats to ocean ecosystems? Discuss three strategies to improve oceans and coasts, and explain the potential positive effects.