Quiz 3 : Q & A

Question 1

Two approaches to forest management are maximum sustained yield and ecosystem management. Briefly (in a sentence or two), what is the fundamental difference between these two approaches?

Answer 1

Maximum sustained yield (MSY) forest management maximizes a single value, fiber production, for (theoretically) the long term. Ecosystem management of forests, by contrast, seeks to protect ecosystem (forest) components (e.g. species, habitat features) and function (e.g., water and nutrient cycles, habitat), while producing fiber.

Question 2

Two approaches to forest management are maximum sustained yield and ecosystem management. At present, which of the two approaches have most logging companies adopted? Why?

Answer 2

MSY. It has lower costs of production, allowing higher profits.

Question 3

Two approaches to forest management are maximum sustained yield and ecosystem management. What might cause a logging company decide to adopt ecosystem management without a government requirement to do so?

Answer 3

If the company can charge more for forest products produced by ecosystem management, if may be able to make a greater profit using this form of management. A green certification program is one mechanism that could make this possible, because it would send a reliable signal to consumers, perhaps inducing them to pay more for the product than they would pay for a similar one produced by conventional (MSY) management.

Question 4

It has often been said that “the solution to pollution is dilution.” That is, if we reduce the concentration of pollutants to very low levels, then they will not cause environmental or health problems. Why might we expect this to be true? What exactly is the scientific basis for that statement?

Answer 4

The idea behind this statement is that pollutants are less harmful at lower concentrations. The scientific basis for this idea is the well established dose-response curve, which indicates that mortality (generally in laboratory animals), due to acute toxicity of chemicals increases with higher doses (concentrations).

Question 5

It has often been said that “the solution to pollution is dilution.” That is, if we reduce the concentration of pollutants to very low levels, then they will not cause environmental or health problems. Why is this statement not necessarily true?

Answer 5

It is not necessarily true because:
Some (but not all) pollutants are endocrine disrupters. These operate at extremely low concentrations and may not have the same dose-response relationship shown in acute toxicity studies. That is, lower concentrations may cause more problems than higher doses.

An alternative answer could discuss the finiteness of the environment and the limits to pollution dilution.

Question 6

Provide an example of point source pollution.

Answer 6

You can point directly to it such as factory pollution. Many answers possible, for example: industrial air pollution from a smokestack (a localized concentrated source).

Question 7

Provide an example of non-point source pollution.

Answer 7

You cannot point directly to it such as car exhaust. Many answers possible, for example: oil pollution from roadway surfaces (a diffuse source).

Question 8

What is the significance of this distinction (point source vs. non-point source) for environmental protection?

Answer 8

Non-point source pollution is generally more difficult to control and to regulate.

Question 9

What is one specific substance commonly found in E-waste that threatens the environment and human health?

Answer 9

Any one of the following: lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium, PCB, PBDE (flame retardants).

Question 10

The California tiger salamander is typical of most endangered species in that the greatest current threat to its continued existence is:
A- Competition for food
B- Natural predators
C- Disease
D- Pollution
E- Hunting by humans
F- Habitat loss
G- Endemic species
H- Excess rainfall

Answer 10

F. habitat loss

Question 11

What is regulated by the Montreal Protocol?

Answer 11

CFC production

Question 12

What is regulated by the Basel Convention?

Answer 12

international movement of hazardous waste, e.g., e-waste

Question 13

Which of the Basel Convention or the Montreal Protocol, if any, is widely considered to be successful in the sense that it has solved, or is on track to solve, the problem it was created to solve?

Answer 13

Montreal Protocol

Question 14

What does the Montreal Protocol’s success say about US participation in international agreements?

Answer 14

U.S. participation in international agreements affects their likelihood of success because:
the U.S. is the largest creator of many pollutants, including CFC’s and toxic waste. If the
largest polluter is not included in the agreement, a substantial fraction of the pollutants are
not under regulation. Furthermore, the U.S. is such a large economic force that it has economic leverage to bring about participation by other nations. In addition, the U.S. sets an example for other nations to follow. If the U.S. doesn’t actively participate, other nations are less likely to participate.

Question 15

Name 3 of the 6 criteria pollutants regulated under the Clean Air Act

Answer 15

Any 3 of the following: (words OR chemical symbols sufficient)
carbon monoxide (CO),
sulfur dioxide (SO2),
nitrogen dioxide (NO2),
(tropospheric) ozone (indicated by VOC’s)
(did not need to say “tropospheric;” ozone or VOC’s ok)
particulates,
lead (Pb)

Question 16

With respect to the criteria pollutants, the Clean Air Act may be regarded as….
A. A complete success; all of the criteria pollutants have been reduced to negligible levels.
B. a success; all the criteria pollutants have been reduced, although further reductions are needed
C. A mixed success; about half of the criteria pollutants have increased and the rest have decreased
D. A failure; all the criteria pollutants have increased
E. A disaster; the Act itself has been responsible for a large jump

Answer 16

B. success; all the criteria pollutants have been reduced, although further reductions are needed

Question 17

With respect to the criteria pollutants, why may the Clean Air Act be regarded as a success?

Answer 17

All of the criteria pollutants have been substantially reduced—by an average of 57% for all six. Lead has been reduced by 99%. Nonetheless, some of the pollutants (e.g. NO2, VOC’s, and SO2) are still at levels that may be harmful and need to be reduced more. For example, SO2 is still causing acid rain, albeit less than in the past. Even lead, which is now emitted at very low levels, is of some concern because it can biomagnify.

Question 18

A friend is apathetic about species extinctions. They say “I don’t care about bugs… I don’t even like bugs. So what if they go extinct? Same goes for other species. They don’t do anything for me so I don’t care.” What do you say?

Answer 18

A complete answer would recognize the utilitarian outlook of the apathetic friend and appeal to these values. For example, the ecosystem services such as pollination and nutrient cycling that could be provided by insects, the potential for direct uses (e.g., food, shelter), as-yet-undiscovered uses (e.g., medicines), and less tangible benefits (e.g., wildlife viewing or hunting) which could be negatively affected by the indirect effects on the ecosystem of loss of species.

Question 19

A friend is apathetic about species extinctions. They say, “Besides, extinction is a natural process; lots of species went extinct before humans were even around. What’s the big deal now?” What do you say?

Answer 19

A complete answer would acknowledge the truth of the friend’s assertion that extinction is a natural process, but 1) the rate is much faster than previously (background), 2) we are here to suffer the effects of these extinctions, and 3) we are causing these extinctions, and therefore may have an ethical duty to prevent them.