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AcaDec 2024_25 Climate > Science Section 3 - Part 2 > Flashcards

Science Section 3 - Part 2 Flashcards

1
Q

In what year did the human population reach 2 billion?

A

1927

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2
Q

By how many more people did the population increase in 1963 compared to 2023?

A

6 million

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3
Q

All of the following factors directly determine the growth rate of a country

A

deaths, emigration, immigration, and births
DOES NOT directly determine growth rate - development

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4
Q

The most basic measure of birth rate determines the

A

number of births per 1,000 individuals per year

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5
Q

Approximately what percentage of people worldwide live in lower-income countries?

A

80 percent

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6
Q

What BEST describes population growth in less developed and more developed nations?

A

In less developed countries, population growth occurs quickly, while more developed countries have minimal population growth.

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7
Q

The processes to develop, use, and dispose of resources lead to

A

environmental degradation

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8
Q

In which decade did fossil fuel use reach the equivalent of 3,000 million tons of oil?

A

1960s

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9
Q

In the human population system, the number of deaths subtracted from the number of births represents the system’s

A

flux

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10
Q

The United States has a fertility rate of approximately

A

1.8

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11
Q

What term describes the fertility rate needed to maintain the current population?

A

replacement fertility rate

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12
Q

Why do life expectancies differ for men and women?

A

Men experience greater workplace risks and choose different lifestyles than women.

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13
Q

Why does the crude death rate make a poor indicator of a country’s healthcare?

A

Countries with an older population will have a higher crude death rate despite proper healthcare.

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14
Q

Which of the following countries does NOT have a lower infant mortality rate than the United States?
a. France
b. China
c. Canada
d. Japan
e. Ireland

A

China

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15
Q

The infant mortality rate for Black Americans exceeds the overall United States infant mortality rate by a factor of approximately

A

2

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16
Q

The %<15/%>65 value describes a country’s

A

age structure

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17
Q

Nigeria has a %<15/%>65 value of

A

41/3.3

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18
Q

The two halves of an age-structure diagram represent the age distributions

A

by gender

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19
Q

Which of the following countries has a distinctly shaped age-structure diagram from the others?
a. Germany
b. Ghana
c. Haiti
d. Nigeria
e. Uganda

A

Germany

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20
Q

What fertility rate would create a column-like pattern in the age-structure diagram of a country?

A

2.1 maintains a stable population size
Info: Stable populations have a column-like age-structure diagram because the number of individuals of all ages is relatively consistent

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21
Q

Approximately how many individuals aged 30 to 34 did the world have in 2024?

A

600 million

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22
Q

What countries have an aging population?

A

Italy, Germany, and Japan

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23
Q

Of Earth’s layers, the thickest layer is the

A

mantle

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24
Q

What percentage of the Earth consists of iron?

A

35%

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25
Q

What layer of the Earth has a thickness of less than fifty kilometers?

A

crust

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26
Q

Of the following gases, the atmosphere contains the greatest amount of
a. methane
b. hydrogen
c. ozone
d. argon
e. carbon dioxide

A

argon

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27
Q

How do plants obtain nutrients?

A

Plants obtain the aqueous form of elements from soil water.

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28
Q

What term describes the breakdown of rock to free elements?

A

weathering

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29
Q

The dust storms of the 1920s and 1930s in the western United States transported

A

Calcium and magnesium

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30
Q

Ecologists classify soil organisms as

A

organic matter recyclers

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31
Q

What classification describes the uppermost layer of soil in forests?

A

O horizon, an additional layer of organic matter which is on top of their A horizon

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32
Q

In what soil type would scientists find an E horizon?

A

acidic

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33
Q

The C horizon bears many similarities to the

A

parent material

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34
Q

What component has a large effect on soil properties despite making up a small portion of most soils?

A

organic matter

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35
Q

What variables do scientists classify as state variables?

A

topography, parent material, time, climate

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36
Q

What state borders Lake Champlain?

A

Vermont and New York

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37
Q

Leaching tends to affect

A

warm moist soils

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38
Q

Compared to leeward soils, windward soils

A

receive more precipitation

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39
Q

What organisms contribute LEAST to a soil’s biological activity?

A

macrofauna

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40
Q

What organisms contribute significantly to a soil’s biological activity?

A

fungi, bacteria, archaea, and protozoa

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41
Q

Earthworms do NOT

A

reduce habitat acidity

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42
Q

What particle has a diameter between 0.002 mm and 0.05 mm?

A

silt

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43
Q

Which of the following locations contains soils with large A and B horizons?
a. United States grasslands
b. Sahara desert
c. Canadian Arctic
d. Hawaiian islands
e. Icelandic glacial deposits

A

United States grasslands

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44
Q

By what percentage has food production decreased worldwide due to soil degradation?

A

17 percent reduction

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45
Q

Soils recover from degradation more quickly in places with

A

moderate temperatures and precipitation levels

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46
Q

Why were aqueducts first built?

A

to avoid pollution

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47
Q

When was the first Roman aqueduct built?

A

312 BCE

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48
Q

Why do historians think the Roman Empire’s aristocracy declined?

A

Lead content in water led to adverse neurological effects.

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49
Q

What structures were built to filter trash out of aqueduct water?

A

settling basins

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50
Q

What aqueduct did Frontinus say could be used to water gardens?

A

Old Anio

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51
Q

What percentage of water on Earth do lakes, rivers, and reservoirs contain?

A

.009%

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52
Q

How does most water enter the groundwater system?

A

river and stream runoff

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53
Q

About how much freshwater is in the atmosphere?

A

.001%

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54
Q

What geographical formation impedes the flow of groundwater?

A

aquiclude, an underground layer of impermeable clay in an aquifer

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55
Q

What process involves evaporating water to remove salt?

A

distillation, which is a form of desalination

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56
Q

How many gallons of water did the average American use per day in 2023?

A

1,300 gallons

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57
Q

Why is drip irrigation not feasible for most farmers?

A

large capital investments

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58
Q

What aquifer runs from Texas and New Mexico up to South Dakota?

A

Ogallala Aquifer

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59
Q

In which Indian state did a flood destroy more than 800,000 homes in 2000?

A

West Bengal

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60
Q

How can floods, hurricanes, and torrential rains MOST directly improve the environment?

A

They help improve soil quality.

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61
Q

Which of the following sites would NOT be considered a point source of pollution?
a. a sewage treatment plant
b. a mine in the Rocky Mountains
c. a contaminated pipe
d. a plantation in the Amazon
e. a power plant

A

a plantation in the Amazon

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62
Q

Locating point sources of pollution PRIMARILY allows for

A

targeted cleanup efforts

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63
Q

The two major worldwide water-borne diseases are

A

cholera and hepatitis

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64
Q

What bacterium has caused domestic gastrointestinal disease outbreaks in the United States?

A

Cryptosporidium

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65
Q

The Giarda intestinal parasite entered natural waters through

A

hikers

66
Q

What component of oxygen-demanding waste depletes oxygen?

A

bacteria

67
Q

Biochemical oxygen demand is defined as the amount of oxygen

A

used up by a defined quantity of water over a specified period of time

68
Q

What is the leading cause of water pollution in the United States?

A

pathogens

69
Q

Dissolved oxygen in bodies of water is measured in

A

parts per million

70
Q

Eutrophication can be caused by overabundance of

A

nitrogen and phosphorus

71
Q

Eutrophication of water will NOT lead to
a. increases in dissolved oxygen
b. increases in biochemical oxygen demand
c. overabundance of nutrients
d. death of native species
e. excessive growth of algae

A

increases in dissolved oxygen

72
Q

What locations are the largest contributors to mercury emissions in the United States?

A

fossil fuel power plants

73
Q

Exposure to methylmercury can result in damage to the human

A

central nervous system

74
Q

Which products were historically manufactured using polychlorinated biphenyls?
a. automobiles and metal tools
b. pesticides and hairsprays
c. cement and paper products
d. perfumes and fertilizers
e. plastics and electrical transformers

A

plastics and electrical transformers

75
Q

What company was ordered in 2002 to remove polychlorinated biphenyl-contaminated sediment in the Hudson River?

A

General Electric

76
Q

What type of fish does sediment MOST negatively affect?

A

bottom dwellers
Info: Sediment negatively affects fish by clogging their gills and impeding their access to oxygen. Bottom dwellers like oysters and clams experience these effects the most.

77
Q

All of the following changes are likely to increase the temperature of water EXCEPT
a. restricting the width of the waterway
b. using water for cooling in industrial settings
c. exposing water to more sunlight
d. slowing the speed of water
e. limiting the flow of chemicals into water

A

limiting the flow of chemicals into water

78
Q

All of the following effects are examples of thermal pollution

A

water organisms increasing their respiration rate
less oxygen being dissolved in the water
the reproduction of water organisms becoming affected
water organisms becoming more susceptible to disease

79
Q

What organisms make up the base of the aquatic food chain?

A

algae, microorganisms

80
Q

Which source of oil entering the ocean is MOST notable?
a. spills from fishing crafts and cruise ships
b. runoff carrying chemicals from agricultural areas
c. products from undersea mining expeditions
d. spills from off-shore drilling and oil tankers
e. pollution from planned construction projects

A

spills from off-shore drilling and oil tankers

81
Q

What oil spill was the MOST notorious in the twenty-first century?

A

Deepwater Horizon oil spill

82
Q

What term describes all plastic particles smaller than 5mm?

A

microplastics, which are a health risk to animals and humans

83
Q

Wastewater refers to

A

water destined for sewage treatment plants

84
Q

Whattype of water can be reintroduced to the environment without undergoing treatment?

A

gray water, which is water used in sinks or showers

85
Q

What stage of wastewater treatment removes 40 to 50 percent of solid waste material?

A

primary treatment

86
Q

Sludge from industrial business areas contains

A

above average amounts of metals

87
Q

What function does an aeration tank perform in the wastewater treatment process?

A

moving effluent into a secondary clarifier

88
Q

What two regulations did the Clean Water Act establish?

A

Water Quality Standards; Total Maximum Daily Load

89
Q

What source of pollutants is considered a point source?

A

wastewater treatment center

90
Q

Maximum contaminant levels are BEST described as

A

enforceable levels to limit contaminants

91
Q

The introduction of agriculture MOST directly led to

A

exponential population growth

92
Q

What location was NOT among the first to develop agriculture?

A

Western Europe

93
Q

What biome contains the MOST nutrient-rich soil?

A

Southeast Asian floodplain

94
Q

What farming method has historically been MOST widely used in Central and South America?

A

slash-and-burn agriculture

95
Q

In intercropping, corn is MOST effectively paired with

A

peas

96
Q

In what country did Norman Borlaug do his work on “miracle wheat”?

A

Mexico

97
Q

What was NOT a defining characteristic of the Green Revolution?
a. increased use of machinery
b. development of better crop varieties
c. use of synthetic fertilizers
d. intensification of monoculture
e. harnessing naturally found nitrogen

A

harnessing naturally found nitrogen

98
Q

How many different crop species provide ninety-five percent of the calories for human diets?

A

thirty

99
Q

80% of the calories consumed by humans comes from what plants?

A

Wheat, rice, maize, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and manioc

100
Q

What two varieties of wheat did Norman Borlaug cross to form the strain of “miracle wheat”?

A

Japanese and Mexican

101
Q

How many kilocalories does an average diet require daily?

A

2,200 kilocalories

102
Q

What prediction did the United Nations make about the future of food production?

A

Production will need to increase to feed a growing population.

103
Q

What two crops in the United States are mainly fed to livestock?

A

corn and soybeans

104
Q

How much of the modern global population is considered obese or overnourished?

A

one-eighth

105
Q

How many pounds of grain must be fed to livestock to obtain the equivalent of one pound of beef?

A

7 pounds

106
Q

What is a major cause of modern-day global starvation?

A

inaccessible food prices

107
Q

All of the following beneficial effects are attributable to tilling

A

increased root penetration, soil aeration, faster seed germination, burying weeds

108
Q

What agricultural activity contributes MOST to erosion?

A

tilling

109
Q

Approximately what percent of global soil has been lost to erosion?

A

16 percent

110
Q

Land that is left absent of crops during the growing season is called

A

fallow land

111
Q

All of the following irrigation types are widely deployed

A

flood irrigation, drip irrigation, spray irrigation, and furrow irrigation

112
Q

In what state is the Imperial Valley located?

A

California

113
Q

What negative effects is MOST associated with irrigation in dry regions?

A

aquifer depletion

114
Q

What crop makes up the bulk of Kenyan agriculture?

A

tea

115
Q

What economic concept is MOST related to monoculture?

A

economies of scale
Info: The practice of monoculture is a result of economies of scale. By growing a large amount of one crop, the price per unit decreases.

116
Q

What consequences is associated with monoculture?

A

increased pest risk

117
Q

What element is captured from natural gas combustion for use in fertilizer?

A

nitrogen

118
Q

Why do chemical fertilizers result in more nutrient runoff than compost?

A

Chemical fertilizers release nutrients faster.

119
Q

What chemical compound is MOST common in pesticides?

A

petroleum

120
Q

What herbicides is sold commercially as Roundup?

A

glyphosate

121
Q

Approximately how many pesticide poisonings are treated each year in the United States?

A

20,000
Info: Roughly 20,000 cases of pesticide poisoning are treated each year in the U.S., comprising 0.5% of all agricultural workers. While this number may seem small, it means that if an agricultural worker works for 10 years, they have as high as a 5% chance of being poisoned

122
Q

What evidence did the May 2003 article from the journal Nature use to prove that many fish species are facing extinction due to overfishing?

A

an analysis of the amount of large predatory ocean fish that major fisheries caught over time

123
Q

What fish species is a large predatory ocean fish?

A

tuna and swordfish

124
Q

One direct cause of overfishing is

A

fishing quotas that are set too high

125
Q

Fifty years ago, dory fishing could be described in all of the following ways

A

hands-on, sustainable, dangerous, and low-yield

126
Q

What fishing method targets schools of single-species fish and involves a vertical net that surrounds a school of fish?

A

Purse seine
Info: A vertical net is cast into the water, surrounding a school. The bottom of the net is then drawn together, like a drawstring purse.

127
Q

What fishing method is deployed on the seabed and is used to catch crustaceans?

A

Pots and traps

128
Q

What term describes species of fish whose decline would cause a cascade effect, resulting in the decline of other species?

A

keystone species

129
Q

How long did the Alaska salmon fishing season last in 1970?

A

5 days

130
Q

What fish species’ ecological concerns led to the implementation of individual transferable quotas (ITQs) in Alaska?

A

salmon

131
Q

Where is the ITQ system being used successfully to prevent overfishing from large fishing companies?

A

New Zealand

132
Q

What organization managed the two-hundred-mile exclusive fishery zone around the United States established in 1976?

A

National Marine Fisheries Service

133
Q

Why did the United States’ Northwest Atlantic fisheries experience a huge depletion of fish stock in the early 1990s?

A

overfishing by international factory ships

134
Q

When was the United States Sustainable Fisheries Act passed?

A

1996

135
Q

From which fishing area did Michael Fogarty and Steven Murawski analyze decades of data?

A

Georges Bank

136
Q

What activity is never allowed in a marine protected area?

A

drilling for oil

137
Q

What term describes the management of forest ecosystems for human benefit?

A

silviculture

138
Q

The cycles of replanting and harvesting trees are known in renewability as

A

rotations

139
Q

The age, species composition, and physical environment in the stand of a forest can be described as

A

uniform

140
Q

Clearcutting is the ideal harvesting method for trees that are

A

fast growing and require lots of sunlight

141
Q

What method of harvesting trees is MOST complicated?

A

shelterwood cutting
Info: cutting specific sections while allowing for regrowth in the understory.

142
Q

Intensive forestry and intensive agriculture both primarily aim to

A

maximize short-term profits

143
Q

A single stand of trees can represent most of the genetic diversity for

A

commercial tree species

144
Q

What tree species is the major commercial species of the southern United States?

A

loblolly pine, spanning 1.5 million acres in 1992

145
Q

Foresters include “natural” tree species in selective breeding programs to

A

maintain genetic variation

146
Q

What person was a key creator of ecologically sustainable forestry?

A

Aldo Leopold

147
Q

The industry for fine tropical woods is valued per year at

A

8 billion dollars

148
Q

What two techniques does sustainable commercial forestry involve?

A

selective logging in natural forests; monocultures in plantations

149
Q

About how many acres of tropical forests were destroyed between 1985 and 1990?

A

200 million acres

150
Q

What scientist studied butterfly population changes in response to deforestation in Borneo?

A

John Willott

151
Q

What aspect of butterfly populations in Borneo was logging found to affect MOST?

A

community-level biodiversity

152
Q

The amount of Earth’s population that lives in developing countries is approximately

A

four-fifths

153
Q

All of the following population parameters measure current or future patterns EXCEPT
a. population mean
b. mortality rate
c. fertility rate
d. doubling time
e. population size

A

population means

154
Q

Which of the following growth types occurs when a population is not limited by any means?
a. arithmetic
b. linear
c. geometric
d. exponential
e. logistic

A

exponential

155
Q

Which of the following processes is NOT part of the carbon cycle?
a. photosynthesis
b. combustion
c. respiration
d. decomposition
e. transpiration

A

transpiration

156
Q

The process in which atmospheric nitrogen is formed into compounds used for plants is called

A

nitrogen fixation

157
Q

Which of the following events occurs when excess nutrients enter a body of water?
a. eutrophication
b. biomagnification
c. photosynthesis
d. sedimentation
e. evaporation

A

eutrophication

158
Q

What is the name of the federal law that governs water pollution in the United States?

A

Clean Water Act

159
Q

Which of the following periods refers to the shift from small to large-scale agricultural businesses?
a. Green Revolution
b. Environmental Movement
c. Industrial Revolution
d. Organic Farming Movement
e. Agricultural Adjustment Act

A

Green Revolution

160
Q

Which term among the following has sparked controversy due to its detrimental effects on natural crop varieties?
a. polyculture
b. no-till farming
c. monoculture
d. clear-cutting
e. GMOs

A

GMOs

161
Q

Which of the following terms describe the overuse of shared resources?
a. species extinction
b. ecological footprint
c. habitat fragmentation
d. tragedy of the commons
e. ecosystem services

A

tragedy of the commons

162
Q

This ecosystem covers about 35 percent of Earth’s surface

A

forests

AcaDec 2024_25 Climate (26 decks)

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