SG 9

Question 1

What percentage of the terrestrial portion of the planet is covered by forest? What are the percentages of old growth or primary forest and plantation forest?

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Question 2

Compare and describe the biodiversity and complexity of old growth, second, and plantation forests.

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Question 3

Describe factors affecting the health of the world’s forests.

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Question 4

Where are the rates of deforestation estimated to be the highest? The lowest?

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Question 5

What are the causes and consequences of deforestation?

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Question 6

Describe the history of deforestation in the United States. Recognize that very little primary or old growth forest

is left in the lower 48 US states and that most forests are second growth.

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Question 7

Describe deforestation and its causes in developing and emerging nations. Is the rate of deforestation different

from that which took place in developed nations? Why?

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Question 8

Describe and distinguish between the following strategies of resource management: maximum sustainable yield,

ecosystem-based, and adaptive management. Which has been the traditional approach to resource management

and why has it been criticized?

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Question 9

Describe the following methods of logging and their environmental impacts: clearcutting, seed tree or

shelterwood system, and a selection system. Which form of logging is considered the most sustainable?

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Question 10

Where does most commercial logging in the US currently take place?

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Question 11

What are tree plantations? Describe their benefits and drawbacks?

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Question 12

Describe the importance of fire to many forests and grasslands. What are consequences of the prohibition of fire?

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Question 13

What role do forests play in combating climate change and how are/will they be impacted by it?

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Question 14

What is sustainable forestry certification? Which organization is currently considered the most reputable and

why? Where in the world are most certified forestry practices found? What percentage of the world’s forestry is

certified? Are forestry certifications safe-guarding biodiversity?

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Question 15

What are some of the shortcomings of international parks and reserves?

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Question 16

What is meant by urbanization? Know that for the first time in human history in 2007 more people live in urban

rather than rural areas.

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Question 17

Over the next 25 years, where is most population growth estimated to take place?

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Question 18

What is a megacity? What city has the greatest population? What drives the growth of cities?

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Question 19

What is meant by sprawl? Describe the rise of suburbs and suburban sprawl.

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Question 20

Describe the land use approaches that have resulted in sprawl.

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Question 21

Describe each of the following impacts of sprawl: transportation, pollution/climate change, health,

ecosystems/land use, and economic.

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Question 22

What is the association between sprawl and greenhouse gas emissions? What is the largest source of greenhouse

gas emissions in the Bay Area?

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Question 23

What is meant by smart growth and the new urbanism? Describe their goals?

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Question 24

Describe the types of transportation approaches that are considered more sustainable and policies used to

encourage their adoption.

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Question 25

Describe the types of open spaces in urban areas that are being created or restored.

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Question 26

Describe the mixed environmental impacts of urban centers regarding resource consumption, land use and

preservation, nonnative species and various forms of pollution. Describe the urban heat island effect and its

impacts.

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Question 27

Describe the field of urban ecology/sustainability and its goals/recommendations for creating sustainable cities.

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Question 28

Describe the benefits of low impact design (e.g., living rooftops, sidewalk/street modifications like planting

natives and pervious paving, rainwater harvesting, and other water conservation and reuse strategies).

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Question 29

What is a “green” building and why is it important regarding resource consumption?

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Question 30

What is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)? Describe some pros and cons of LEED

certification. Why is it that energy objectives aren’t necessarily being realized in LEED certified buildings?

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