The Anthropocene 1 (Week 10 Lecture 14)

Question 1

What epoch are we currently in?

Answer 1

Holocene

Question 2

True or False: Human-kind has caused mass extinctions of plant and animal species, polluted the oceans and altered the atmosphere, among other lasting impacts

Answer 2

True

Question 3

What are the 5 ways listed how humans have impacted the world’s ecosystem.

Answer 3

Altered atmospheric chemistry - making oceans more acidic

Rearranged and transform river systems

Altered net primary productivity
Accelerated rates of extinction

Created novel ecosystems by breaking biogeographical barriers

Question 4

What are the three dates in which scientists suggested anthropocene has started?

Answer 4

When New Zealand was first colonized (750 years ago)

at the start of the Industrial Revolution in 18th century

at the turn of the second millennium in the year 2000, in recognition of when the term was first coined

Question 5

______ is most notable for the accelerating loss of biodiversity, from genes through to ecosystems and loss of species (extinction).

Answer 5

Antrhopocene

Question 6

True or False: Environmental degradation began with changes in uses of energy and resources, coinciding with our major increase in pop. size.

Answer 6

True

Question 7

______ occurs when the last member of a species dies and the species ceases to exist.

Answer 7

Extinction

Question 8

______ is the disappearance of a particular population from a given area, but not the entire species globally

Answer 8

Extirpation

Question 9

______ is when aspecies in imminent danger of becoming extirpated or extinct

Answer 9

Endnagered

Question 10

______ is when a species likely to become endangered in the near future.

Answer 10

Threatened

Question 11

Paleontologists estimate ______% of all species that ever lived are now extinct

Answer 11

99

Question 12

True or False: Natural extinction occurs at a rate of 1 species out of 1,000 mammal and marine species would go extinct every 1,000 to 10,000 years

Answer 12

True

Question 13

______ the impact of a person or community on the environment, expressed as the amount of land required to sustain their use of natural resources.

Answer 13

Ecological footprint

Question 14

Who started the 6th mass extinction?

Answer 14

Humans

Question 15

Scientists estimate that the world is currently experiencing approximately ______ species extinctions per year.

Answer 15

1000

Question 16

True or False: Populations with low genetic diversity are prone to inbreeding depression which can cause the offspring to have a poor chance of survival and later reproduction.

Answer 16

True

Question 17

True or False: Low genetic diversity improves the probability of surviving future change in the environment.

Answer 17

False, high genetic diversity

Question 18

______ According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), species that have a high risk of extinction in the future.

Answer 18

threatened species

Question 19

______ species is a species that are very likely to become threatened in the future.

Answer 19

Near-threatened

Question 20

______ species is a species Species that are very likely to become threatened in the future.

Answer 20

Least concern

Question 21

What type of species is most threatened?

Answer 21

Amphibians

Question 22

Areas with high levels of ______ and species diversity are targeted for conservation.

Answer 22

Endemism

Question 23

What are the 5 causes of population decline?

Answer 23

Habitat alteration
Invasive species
Pollution
Overharvesting
Climate change

Question 24

What species benefit from biodiversity loss?

Answer 24

Pigeons, rats

Question 25

What are the 5 5 greatest causes of biodiversity loss?

Answer 25

Farming simplifies communities

Grazing modifies the grassland structure and species composition

Clearing forests removes resources organisms need

Urbanization and suburban sprawl reduce natural communities

Hydroelectric dams turn rivers into reservoirs upstream

Question 26

What is an example of a new species introduced accidentally to an enviroment?

Answer 26

Zebra muscles

Question 27

What is an example of a new species introduced purposely to a new environment?

Answer 27

Food crops

Question 28

What are the 4 reasons to how pollution causes biodiversity loss?

Answer 28

Air pollution degrades forest ecosystems

Water pollution adversely affects fish and amphibians

Agricultural runoff harms terrestrial and aquatic species

The effects of oil and chemical spills on wildlife are dramatic and well known

Question 29

What four species are threatened due to overharvesting?

Answer 29

Siberian tiger
Atlantic gray whale
Sharks
Gorillas

Question 30

True or False: With climate change, most animals and plants will not be able to cope, as evolution has been about adaptation genetically over much more slowly-evolving time periods.

Answer 30

True

Question 31

True or False: Warming has been greatest in the tropical regions.

Answer 31

False, Arctic