Ecology Review SB5d,e: Human Impacts

Global warming has been linked to a decrease in 

• the size of the polar ice caps 
• the temperature of Earth 
• the rate of species extinction 
• the rate of carbon dioxide production

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NGSS.MS-ESS3-5

Which human activity would preserve nonrenewable resources?

• deforestation
• removing carnivores from a forest 
• recycling
• heating homes with fossil fuels  

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Which human activity is correctly paired with its likely future consequence?

• overfishing in the Atlantic — increase in supply of flounder and salmon as food for people 
• development of electric cars or hybrid vehicles — increased rate of global warming 
• use of fossil fuels — depletion of fossil-fuel based resources and increased CO₂ in atmosphere
• genetically engineering animals — less food available to feed the world’s population

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Which human activity would most likely deplete nonrenewable resources?

• use of natural enemies to eliminate insect pests
• development of wildlife refuges 
• governmental restriction of industrial pollution 
• increased use of fossil fuels

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NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

Approximately 75 percent of the Earth's surface is covered in water. So why is water considered such a precious resource?

• The greenhouse effect is causing most of the world's freshwater to be trapped in the atmosphere
• Only a small fraction of the Earth's water is freshwater available for drinking and irrigation
• Each year, more freshwater is being trapped in icecaps located at the North and South Poles
• Global warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions will likely cause Earth's oceans to evaporate

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When fertilizers run off farmland into streams and ponds, the nitrogen content of the water increases. This can lead to rapid growth of algae in a process called eutrophication. How can this process affect other organisms in the water?

• Oxygen is used up as algae is decomposed, reducing the amount available to other organisms.
• The water becomes better able to support aerobic organisms.
• The algae provide food for fishes and other organisms, leading to decreased algae populations.
• The extra nitrogen provides additional food for the other organisms, increasing their population.

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What is deforestation?

• throwing someone out of a window
• selectively cutting trees for lumber, making sure the forest remains healthy
• allowing more animals to graze on the land than it can support
• cutting and removal of large tracts of forest to make land available for other uses

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What are some consequences of deforestation?

• increased population in cities
• building of more infrastructure
• soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, loss of ability to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere
• more mercury and cyanide released into rivers

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NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

The acidity of a local stream would most likely be affected by

• a change in the percentage of decomposers living in the stream
• a new source of air pollution 
• a new predator species being introduced to the ecosystem
• a decrease in the amount of sunlight that reaches the stream

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In lakes in New York State that are exposed to acid rain, fish populations are declining.  This is primarily due to changes in which lake condition?

• Biotic Factors
• ozone levels
• increased sunlight (optional)
• pH

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