Module 9 Apes

Since 1901, the sea level across the globe has risen over 20cm . The change in sea level can be affected by land movement. Land movement itself can be caused by subsiding coastal lands, oil and water extraction, and plate tectonics. The diagram shows the relative sea level rise at various coastal locations in the United States from 1960 to 2014.

Based on the information in the map, which areas in the United States have experienced the greatest sea level rise?

• The Northeast and the Gulf of Mexico

• The Southeast and the West Coast

• The state of California and the state of Hawaii

• The Pacific Northwest and the state of Alaska

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The graph above shows CO2 measurements taken from Mauna Loa, Hawaii, and the Vostok ice core, which was drilled from ice sheets in Antarctica.

Based on the data shown in the graph, which of the following is the most plausible hypothesis for the cause of the trend in CO2 levels from about 5,000 years ago to the present?

• Volcanic activity, which can release over 6 million tons of carbon dioxide per year, has contributed to an increase in ash and dust in the atmosphere, which trap CO2 . This has caused an increase in CO2 in the atmosphere over the past 5,000 years.

• Human activity, especially the burning of fossil fuels, has led to an increase in anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions. This has caused a doubling in the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere.

• Erosion of limestone from sedimentary rock, a result of physical and biological weathering, has released a large amount of carbonic acid into the atmosphere. This has caused a decrease in the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere.

• Increasing rates of photosynthesis in the summers, which are a direct result of increased global temperatures, have led to an increased release of CO2 in warmer months. This has caused the seasonal cycle of CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere.

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American crocodiles thrive in healthy estuaries and are found distributed across southern Florida, the Caribbean islands, and in parts of northern South America. The American crocodile has always been considered rare in the state of Florida, and restoration efforts have been in effect for decades to aid the crocodile in heavily populated coastal areas.

Which of the following claims about crocodile nests is best supported by the data in the maps?

• Crocodiles now nest in areas where they did not nest historically as a result of restoration projects at public beaches, county parks, and other areas.

• The nesting sites for crocodiles is shifting southward as a result of global climate change.

• Crocodile eggs are laid during the months of April and May but do not hatch until the fall.

• The number and range of crocodiles in southern Florida have decreased over the past 25 years.

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The stratospheric ozone layer benefits life on Earth by

• absorbing 99% of incoming UV-B and UV-C radiation

• contributing to the formation of ground-level ozone

• holding large amounts of stratospheric moisture

• binding to chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs

  CFCs) and breaking down the pollutants

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Which of the following best describes why there has been a reduction in ozone depletion over the last half of the twentieth century?

• The United States began decreasing CFC emissions under regulations in the Clean Air Act.

• Less developed countries developed a global plan to decrease CFC emissions by signing Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation Liability Act ( CERCLA ).

• Several more developed countries signed the Kyoto Protocol as an agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

• A global plan to decrease CFC emissions was enacted by signing the Montreal Protocol

Which of the following best describes why carbon dioxide has a significant effect on global climate change?

• Carbon dioxide is a highly reactive molecule.

• Carbon dioxide is the largest contributor to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions.

• Carbon dioxide has the highest global warming potential of all gases in the atmosphere.

• Carbon dioxide reflects infrared radiation, which gradually heats the Earth’s surface.

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Which of the following best describes the cause of the greenhouse effect on Earth?

• Ocean currents redistribute heat from the equator to higher latitudes.

• Gases in the atmosphere absorb infrared radiation and radiate the energy back toward Earth’s surface.

• Ozone thinning over polar regions allows more ultraviolet (UV) light to reach Earth’s surface.

• Surface water temperatures in the Pacific Ocean increase off the coast of South America during El Niño years.

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Based on the information in the diagram, which of the following best supports the claim that a change in the duration of warm seasons would result in a higher prevalence of vector-borne diseases?

• Ice sheets are melting because of increased temperatures, which is eliminating vector food sources.

• A shorter warm season leads to increased competition for mates, resulting in heightened vector aggression.

• Increased temperatures provide an expanded breeding range and duration, which will likely increase the size of vector populations.

• Climate change has led to a decrease in vector predators, which will lead to an increase in size of vector populations.

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Which of the following best describes the effect of increasing global temperature on coral ecosystems?

• Warmer water will have higher dissolved oxygen, which will lead to an increase in coral reef ecosystem biodiversity.

• White algae will cover the coral reefs, causing the reefs to appear bleached.

• Algae that live symbiotically with the corals leave the reef, causing coral bleaching.

• Brown algae outcompetes the coral for food, causing the corals to die off.

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Which of the following best identifies the primary cause of increasing acidity in the oceans?

• Microplastic pollution from personal-care products

• Agricultural fertilizer runoff into rivers that feed into the ocean

• Petroleum pollution from large-scale oil tanker spills

• Carbon dioxide emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels

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