Human Activity and Ecosystem

A student's model of an area new a city depicts many activities that affect the quality of the water in the area. How does the agricultural activity most likely affect the surface water of the area?

• Excess crop fertilizer is carried by runoff into the river, causing excess growth of water plants.

• Excess crop material accumulates on the riverbanks, slowing the movement of the river water

• Crops reduce erosion, increasing the amount of soil entering the river

• Crops absorb pure water from soil, causing the remaining water to contain more salt.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Some areas of an ocean are known as dead zones. These zones form when excess organic material decomposes. This increased decomposition uses up the oxygen from the water. Which human activity is most affected by the increasing number of dead zones in the ocean?

• Offshore oil drilling, because water in dead zones is toxic

• Commercial fishing, because fish cannot survive without oxygen

• Commercial shipping, because dead zones change the course of ocean currents

• Sand mining, because oxygen is not available to form the sands of ocean beaches

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS3-1

NGSS.HS-LS2-7

A coastal area that once supported a thriving fishing industry is overfished. The number of species found living in the marine ecosystem decreases. Which of these activities is most likely to increase the natural biodiversity in the area?

• Building artificial reefs and limiting fishing activity

• Introduction non-native species to fill unoccupied habitats and banning fishing

• Building artificial reefs and increasing fishing activity

• Eliminating non-native species and encouraging fishing for large predatory fish

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-5

Which of these human activities is most likely to cause the excessive growth of phytoplankton in the world's oceans?

• The use of chemical fertilzers that are carried by runoff into rivers

• The logging of old-growth forests, which results in erosion

• The spraying of chemical herbicides that reduce carbon dioxide in the air

• The mining of fossil fuels, which requires digging underground tunnels

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

A company known as Arten Industries is wanting to build a factory in the watershed that is pictured. The company wants to limit the ecological impact it has on surrounding areas. Where should the company build its factory?

• top of the river so the rain can dilute the pollution

• away from the river so the pollution can not reach the river

• the middle of the river so the pollution can have time to settle.

• the bottom of the river so it effects a smaller amount of land

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

NGSS.MS-ETS1-3

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

As the map shows, there are multiple drainage basins in Texas. Ft. Worth and Dallas are in the same drainage basin. What is the most likely reason that the water in the Trinity River is dirtier in Houston than it is in Dallas?

• Ocean pollutants are entering the river.

• Pollutants are entering from other drainage basins.

• The river basin picks up more human pollutants.

• The water goes through a salt dome and get more polluted.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

The following computer model was created to illustrate how a watershed can be affected by human activities. What is the most likely reason for placing the farm land upstream from the factories?

• The water at the highest point of the river will have been impacted the least by human activities, so it should be the cleanest.

• Farms do not have a negative impact on watersheds, so they should be placed upstream.

• The factory puts pollution into the air, so it does not matter where the farm is located.

• The farm should be placed upstream because pesticides from the farm will end up in the river, which is beneficial for the factories downstream.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

Humans depend upon food that comes from the ocean. some human activities negatively impact these food supplies. Which statement provides the best evidence that human activities contribute to this impact?

• Human visitors to coral reef systems break corals growing on rocks

• Humans catch marine fish at a faster rate than the fish are able to reproduce

• Humans raise fish in a hatchery for commercial sale

• Humans construct artificial reefs to attract tourists

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

Farmers can best reduce negative effects on the water quality of nearby streams and lakes by planting crops that

• produce less oxygen

• produce less carbon dioxide

• need less fertilizer

• need less solar energy

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-3

Which human activity can maintain an ecosystem balance?

• Deforestration

• Industrial activity

• Burning of fossil fuel

• Recycling activity

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-5