Human Impact Ecology

When an environment has reached its carrying capacity for a certain population, which of the following is true?

• Growth and immigration rate is equal to death and emigration rate.

• Growth and immigration rate is greater than death and emigration rate.

• Growth and immigration rate is less than death and emigration rate.

• Growth rate is exponential.

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Angel was trying to explain carrying capacity to her mother. Which of the following descriptions is accurate? Carrying capacity is:

• the maximum number of individuals that an ecosystem can sustain.

• the ability of an environment to accommodate a growing population.

• the greatest number of individuals that an area can sustain over the long term.

• the maximum number of species that can co-exist in an area.

The diagram below shows how an area progresses over time after a forest fire. What process is illustrated by the diagram in boxes 4-8 after the forest fire?

• pioneer speciation

• primary succession

• secondary succession

• ecosystem boundaries

One way that humans could have a positive impact on local environments is to:

• generate waste products as a result of technological advances

• use resources that are renewable

• increase planting large areas of one crop

• increase the use of pesticides.

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Environmentalists are hoping to protect endangered organisms by calling for a reduction in the use of pesticides, because loss of these organisms would:

• increase the mutation rate in plants

• cause pesticides to become more toxic to insects

• reduce biodiversity in various ecosystems

• decrease the space and resources available to other organisms.

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One way humans can promote the survival of organisms in an ecosystem is to:

• decrease diversity in plant habitats

• introduce new consumers to control autotrophs

• release extra CO2 into the atmosphere to help autotrophs

• learn about the interactions of population

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A builder is proposing a new housing development in an area of western Massachusetts. Construction of the housing development will destroy the wetland habitat in the area. Which of the following would be the most likely consequence of the wetland’s destruction?

• The wetland plant species would disperse to adjacent meadow habitats.

• The populations of wetland animals would be unable to survive in that area.

• The wetland animal species would survive by interbreeding with non-wetland species.

• The populations of wetland plants would evolve to disperse seeds by wind rather than water.

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DDT and other pesticides used over 50 years ago are still affecting the environment today. Scientists have found these substances in recent glacier runoff. Glacier runoff occurs during the summer, when precipitation that has fallen on glaciers during the winter is released. Ice layers from existing glaciers have been analyzed. The results of this analysis show that the concentrations of DDT and other pesticides were highest about 10 years after the use of these substances was banned. This information shows that:

• DDT and other pesticides cause glacier runoff during the summer.

• it takes humans over 50 years to analyze a glacier.

• precipitation helps to break down pesticides.

• the decision of one human generation may have an impact on future generations.

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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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Whaling was a very profitable profession until whale populations crashed. The global community came together to enact a ban on whaling. However, Japan and Norway have not agreed to stop whaling. Which of the following is the most likely consequence of their decision?

• The whale populations are bouncing back very successfully and are unaffected by Japan and Norway continuing to whale.

• The whale populations are not rebounding as quickly as they might if all of the countries agreed not to hunt whales.

• The whale populations have mutated into new kinds of organisms.

• The whales are getting better at avoiding capture.

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