Unit 5 Progress Check 2024

1. Which of the following best describes an environmental advantage of urbanization? (A) Individuals living in cities have more varied employment opportunities than individuals living in rural areas. (B) Individuals living in cities have greater access to health care than individuals living in rural areas. 2. (C) Individuals living in cities usually have greater access to fresh, local agricultural products than individuals living in rural areas. (D) Individuals living in cities usually have a lower transportation carbon footprint than individuals living in rural areas. Farmers need to make many decisions about how they grow their crops. One of these decisions is whether to use synthetic fertilizer or organic fertilizer, such as manure. An advantage of using synthetic fertilizer instead of organic fertilizer is that (A) synthetic fertilizer can provide more targeted macronutrients to the crops (B) synthetic fertilizer remains in the soil longer than organic fertilizer does, reducing the volume needed and, therefore, the cost to the farmer (C) synthetic fertilizer adds to soil texture and increases the soil's water-holding capacity (D) organic fertilizer runs off more readily into waterways, leading to nutrient overload 3. Which of the following is a direct economic advantage associated with aquaculture? (A) Aquaculture breeds genetically modified fish to increase the amount of biodiversity in the population. (B) Aquaculture reduces the number of fishing operations in an area. (C) Aquaculture produces large amounts of seafood for human purchase and consumption year-round. (D) Aquaculture requires large bodies of water for its operations. 4. Carbon dioxide equivalent ( ) is used to compare contributions to climate change of various greenhouse gases. A study at a farm calculated the carbon dioxide equivalent for different production stages for beef and chicken production. Which of the following statements is best supported by the data in the graph? 5. (A) Producing food for beef and chicken emits a total of during transport and processing of animal feed. per of edible meat, released (B) The carbon dioxide equivalent for farm energy use by chickens is the greatest source of emissions, because the hours of lighting that chickens require to grow uses a lot of electricity. (C) Raising beef contributes more to greenhouse gases than raising chickens does, primarily as a result of fermentation in cows’ digestive tracts, which releases methane gas. (D) Chicken manure does not emit any greenhouse gases, because chickens have unique symbiotic bacteria in their digestive systems. Which of the following best describes legislation that could be used to address problems with overfishing? (A) The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora ( trade rules to protect commercially valuable species. ) uses (B) The Clean Water Act regulates the discharge of pollutants in surface waters. 6. (C) The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act ( aquatic resources. ) provides guidelines for the management of (D) The Delaney Clause of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act regulates the harvesting of fish species for human consumption. Which of the following is the most likely result from clearing mature, forested land and converting it into agricultural land that would be used for cattle grazing? (A) There will be a decrease in the amount of runoff into nearby streams. (B) There will be a reduction in the emission of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. (C) There will be an increase in the diversity and size of primary producers. (D) There will be a reduction in the uptake of atmospheric carbon dioxide. 7. Which of the following changes to the local hydrologic cycle will result if large areas of land experienced clearcutting? (A) Transpiration of water from vegetation will increase. (B) Evaporation of water from the soil will increase. (C) Runoff from watersheds will decrease. (D) Siltation of local streams will decrease. 8. Farm A Farm B Animal waste concerns Compost manure reused on site for fertilizer Manure stored in lagoons until liquefied and sprayed on crops Average days in stable in any 12-month period 0 days 45 days Antibiotic usages Only for animals that are ill Routinely provided to prevent spread of disease Based on the data provided, which of the following descriptions best identifies the types of farms that are being compared? (A) Farm A is a free-pasture farm for cattle, whereas Farm B is a free-range farm for poultry. (B) Farm A is a concentrated animal feedlot for beef production, whereas Farm B is a cage-free farm for poultry. (C) Farm A is a grass-fed pasture for beef production, whereas Farm B is a traditional concentrated animal feedlot for cattle. (D) Farm A is a cage-free farm for poultry, whereas Farm B is an industrial poultry farm. 9. Industrial logging threatens many forested ecosystems. Which of the following environmental consequences will most likely result from clear-cutting deciduous forests for logging? (A) More carbon dioxide will be added to the atmosphere and increase anthropogenic climate change. (B) Farmers will be able to utilize more land, resulting in a decrease in the number of floods. 10. (C) Less oxygen will be used by the trees, so more oxygen will be in the atmosphere for humans and other animals to use. (D) The regulating services of the area, such as nutrient cycling and water regulation, would increase with fewer trees in the landscape. Which of the following is an unintended environmental consequence of aquaculture? (A) Meeting an increasing demand for seafood (B) Decreasing the prevalence of disease in nearby wild fish (C) Contamination of surrounding water by organic waste (D) High initial cost of facility 11. Which of the following solutions would help decrease flood frequencies and flood sizes that are caused by urbanization? (A) Using new, more permeable materials for roads and sidewalks (B) Filling nearby wetlands to reduce the amount of water in an area (C) Encouraging construction of housing developments outward into nearby suburban and rural areas (D) Installing new, more energy-efficient appliances in existing apartment buildings 12. 13. One way that consumers can help prevent a decrease in the number of fish species that are experiencing population declines is to (A) help get laws passed that allow more fishing in areas that are not fished currently, therefore opening access to greater numbers of fish (B) purchase fish harvested through the use of purse seining and long-lining methods so that only the largest fish are caught (C) invest in companies that fish near coral reefs, which would take pressure off deep-sea species and eliminate the need for advances in technology (D) eat fish that are caught using sustainable harvesting methods, therefore ensuring fish populations remain stable and reducing the amount bycatch harvested In a rural region of India, scientists collected data of different pesticide residue levels from closely located farming plots. Some of these plots used integrated pest management biopesticides, while others used chemical pesticides to control pests. The data below show levels of four pesticide residues found in tomato and cucumber crops in the two treatment plots. Crop Treatment Tomato Integrated pest management Tomato Pesticides Residue Level ( Monocrotophos ) Chlorpyrifos Endosulfan Cypermethrin Cucumber Integrated pest management Cucumber Pesticides Which of the following statements is best supported by the data in the table? (A) Crops grown using integrated pest management have higher levels of all pesticides in cucumbers but do not have higher levels in tomatoes. (B) Crops grown using integrated pest management had lower levels of monocrotophos measured in both tomatoes and cucumbers. (C) The greatest effect of integrated pest management was seen in lower levels of endosulfan in both tomatoes and cucumbers. (D) Integrated pest management resulted in substantially higher levels of all four pesticides in tomatoes. 14. A major environmental problem caused by using the agricultural practice of tilling is (A) eutrophication from excessive fertilizer use (B) ozone depletion from fossil fuel use (C) intercropping by traditional farmers (D) compaction of soil from adding compost A group of students want to increase the amount of water infiltration around the property of their urban high school by replacing all the existing impermeable walkway pavers with permeable ones. The school board will not move forward with any property changes unless the students conduct an experiment and collect evidence to help prove that their proposed suggestion to increase water infiltration will be effective. The students create two identical pallets using soil taken from the school’s property and install impermeable pavers similar to those found on the school’s property in one of the pallets. They install permeable pavers in the other pallet. The students pour exactly the same amount of water over both sets of pavers, leave both pallets in exactly the same environmental conditions, and after one hour measure the amount of water that infiltrated the soil. 15. 16. Which of the following identifies and describes the equipment needed to best determine the amount of water that infiltrated the soil? (A) A scale should be used to measure the mass of both pallets immediately after pouring the water over the pavers and immediately after the one-hour wait time. (B) A ruler should be used to measure the level of water above the pavers in both pallets immediately after pouring the water over the pavers and immediately after the one-hour wait time. (C) A soil triangle should be used to determine the soil texture in both pallets before and after the water is added to both pallets. (D) A turbidity meter should be used to determine the amount of particulate matter in both pallets before and after the water is added to both pallets. Which of the following is the dependent variable in the study? (A) The type of soil used in the pallets (B) The type of pavers used in the pallets (C) The infiltration rate of the water (D) The temperature of the room that the pallets were left in 17. Which of the following is the independent variable in the study? (A) The type of soil used in the pallets (B) The type of pavers used in the pallets (C) The infiltration rate of the water (D) The temperature of the room that the pallets were left in 18. The harvesting of livestock for meat consumption affects the planet in various ways. Approximately 25% of the land area on Earth is used for raising livestock. One-third of all water used in meat production goes toward producing beef, and the demand for beef is projected to increase by 95% by 2050. The graph below shows the average meat consumption per capita from 2010 to 2012 and the forecasted meat consumption for 2022 for five different countries. Which of the following claims is best supported by the data in the graph? (A) As the demand for chicken increases and the demand for beef decreases, changes in meat production will decrease the demand on global water supplies. (B) Meat consumption per capita will decrease in India between 2012 and 2022 because individuals in that country have a primarily vegetarian diet. (C) Global meat consumption per capita will increase in all five countries between 2012 and 2022 as the countries move through the demographic transition and become more developed. (D) The use of growth hormones and antibiotics will allow for an increased yield in meat production in all five countries by 2022. Summary of Mean Water Quality Results Water Quality Parameter Green Roof Mean Control Roof Mean Precipitation Mean Nitrate Ammonium Total Phosphorus Magnesium Boron Green roofs offer many environmental advantages, including the removal of some pollutants from rainwater. The parameters in the table above were measured in water samples collected after rainfall had passed through green roofs and over traditional roofs in New York City. Mean levels of and pollutants in precipitation are shown in the table. 19. Which of the following statements is best supported by the data shown in the table? (A) Passage of rainwater through the green roofs increased the acidity of the water from the increased formation of carbonic acid. (B) Green roofs reduced levels of ammonium because the vegetation absorbed the pollutant. 20. (C) Green roofs are effective at removing all pollutants from rainwater because the plants can absorb the toxins from the precipitation. (D) Green roofs do little to improve rainwater runoff quality as most pollutants are not significantly different from the control roofs. Assume that the rainwater from one of the green roofs ran off directly into a nearby lake. Water quality results from which of the following parameters show that the green roof would likely improve water quality in the lake? (A) Total phosphorus (B) Magnesium (C) Boron (D) Nitrate 21. The data in the table show mean concentrations of pollutants in rainwater leaving either green or conventional roofs. Which of the following data would be needed to calculate the total amount of a pollutant leaving the roof during and following a rainstorm? (A) Distance from street level to roof (B) Duration of the rain event (C) Total number of plants on the roof (D) Total volume of rainfall 22. Scientists studied the effects of three different ways to control household pests. They treated one group of pests with a conventional pesticide spray. A second group was treated using Integrated Pest Management ( ) techniques. A third group received no treatment method at all. The success of each treatment was measured based on the change in the number of pests in the traps over time. Fewer pests caught indicate fewer pests in the area after application of the technique. The results are shown in the graph above. Which of the following claims would be the best solution to the pest problem, based on the data in the graph? (A) Use of conventional pesticides is the most successful method because the pesticides can be sprayed multiple times until the pest infestation is under control. (B) Use of Integrated Pest Management techniques is the most successful method because the sources for food, water, and shelter for pests are disrupted, leading to a reduced number of pests in the area. (C) Use of the control treatment is the most successful method because insects have a short life span and will die off naturally. (D) Use of the three different treatments are equally effective in controlling pests because a variety of different methods can be successful at eliminating pests. 23. A group of farmers want to change their pest control methods to reduce the amount of pollution in a nearby river. The data on the cost and percent pest population reduction for several methods of pest control the farmers could consider are presented in the table below. Pest Control Method Physical Traps Cost ( Single Dose of Pesticides Genetically Modified Crops Natural Predator Introduction Dollars) Reduction in Pest Population ( ) Which of the following methods should the farmers choose to minimize the cost for efficient pest removal while still reaching their goal of reducing the amount of pollution in the river? (A) Using physical traps (B) Applying a single dose of pesticides (C) Planting genetically modified crops (D) Introducing a natural predator to feed on the pests 24. Farmers use various methods of irrigation on crops. Which of the following statements correctly pairs an irrigation method with an advantage or disadvantage? (A) Drip irrigation is readily used in large-scale farming because of the low cost associated with this method. (B) Flood irrigation is often used in agricultural fields, however, it increases surface erosion and salinization of the soil. (C) Furrow irrigation is a method in which farmers plant two different types of crops in alternating strips which increases productivity. (D) Spray irrigation loses the least amount of water to evaporation. A person’s ecological footprint is the total amount of land required to offset a person’s carbon emissions. The table below shows ecological footprint data for five different students. Each value is a measure of the number of hectares per land required. Table 1. Ecological Footprints of Five Different Students (hectares) Food Carbon Emissions Housing Goods and Services Total 25. Student 1 1.2 3 2 1.5 Student 2 2.5 3 1.8 1.8 7.7 9.5 Student 3 2.3 2.8 2 1.7 8.8 Student 4 2.4 3 1.9 1.9 9.2 Student 5 3.1 3 3.8 3.9 15.8 Which of the following is a limitation of using only the data in the table to complete an ecological footprint analysis of the different students? (A) The footprint for each individual is based on simple calculations to determine approximate resource use. (B) The footprint uses a top-down approach to provide a complete picture of resource use for comparison between individuals. (C) The footprint uses global hectares, rather than hectares, to determine the approximate proportion of Earth’s surface needed to support the activities of an individual. (D) The footprint is a static analysis and does not include all environmental impacts of an individual. 26. If Student 2 wanted to change his or her footprint to be more similar to that of Student 1, which of the following actions would he or she choose based on the data given in table 1 ? (A) Using mass transit options when available (B) Reducing the amount of meat in his or her diet (C) Moving into a smaller home or an apartment complex (D) Upgrading his or her electronic devices, such as laptops and cell phones, more often 27. After reviewing personal footprint data, Student 5 decides to take action to lower his or her overall footprint by reducing money spent on shoes and clothing. Land use in which of the following categories will be most affected by this change? (A) Food (B) Carbon emissions (C) Housing (D) Goods and services 28. Which of the following irrigation methods is most likely to result in salinization of the soil, especially if the agricultural fields are located in a warm climate with consistent sunlight? (A) Spray irrigation (B) Furrow irrigation (C) Flood irrigation (D) Drip irrigation 29. 30. Which of the following is the best example of an economic approach to reduce overfishing for a fish species with a declining population? (A) The federal government sets a catch limit (per person or per boat) for the species and imposes a tax on any extra fish that are caught. (B) A conservation agency creates marine parks where the area is a no-catch zone for the species so that the species can recover and population size can increase. (C) The state government introduces a subsidy for large fishing companies to help them afford to hire more crew members. (D) An educational group produces signs and video clips to encourage individuals to buy locally caught seafood and to avoid eating big fish like tuna and shark. Many communities experience the tragedy of the commons. One way a local community might regulate a shared and limited resource and reduce the tragedy of the commons is to (A) eliminate ownership of the resources and make them available to all (B) reduce the cost of access to the resources (C) offer subsides to users of the resources in the form of tax breaks (D) divide the resources into parcels and assign them to individuals 31. The farming of fish such as salmon at aquaculture facilities poses a threat to marine ecosystems because (A) the farmed fish can escape and outcompete wild fish for food and territory (B) farm-raised salmon often pass on toxic chemicals such as mercury to eagles and other fish-eating birds (C) invasive plant species common in aquaculture facilities can spread to nearby waters (D) fewer wild fish will be harvested for human consumption 32. A farmer grows several crops on a farm that has mostly shallow, sandy soil. Which of the following irrigation methods would be the best suited for this farm? (A) Drip irrigation (B) Flood irrigation (C) Surface irrigation (D) Furrow irrigation 33. 34. Which of the following scenarios best explains the concept of the tragedy of the commons? (A) Fish farming, a type of aquaculture, produces fish through selective breeding to produce a cheap source of protein, reducing the fishing pressure on wild stock fish. (B) A collapse of the fishing industry leads to a loss of fishing-related jobs, which will have negative consequences on the economy. (C) Declines in the fish population lead to a decline in the population of fish predators, affecting the entire food chain. (D) Fish are shared resources, and as the fishing industry competes for the fish, the resource extraction is no longer sustainable. One example of the tragedy of the commons occurs when trees are harvested from tropical rain forests without any regulations. Which of the following best describes why this is an example of the tragedy of the commons? (A) Tropical rain forests have a thin layer of decaying organic matter and relatively low nutrient levels slowing tree growth. (B) Trees are an important resource, but not all individuals can access the resource. (C) Timber producers remove as much timber as possible as cheaply as possible. (D) 35. Tropical rain forests have the highest number of species per unit area, and trees are important for stability in the ecosystem. Which of the following statements best describes the most unsustainable method of clear-cutting forests to harvest timber? (A) All but the healthiest trees are removed from a forest. (B) The highest-value trees are selectively removed from a forest. (C) All of the shade-intolerant trees in a small section of a forest are cut down. (D) All of the trees in a forest are cut down and removed in one operation. 36. Which of the following describes an aspect of urbanization that would most increase the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere compared to rural and suburban areas? (A) A greater amount of impermeable surfaces in urban areas that prevents organic material from entering soils (B) Reliance on mass transportation systems in urban areas, such as buses and trains rather than individual cars and trucks, which increases carbon dioxide release (C) Decreased square footage of living space, per person, in most housing units in urban areas that leads to an increased carbon footprint (D) Increased amounts of waste per unit area in urban areas that leads to higher rates of decay and decomposition