Practice Questions – Chapter 1



Living in the Environment:

Concepts, Connections and Solutions

Miller

18th Edition

Practice Questions by Chapter

2014

Unit 1: Introduction to Sustainability (Chs. 1, 2, 3, 4)

APES Standards/Key Terms

a. Introduction to Global View (Tragedy of the Commons)

b. Economic Impacts of pollution (Cost-benefit analysis; externalities; marginal costs; sustainability, remediation, conservation, preservation, mitigation, point sources, non- point sources) (1)

c. Energy Concepts (Energy forms; power; units; conversions; Laws of Thermodynamics, natural radioactive decay, nuclear fusion, nuclear fission, radioisotope, chain reaction, tipping point) (3-4, 3-7, 3-8)

d. Energy Flow (Photosynthesis and cellular respiration; food webs/food chains and trophic levels; ecological pyramids, 1/10th rule for energy flow, detritivore, omnivore, herbivore, carnivore, importance of arrows/direction on food webs, decomposers, biomass) (4-4, 4-7)

e. Natural Biogeochemical Cycles (Carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, phosphorus cycle, sulfur cycle, oxygen cycle, water cycle, nitrogen fixation, ammonification, nitrification, assimilation, denitrification, reservoirs, sinks, troposphere, stratosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere) (3-3, 3-5, 3-8, 4-7)

g. Ecosystem Structure (Biological populations and communities; habitat, ecological niches; interactions among species; keystone species; species diversity and edge effects; genetic diversity) (all of 4, 5-3)

h. Ecosystem Diversity (Biodiversity; natural selection; evolution; ecosystem services, co-evolution, speciation, geographic isolation, reproductive isolation, genetic engineering) (all of 5)

Chapter 1: Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability

1. Exponential growth plays a key role in what five important, interconnected environmental problems? Why is exponential growth a key factor for all of them?

2. What is the difference between environmental science and environmentalism?

3. Describe what is meant by the phrase “an environmentally sustainable society” as related to the human population.

4. Distinguish between these terms: (a) natural capital & natural resources (b) natural services (c) solar capital (d) natural capital degradation.

5. Define and give three examples of environmental degradation.

6. (a) What is the difference between economic growth and economic development? (b) How is each measured? (c) Describe two basic ways that economic growth can be accomplished.

7. Distinguish between developed countries and developing countries. Give at least three key characteristics of each, and several countries as examples.

8. What is an “ecological footprint”? Using specific countries as examples, explain the difference between the footprint of a developing and developed country.

9. Identify five basic causes of the environmental problems we face today.

10. (a) What is “poverty,” and in what way does poverty affect the environment? (b) Repeat for affluence.

11. Explain the I = P * A * T formula.

12. Distinguish between planetary management, stewardship, and an environmental wisdom world view.

13. What cultural forces led to the near extinction of the American Bison?

14. What is “culture”? Describe the three major cultural changes that have occurred since humans arrived on earth. Summarize the general relationship between each cultural shift and the environment with a list of impacts.

15. Why has each major cultural change led to more environmental degradation?

16. What is the environmental awakening or environmental movement?

Chapter 2: Science, Systems, Matter, and Energy

1. Explain why the extinct civilization of Easter Island is considered a warning for modern society.

2. (a) Distinguish between inductive reasoning and deductive reasoning. Give an example of each. (b) Explain why scientific theories and laws are the most important results of science.

3. What is a feedback loop? Distinguish between a positive feedback loop and a negative feedback loop and give an example of each.

4. What is the difference between a time delay and a synergistic interaction in a system and give an example of each.

5. Explain the meaning of this phrase: “We can never do just one thing.”

6. (a) What is energy? (b) What is energy quality? Distinguish between high quality energy and low quality energy. Give an example of each.

7. Explain the meaning of this phrase: “There is no away.”

8. (a) What is the Law of Conservation of Energy (1st Law of Thermodynamics)? (b) Why is it important in relation to environmental science?

9. (a) What is the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics? (b) Explain why this law means that we can never reuse or recycle high quality energy.

*** Be sure you understand the basics of biology and chemistry reviewed on pp. 35-40. Pay attention to the compounds named on p. 38; you will need to know these.

***Also, get familiar with the summary of nuclear reactions on p. 40. Ask me in class if you need further explanation.

Chapter 3: Ecosystems: What are they and how do they work?

1. What are some of the roles that insects play in sustaining life on earth?

2. What three interconnected factors sustain life on earth?

3. Distinguish between terrestrial biomes and aquatic life zones and give an example of each.

4. Describe with a diagram, what happens to solar energy as it flows to and from earth.

5. (a) What is the natural greenhouse effect and why is it important for life on earth? (b) Name the greenhouse gases (GHGs).

6. Distinguish between abiotic and biotic components in ecosystems and give two examples of each.

7. (a) What is the range of tolerance of a population? Give a specific abiotic factor as an example (name and describe). (b) What is the law of tolerance?

8. (a) Define and give an example of a limiting factor. What is the limiting factor principle?

9. (a) What are the two biological components of ecosystems and the biosphere? How are they linked? (b) Explain the importance of microbes

10. (a) What happens to energy as it flows through the food chain and food webs of an ecosystem? . (b) Refer to Figure 4-18. Why are there rarely more than 4-5 trophic levels in a food chain? (c) With respect to energy flow pyramids, how could humans alter their eating habits so as to maximize the number of people supportable by earth’s food supply?

11. (a) What are the four major components of biological diversity? (b) What is the importance of biodiversity?

12. (a) Discuss the difference between gross primary productivity (GPP) and net primary productivity (NPP) and explain their importance. (b) What are the three most productive and three least productive ecosystems? Why are they so? (c) Describe the ocean’s NPP.

13. What is a biogeochemical cycle (nutrient cycle)?

***For each of the following biogeochemical cycles, I recommend a diagram AND paragraph explanations for each.***

14. Describe the unique properties of the hydrologic cycle. How are human activities impacting it?

15. Describe the carbon cycle and describe how human activities are affecting it.

16. Describe the nitrogen cycle and describe how human activities are affecting it.

17. Describe the phosphorous cycle and describe how human activities are affecting it.

18. Describe the sulfur cycle and describe how human activities are affecting it.

Chapter 4: Biodiversity and Evolution

1. What makes Earth the ‘just-right, resilient planet’?

2. (a) What is an endemic species (see glossary)? Why is it vulnerable to extinction? (b) Distinguish between mass extinction and background extinction.

3. What is an “ecological niche”? Distinguish between generalist species and specialist species and give an example of each.

4. What is a GMO? Compare and contrast the technology of making GMOs with evolution by natural selection.

***The End of Unit 1***

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