Human Impact on the Environment Quiz
Written by Eugene Fenster Science Expert
Last updated · -42 min play time
Humans, the greatest disaster ever experienced by Earth. Humans impact the environment in many ways. What do you know?
Humans, the greatest disaster ever experienced by Earth.
Quiz written by
Eugene FensterHuman Impact Quiz Questions
20 Questions · 3.1K Plays · 4 Comments
Question 1
Which of the following is not a potential consequence of a global increase in average temperature?
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AIncreased drought
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BIncreased species extinction
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CIncreased hurricane strength
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DIncreased agricultural yield
Increased agricultural yield
With global warming, there is a decrease in agricultural yield, increase in hurricane strength and an increase in the frequency of both flooding and droughts.
Question 2
The recent increase in global temperature that is promoting a greenhouse effect is primarily due to _____.
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Aan increase in solar activity
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Bvolcanic eruptions
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Can increase in the percentage of forested area
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Dthe burning of fossil fuels
the burning of fossil fuels
The current warming of Earth's climate is primarily attributable to the burning of fossil fuels.
Question 3
Why is the runoff from fertilized agricultural fields, even if free of pesticides, often harmful to the ecosystems of temperate lakes?
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AThe fertilizer promotes the growth of fish to the point where they cannot find enough food to eat.
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BThe runoff causes a surface algal bloom, which reduces the penetration of light into the eater which reduces photosynthesis which reduces the amount of oxygen in the water.
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CFertilizer runoff promotes antibiotic resistance.
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DThe runoff raises the levels of inorganic nutrients in the surface waters to levels that are toxic for algae and other lake organisms.
The runoff causes a surface algal bloom, which reduces the penetration of light into the eater which reduces photosynthesis which reduces the amount of oxygen in the water.
Fertilizer acts in bodies of water (lakes and oceans) just as it acts on land. This fertilizer blocks the penetration of light into the water column which reduces the photosynthesis that occurs in the water, which (along with decomposition) reduces the amount of oxygen in the water which is detrimental of to oxygen-requiring life.
Question 4
What has happened to fish populations as a result, primarily, of commercial fishing activity?
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ASome commercial fish species are exhibiting faster growth rates.
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BThere has been a decline in population sizes of commercial fish stocks.
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CThere has been a decrease in the levels of toxins found in the flesh of fish that we eat.
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DThere has been directional selection favoring larger fish.
There has been a decline in population sizes of commercial fish stocks.
Not only have the population sizes of fish stocks been reduced by overfishing, but the historic tendency to harvest the larger members of a species has led to directional selection leading the remaining fish to be, not only smaller but to have lower fertility.
Question 5
An introduced/invasive species _____.
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Acan easily be removed from the community at a later date
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Bare never able to establish themselves in the new habitat
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Cstabilizes the structure of the native community
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Dmay disrupt the native community
may disrupt the native community
Introduced/native species may not have predators in the new environment. The result can be their out-competing native species and causing a complete disruption of the native community.
Question 6
Melting of the permafrost _____ the atmosphere.
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Aremoves CFCs from
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Breleases sulfur dioxide from
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Cincreases the release of more of the same gases that led to the melting of the permafrost in
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Dcounteracts the release of greenhouse gases into
increases the release of more of the same gases that led to the melting of the permafrost in
Melting of the permafrost allows for the decomposition of previously frozen organic matter. This decomposition releases global warming gases into the atmosphere. Thus, global warming promotes additional global warming.
Question 7
Increasing global temperatures _____.
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Awill increase the food supply
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Bwill promote events that lead to a further increase in global temperature
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Cwill lower sea levels
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Dincrease water availability
will promote events that lead to a further increase in global temperature
Global warming creates a positive feedback loop. For example, the melting of glaciers that is caused by increasing temperatures promotes the absorption of heat.
Question 8
The unregulated withdrawal of water from water sources will ultimately lead to _____.
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Azombification
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Breforestation
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Cdesertification
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Dsoil conservation
desertification
With the withdrawal of water comes the loss of plant life. This leads to desertification.
Question 9
Carbon dioxide traps heat and warms the atmosphere. This is known as the __________ effect.
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Acarbon dioxide
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Bgreenhouse
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Ccarbon
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Dsummer
greenhouse
Carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and carbon monoxide are all example of gases that are playing a role in the warming Earth that is known as the greehouse effect.
Question 10
Sulfur-rich fossil fuels _____.
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Acause less harm to the environment than other fossil fuels
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Bcontribute to global cooling
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Ccontribute to acid rain
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Ddeplete the ozone layer
contribute to acid rain
Water in the atmospere plus sulfur dioxide emitted when sulfur-rich fossil fuels are burned equals sulfuric acid rain.
Question 11
The amount of ultraviolet radiation hitting Earth's surface is greatly reduced by which gas in the atmosphere?
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ACarbon monoxide
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BCarbon dioxide
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CMethane
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DOzone
Ozone
Due to regulations that have reduced the emission of ozone-destroying gases, the ozone layer has been recovering.
Question 12
Which of the following would promote the intensity of a hurricane?
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ADeep warm water
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BDeep cold water
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CShallow cold water
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DA mangrove forest
Deep warm water
This will occur as glacial melting increases sea level and the global warming that caused this melting increases the temperature of the oceans.
Question 13
Deforestation _____.
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Aallows for the growth of younger trees thereby decreasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
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Ballows for primary succession
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Cfollowed by using the land for farming acts to counterbalance global warming
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Dincreases soil erosion
increases soil erosion
But, if properly managed, may act as a carbon sink.
Question 14
The increase in the concentration of a toxin such as DDT (Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) in the tissues of organisms as it is passed up a food chain is called _____.
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Aaccretion
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Bbiological magnification
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Cmaximization
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Daccumulation
biological magnification
Such biological magnification of DDT as it is paced through the food web nearly caused the extinction of the bald eagle.
Question 15
Which of the following statements concerning the role of fire in ecosystems is true?
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AForest fires are extremely destructive to all ecosystems and should be put out as quickly as possible.
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BFire is essential to the maintenance of certain ecosystems.
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CIn North America, prior to the arrival of European settlers, fire did not have an impact on community structure.
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DFire is not an important factor in developing and maintaining certain ecosystems.
Fire is essential to the maintenance of certain ecosystems.
Eliminate fire and grasslands become forests. Some trees have seeds that will not germinate unless they have been through a fire.
Question 16
Which of the following is an expected consequence of global warming?
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AIncreased access to fresh water
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BIncreased agricultural yield in the tropics
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CEradication of tropical diseases
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DCoral death
Coral death
Increased ocean temperatures kill coral reefs. Also, the addition of carbon dioxide to water lower the pH of the water. This acidification of the oceans also harms coral reefs (as well as other oceanic life).
Question 17
The methane belched by cattle _____.
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Acontributes to acid precipitation
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Bcontribute to global warming
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Cwas once used as an energy source
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Dwas once used as pesticides
contribute to global warming
Methane is a greenhouse gas. Cattle belch to get rid of extra gas in their stomachs.
Question 18
Which of these processes removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere?
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ADeforestation
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BPhotosynthesis
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CBurning coal for energy
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DBurning oil for energy
Photosynthesis
Plants use carbon dioxide in the manufacture of organic compounds.
Question 19
Globally, ice sheets and glaciers are _____.
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Aincreasing in size
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Bcomposed of sea water
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Cstable
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Dmelting
melting
The melting of glaciers and ice sheets are increasing sea levels and having an impact on global climate.
Question 20
Which of the following is most likely to contain high levels of contaminants such as mercury?
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AShrimp
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BSalmon
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CTilapia
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DShark
Shark
As a result of biological magnification, organisms that feed higher on the food chain will contain higher concentrations of mercury.
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