BS Environmental Science 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is biodiversity?
- The variety of life forms within a given ecosystem or on Earth (Correct answer)
- The total number of individual organisms in a population
- The rate at which species evolve over time
- The geographic distribution of a single species
Correct answer: The variety of life forms within a given ecosystem or on Earth
Biodiversity refers to the variety of life, including species diversity, genetic diversity, and ecosystem diversity.
Question 2: What is the primary cause of the greenhouse effect?
- Accumulation of gases like CO2 and methane that trap heat in the atmosphere (Correct answer)
- Depletion of the ozone layer allowing UV radiation in
- Increased solar radiation reaching Earth's surface
- Cooling of the oceans due to ice melt
Correct answer: Accumulation of gases like CO2 and methane that trap heat in the atmosphere
Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor absorb and re-emit infrared radiation, warming Earth's atmosphere.
Question 3: Which human activity is the largest contributor to deforestation in the US?
- Agricultural expansion and land clearing for farming (Correct answer)
- Urban residential development
- Mining and mineral extraction
- Recreational tourism
Correct answer: Agricultural expansion and land clearing for farming
Converting forests to agricultural land, including for crops and livestock grazing, is the primary driver of deforestation globally and in the US.
Question 4: What is an ecosystem?
- A community of living organisms interacting with their physical environment (Correct answer)
- A collection of organisms of the same species in an area
- The non-living components of a habitat
- A classification level between kingdom and phylum
Correct answer: A community of living organisms interacting with their physical environment
An ecosystem encompasses all living organisms (biotic) and their interactions with the physical environment (abiotic) in a particular area.
Question 5: What does the term 'carbon footprint' refer to?
- The total greenhouse gas emissions caused by an individual, organization, or activity (Correct answer)
- The physical area of land needed to absorb CO2 emissions
- The amount of carbon stored in soil and vegetation
- The carbon cycle's effect on ocean chemistry
Correct answer: The total greenhouse gas emissions caused by an individual, organization, or activity
A carbon footprint measures the total greenhouse gas emissions, expressed as CO2 equivalents, associated with a person, product, or process.
Question 6: Which of the following is a renewable energy source?
- Solar energy (Correct answer)
- Natural gas
- Coal
- Nuclear fission
Correct answer: Solar energy
Solar energy is renewable because it is continuously replenished by the sun, unlike fossil fuels which are finite.
BS Environmental Science 1
What is biodiversity?