Practice Exam 2 - Environmental Science - page 274

94. E Using alternative, renewable energy sources is one way the levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide
could be reduced. The main contributor of carbon dioxide emissions is fossil fuel combustion, which
shifts the lithospheric carbon into the atmosphere, increasing concentrations of the greenhouse gas, thus
contributing to climate change.
95. C Dividing the amount of total remaining reserves (84 billion barrels) by the annual rate of production
(4 billion barrels) yields a reserves-to-production ratio of 21 years.
96. D All the choices listed are considered negative consequences of the Industrial Revolution as it relates
to agriculture. With improvements in technology and efficiencies of farming, large monocultures were
created. This, in turn, reduced biodiversity in the areas. Also, the technological advancements included
the use of machinery run on fossil fuels, which produce greenhouse gas emissions.
97. B Marine protected areas (MPAs) are created with the goal of protecting fisheries and the biodiversity
of the area. Some MPAs allow harvesting of marine organisms, while others do not allow any commer-
cial or recreational fishing. Worldwide, there are over 400 MPAs. The network of MPAs created off the
coast of California from Mexico to Santa Barbara was approved in December 2010.
98. B The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for protecting resources and supervising the
use of public lands.
99. E The Forest Service manages public lands located within national forests and grasslands, with the
goal of protecting the land and its resources.
100. C The main focus of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the protection of both human
health and the environment. This is done through the creation and enforcement of regulations based on
established laws pertaining to the environment.
Section II: Free-Response Explanations
1. This question is worth a maximum of 10 points, as follows:
A. Explain two reasons why coral reefs are being threatened worldwide (2 points maximum):
• 1 point: Overfishing affects the biodiversity of coral reef communities, altering the food chain and
causing far-reaching impacts even beyond the reef.
• 1 point: Coral bleaching is caused by an increase in water temperatures and by pollution.
• 1 point: Tourism such as boating, diving, snorkeling, and fishing can harm reefs if people touch or
collect the coral, disturb sediment, or otherwise impact the reef (for example, by dropping anchors).
Some tourist resorts and infrastructure have been built directly on reefs, and some empty sewage or
other waste directly into water around coral reefs.
• 1 point: Pollution from manufacturing waste, sewage, agricultural chemicals, and oil extraction and
refining are toxic to reefs.
• 1 point: Excess nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus can cause eutrophication around a coral
reef, depleting the oxygen in the aquatic environment and depriving the coral of the oxygen it needs
to survive.
• 1 point: Erosion caused by construction, mining, logging, and farming leads to increased sediment in
rivers. This sediment ends up in the ocean, where it can inhibit sunlight from reaching corals.
• 1 point: Harmful fishing practices such as cyanide fishing, dynamite fishing, and bottom trawling.
• 1 point: The extraction of live coral from reefs, which is used as bricks, road fill, or cement. Corals
are also sold as souvenirs to tourists and for export.