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32
HUMAN IMPACT
AND THE
BIOSPHERE
CHAPTER REVIEW
Land, water, food, energy, and minerals are maximally used
by humans. Water and food are renewable resources as are
some energy resources, such as wind and solar energy.
Pollution can be harmful to biodiversity, but the
chief cause of biodiversity loss today is loss of habitat.
Biodiversity has direct value (for example, medicines
are derived from living organisms) and indirect value to
keep the biosphere functioning. Therefore, in the interest of all living things including ourselves, we should
work toward a sustainable society.
CHAPTER KEY TERMS
After studying the key terms of this chapter, match the phrases below with the alphabetized list of terms.
aquifer
nonrenewable resources
biodiversity
photovoltaic (solar) cell
biological magnification
pollution
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
renewable resources
deforestation
salinization
desertification
saltwater intrusion
fossil fuel
subsidence
greenhouse gases
sustainable society
mineral
a. ability of an ecosystem to maintain itself while also providing services to human beings _____________________
b. removal of trees from a forest in a way that ever reduces the size of the forest _______________________
c. naturally occurring inorganic substance containing two or more elements _______________________
d. any environmental change that adversely affects the environment and the lives and health of living things
_______________________
e. process in which mineral salts accumulate in the soil _______________________
f. minerals, fossil fuels, and other materials present in essentially fixed amounts in our environment
_______________________
g. total number of species, the variability of their genes, and the ecosystems in which they live _______________________
h. organic compounds that can deplete the ozone shield by releasing chlorine atoms in the upper atmosphere
_______________________
i. gases that allow sun’s rays to pass through and then trap the heat _______________________
j. rock layers that contain water and will release it in appreciable quantities to wells or springs _______________________
k. energy-conversion device that captures solar energy and directly converts it to electrical current
_______________________
l. resources normally replaced or replenished by natural processes _______________________
m. denuding and degrading a once-fertile land until it has the attributes of a desert _______________________
n. movement of salt water into freshwater aquifers in coastal areas where groundwater is withdrawn faster than
it is replenished _______________________
o. remains of once-living organisms that are burned to release energy _______________________
p. occurs when a portion of the Earth’s surface gradually settles downward _______________________
q. process by which nonexcreted substances become more concentrated in organisms in the higher trophic levels of the food chain _______________________
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S T U DY E X E R C I S E S
Study the text section by section as you answer the questions that follow.
32.1 RESOURCES
AND
POLLUTION (PP. 576–587)
• The five resources maximally utilized by humans are land, water, food, energy, and minerals.
1. What, in general, causes pollution? __________________________________________________________________
2. Place an X beside the example(s) of nonrenewable resource consumption:
a.
Joe pulled into the gas station and filled up the gas tank.
b.
Then he stopped for a hamburger on his way home.
c.
Joe had a shower before turning in for the night.
d.
He decided to go to sleep while listening to the radio.
LAND (PP. 577–578)
• Human habitation of coasts, semiarid lands, and forests contributes to erosion, pollution, desertification, and
loss of biodiversity.
3. Name two benefits of not developing beaches.
a. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
b. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
4. When people live on semiarid lands or in deforested tropical rain forests, it is often subjected to
__________________ and becomes useless for human habitation.
WATER (PP. 578–579)
• Humans increase the freshwater supply by damming rivers and taking water from aquifers.
5. Which of these uses the most fresh water?
a.
industry
b.
agriculture
c.
home use
6. Name three drawbacks to using dams to get water for irrigation.
a. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
b. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
c. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
7. What are the consequences of removing more water from aquifers than can be recharged by normal means?
a. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
b. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
FOOD (PP. 580–582)
• Modern farming methods increase the food supply, but include harmful practices, which can result in soil loss,
desertification, and salinization.
8. Name four characteristics of modern farming methods and the potential drawback of each.
a. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
b. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
c. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
d. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
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9. Name three ecological/societal benefits if all humans became vegetarians?
a. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
b. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
c. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
ENERGY (PP. 583–585)
• The greatest percentage of the world’s energy supply today comes from fossil fuels, which emit pollutants
into the air when burned.
• In the future, the world may depend on renewable energy supplies.
10. The burning of fossil fuels adds
a. __________________
to the air and is believed to be causing global
b. __________________.
11. Renewable types of energy include
d. __________________.
a. __________________, b. __________________, c. __________________,
and
Of these, which holds the most promise? e. __________________
12. What is the solar-hydrogen revolution? _______________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
MINERALS (P. 586)
• Minerals are nonrenewable resources that are subject to depletion by practices such as mining.
13. Name several metals that humans mine from the Earth. _________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
14.
a. __________________
mining of minerals leads to destruction of natural areas, and when metals are disposed
of improperly, it leads to human b. __________________.
OTHER SOURCES
OF
POLLUTION (PP. 586–587)
• Solid wastes, sewage, and industrial wastes cause pollution of fresh and marine waters; certain wastes can
undergo biological magnification in the food chain.
15. Which of these are industrial wastes that can lead to human illness?
a.
heavy metals (lead)
b.
organic compounds (PCBs)
c.
pesticides and herbicides
16. Study the adjacent diagram and answer the
questions.
a. The diagram illustrates what process? _____
_______________________________________
great blue heron
b. Which type of organism, the algae or the
great blue heron, contains more of the
pollutant per biomass? _____________________
c. Why? _________________________________
sunfish
_______________________________________
17. If excess nutrients from an agricultural field or
from a sewage treatment plant enter the water,
fishkill can occur. Why? ___________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_________________________________________
312
mayfly nymph
algae
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32.2 BIODIVERSITY (PP. 588–591)
• Habitat loss, introduction of exotic species, pollution, overexploitation, and disease threaten biodiversity.
• Biodiversity has both direct and indirect values.
18. Give an example of the value of biodiversity to:
a. medicine _________________________________________________________
b. agriculture ________________________________________________________
c. consumptive use ___________________________________________________
19. Place an X beside all those areas that are NOT at all dependent on biodiversity:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
ecotourism
prevention of soil erosion
biogeochemical cycles
provision of fresh water
waste disposal
regulation of climate
20. Based on your answer to question 19, the conclusion is that biodiversity has _____________ (much or little)
indirect value.
32.3 WORKING TOWARD
A
SUSTAINABLE SOCIETY (P. 592)
• A sustainable society provides the same goods and services in the future as it does now, while preserving
biodiversity.
• A sustainable society would be like a natural ecosystem, using renewable solar energy and cycling materials
back to the producers.
21. Place an X beside those features that characterize today’s unsustainable society:
a.
destruction of natural ecosystems
b.
agricultural practices that are wasteful; cause pollution; human illness
c.
growing crops to feed animals
d.
overuse of fresh water from aquifers
e.
dependence on fossil fuel energy
f.
wasteful use of minerals, the mining of which causes environmental degradation and the disposal of
which can cause human illness
22. In general, our “throw-away” society is characterized by a high a. __________________ of renewable energy and
raw materials and a large output of b. __________________ and energy in the form of heat. In contrast, a
sustainable society would use c. __________________ energy sources and would d. __________________ materials
to reduce the amount of e. __________________.
23. Study the adjacent diagram of a sustainable
society and answer the questions:
renewable
energy
materials
A sustainable society would be characterized by
the use of a. __________________ energy sources,
maximal recycling of b. __________________ for
reuse, and maximal recycling of
c. __________________
processing and
manufacturing
maximal recycling
for reprocessing.
waste
energy
(heat)
waste
materials
products
maximal recycling
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K E Y WO R D C RO S S WO R D
Review key terms by completing this crossword puzzle, using the following alphabetized list of terms:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
aquifer
biodiversity
deforestation
greenhouse gases
mineral
nonrenewable
pollution
renewable
salinization
saltwater intrusion
subsidence
sustainable
10
11
12
Across
1 resources present in essentially fixed amounts in
our environment
6 removal of trees from a forest in a way that ever
reduces the size of the forest
7 rock layers that contain water and will release it in
appreciable quantities to wells or springs
8 occurs when a portion of the Earth’s surface gradually settles downward
10 naturally occurring inorganic substance containing two or more elements
11 gases in the atmosphere that are involved in global
warming (two words)
12 process in which mineral salts accumulate in the
soil
314
Down
2 total number of species, the variability of their
genes, and the ecosystems in which they live
3 resources normally replaced or replenished by natural processes
4 movement of salt water into freshwater aquifers
(two words)
5 any environmental change that adversely affects
the lives and health of living things
9 society that has the ability to maintain itself
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CHAPTER TEST
OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS
Do not refer to the text when taking this test.
1. Which of the following is a renewable resource?
a. fossil fuel
b. minerals
c. water
d. land
2. Which does not contribute to beach erosion?
a. construction of dams
b. cooler climate
c. filling in wetlands
d. construction of sea walls
3. The most common cause of desertification is
a. overgrazing.
b. drought.
c. mining.
d. construction of dams.
4. Why is deforestation often followed by desertification?
a. low rainfall in forest regions
b. poor soil quality in forest regions
c. decrease in oxygen production following deforestation
d. accumulation of carbon dioxide following deforestation
5. Development of rain forests for human habitation leads to
a. deforestation.
b. resource depletion.
c. loss of biodiversity.
d. All of these are correct.
6. How is most fresh water used?
a. drinking and cooking
b. flushing toilets
c. crop irrigation
d. industrial purposes
7. Damming of rivers can lead to
a. water loss through evaporation.
b. sediment buildup in reservoirs.
c. increased salinity of water.
d. All of these are correct.
8. Saltwater intrusion results from
a. beach erosion.
b. aquifer depletion.
c. damming of rivers.
d. excessive irrigation.
9. The settling of soil as it drys out due to aquifer
drainage is called
a. environmental inversion.
b. salinization.
c. intrusion.
d. land subsidence.
10. Why does monoculture agriculture entail greater
risk than planting a variety of crops?
a. Monocultures use more water.
b. Monocultures require more fertilizer.
c. Monocultures are vulnerable to a single type
of parasite.
d. Monocultures require large quantities of dangerous pesticides.
11. Salinization of farm land results from
a. excessive irrigation.
b. monoculturing.
c. herbicide usage.
d. topsoil depletion.
12. The result of the Green Revolution was the
a. protection of species diversity.
b. conservation of topsoil.
c. introduction of high-yield crops to lessdeveloped countries.
d. increased reliance on polyculture agriculture.
13. How do modern fishing practices threaten biodiversity?
a. physical destruction of habitat
b. removal of community’s food supply
c. chemical poisoning of the water
d. accidental capture of unwanted species
14. What prevents nuclear power from supplying a
greater proportion of the world’s energy needs?
a. concern about nuclear power dangers
b. difficulty in storing radioactive wastes
c. excessive pollutants released into the air from
power plants
d. Both a and b are correct.
15. Which energy source supplies the greatest proportion of the renewable energy supply in the
United States?
a. geothermal energy
b. hydropower
c. nuclear energy
d. wind power
16. Which factors influence the rate of mineral depletion?
a. rate of mineral usage
b. possibility of mineral recycling
c. discovery of new mineral reserves
d. All of these are correct.
17. Biodiversity, a rich and valuable resource, includes
a. genetic diversity.
b. species richness.
c. diverse communities and ecosystems.
d. All of these are correct.
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18. Humans threaten to cause a mass extinction when
they participate in which of these habitatdestroying activities?
a. deforestation of tropical rain forests
b. river damming and diversion
c. lake pollution and eutrophication
d. All of these are correct.
19. Which of these is an indirect value of biodiversity?
a. medicinal value
b. consumptive use value
c. regulation of climate
d. Both a and b are correct.
CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS
The introduction to this chapter is about the Biosphere 2 experiment.
20. What was the conclusion to the Biosphere 2 experiment? ____________________________________________________
21. What benefit did the experiment have? ______________________________________________________________________
22. How might you make others aware of the need to preserve biodiversity and the biosphere for the benefit of
humans? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Test Results: ______ number correct ÷ 22 = ______ × 100 = ______ %
EXPLORING
THE
INTERNET
ARIS, the Essentials of Biology website: http://www.mhhe.com/essentials
ARIS, the website for Essentials of Biology, offers access to a wide variety of tools to help students learn biological
concepts and to reinforce their knowledge. Online study aids such as practice quizzes, interactive activities, animations, labeling exercises, flashcards, and much more are organized according to the major sections of each chapter.
There is even an online tutorial service!
ANSWER KEY
CHAPTER KEY TERMS
a. sustainable society b. deforestation c. mineral
d. pollution e. salinization f. nonrenewable resources
g. biodiversity h. CFCs i. greenhouse gases j. aquifer
k. photovoltaic cell l. renewable resources m. desertification
n. saltwater intrusion o. fossil fuel p. subsidence q. biological magnification
STUDY EXERCISES
1. resource consumption 2. a,d 3. a. helps prevent
beach erosion b. preserves habitats, especially for juvenile aquatic species 4. desertification 5. b
6. a. loss of water due to evaporation and seepage b. Salt
builds up, making rivers too salty. c. Sediment buildup
may make dams useless. 7. a. land subsidence b. saltwater intrusion 8. a. planting few genetic varieties—
can lead to devastation by one particular parasite b. heavy
use of fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides—contribute
to water pollution and are harmful to human health
c. generous irrigation—overuse of water from aquifers
d. excessive fuel consumption—air pollution 9. a. less
topsoil loss b. more food for other humans c. less water
pollution from animal sewage 10. a. pollution b. warming 11. a. hydropower b. wind power c. geothermal
d. solar e. solar 12. the use of solar power to produce
hydrogen and the use of hydrogen instead of fossil fuels
to power vehicles 13. aluminum, copper, iron, lead,
and gold 14. a. Surface b. illness 15. a,b,c 16. a. biomagnification b. great blue heron c. The pollutant becomes concentrated as it moves up the food chain.
17. Algae grow and die off; decomposition robs the water
of oxygen, and fish die. 18. a. Rosy periwinkle is a
source of a cancer medicine. b. Crops are derived from
wild species. c. Fish are caught in the wild. 19. None
should be checked because all are dependent on biodiversity.
20. much 21. a, b, c, d, e, f 22. a. input b. waste materials c. renewable d. recycle e. waste materials
23. a. renewable b. products c. wastes
KEYWORD CROSSWORD
1
N
O
N
R
N
E
W
A
2
B
L
3
R
E
4
I
5
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S
6
P
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F
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A
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T
W
V
W
A
E
A
B
D
7
L
A
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8
S
I
9
U
B
S
I
D
E
N
C
T
U
R
T
L
I
S
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E
E
I
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O
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N
A
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I
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I
10
N
M
I
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A
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B
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E
R
E
S
U
11
G
R
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N
H
O
U
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G
A
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I
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12
S
316
E
A
L
I
N
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Z
A
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L
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CHAPTER TEST
1. c 2. b 3. a 4. b 5. d 6. c 7. d 8. b 9. d
10. c 11. a 12. c 13. d 14. d 15. b 16. d
17. d 18. d 19. c 20. Humans are not able to build
a sustainable ecosystem. 21. an appreciation for the
Earth’s biosphere 22. Answers can vary.
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Notes
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Notes