The Human Footprint
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Problem 1
Explain why the northern United States experiences a cold season in winter and a warm season in summer.Problem 2
Add labels to the figure that follows, which illustrates how various factors influence local climate.
Problem 3
An ecological footprint . a. is the position an individual holds in the ecological food chain; b. estimates the total land area required to support a particular person or human population; c. is equal to the size of a human population; d. helps determine the most appropriate wastewater treatment plan for a community; e. is often smaller than the actual land footprint of residences in a city
Problem 4
Areas of low solar irradiation are . a. closer to the equator than to the poles; b. closer to the poles than the equator; c. at high altitudes; d. close to large bodies of water; e. more than one of the above is correctProblem 5
The solar equator, the region of Earth where the sun is directly overhead, moves from 23.5°N to 23.5°S latitudes and back over the course of a year. Why? a. Earth wobbles on its axis during the year; b. The position of the poles changes by this amount annually; c. Earth's axis is 23.5° from perpendicular to the rays of the sun; d. Earth moves 23.5° toward the sun in summer and 23.5° away from the sun in winter; e. Ocean currents carry heat from the tropical ocean north in summer and south in winterProblem 6
Which of the following biomes is most common on Earth's land surface? a. chaparral; b. desert; c. temperate forest; d. tundra; e. boreal forestProblem 7
Tundra is found . a. where average temperatures are low and growing seasons are short; b. near the poles; c. at high altitudes; d. A and B are correct; e. A, B, and C are correctProblem 8
Which statement best describes the desert biome? a. It is found wherever temperatures are high; b. It contains a larger amount of biomass per unit area than any other biome; c. Its dominant vegetation is adapted to conserve water; d. Most are located at the equator; e. It is not suitable for human habitationProblem 9
Which of the following biomes has a structure made up primarily of the mineral deposits secreted by its dominant organisms? a. coral reefs; b. freshwater lakes; c. rivers; d. estuaries; e. oceansProblem 10
Which of the following actions can reduce humanity's ecological footprint? a. reducing our dependence on fossil fuels; b. reducing meat consumption; c. living in higher density settlements; d. better management of human wastewater; e. all of the above
Problem 12
Most of the nutrients available for plant growth in an ecosystem are . a. deposited in rain; b. made available through the recycling of decomposers; c. maintained within that ecosystem over time; d. B and C are correct; e. A, B, and C are correct