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DSST Environmental Science: Land Use

Subjects : dsst, science
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. Soy beans have been genetically modified for better traits. 'Round up Ready' soy beans have made it so that weed killer 'round up' can be sprayed around the plants and kill all the weeds but not the soy bean plants. 'round up ready soy beans' were cr






2. Technology that has vastly increased the amount of food production since the agricultural revolution; currently 1 farmer for every 129 eaters






3. Food assistance given to an area. Can take away the incentive to produce food in that area. Distribution is an issue.






4. In the last 100 years - humans have doubled the amount of organic nitrogen in the biosphere by artificial synthesis of ammonia.






5. Fertilizers - promote plant growth by providing essential nutrients like nitrogen or phosphorus; increases crop yield - Combines/Machinery - allows farmers to work much faster and more efficiently; increases crop yield - Pesticides - kill insects - p






6. By far the best method for managing pests - Uses chemical pesticides - biocontrol - AND diversity - Not monoculture; things are planted in a mosaic so that if pests attack all of the corn in one area there is still more corn somewhere else - Proven t






7. The FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) examine the practices of firms and rate them against criteria for sustainability - Grant sustainable forest certification to forests - companies - and products produced using methods they consider sustainable.






8. There is now more nitrate in the soil and water than ever - sometimes at unsafe levels - Corn harvests have improved






9. Maximum Sustainable Yield - Ecosystem-based Management - Adaptive Management






10. Recycle batteries - Send large amounts of metal to scrap yards/businesses instead of to landfills (ex. cars - fridges - dishwashers - etc.) - Recycle old electronics like phones and computers to prevent more mining of minerals like tantalum that are






11. (Insecticides - Herbicides/ Fungicides) - Artificial chemicals used to kill pests/ insects/plants/fungi






12. Combination of different pest management techniques combined in a specific way best for the place they are being used.






13. A single piece of land gardened collectively by a group of people.






14. More expensive then clear cutting - leaves rows of trees for reseeding/ future harvesting.






15. Advantages: removes the least amount of unwanted material so less waste - Disadvantages: potential collapse; sinkholes; acid drainage; pollutes groundwater; risk of injury/death from dynamite blasts - natural gas explosions - inhalation of toxic gass






16. A mining technique that involves digging a gigantic hole and removing the desire ORE - along with waste rock that surrounds the ore.






17. The uniform planting of a single crop






18. Manages resource harvesting so as to minimize impact on ecosystem and ecological processes that provide the resource - Advantages: can protect certain areas; can restore habitats; considers surroundings; allows timber harvesting while preserving inte






19. A severe shortage of food (as through crop failure) resulting in violent hunger and starvation and death






20. Systematically tests different approaches and aims to improve methods and find ideal over time - Advantages: can be highly effective; works with each specific environment; can protect species; can provide minimum impact - Disadvantages: difficult to






21. Worthless material that surrounds a wanted mineral in an ore deposit.






22. Malachite contains sulfides which become strongly acidic when mixed with water and thus pollutes water






23. Strip mining - open pit mining - mountain top removal






24. Technology was not able to profitably remove the copper from the malachite






25. Now makes up 80% of corn in the US - Benefits: Contains naturally occurring pesticide - Increases production - could feed more people - Grow more per square area - Doesn't spoil as quickly - Bigger - tastier






26. Harvesting only mature trees of certain species and size; usually more expensive then clear-cutting but it is less disruptive for wildlife and often better for forest regeneration






27. Controversial logging practice where all trees in an area are uniformly cut down - used by foresters to create certain types of forest ecosystems and to promote select species that requires an abudnace of sunlight or grow in large - even--age stands






28. The golden molecule for plants because it makes them grow - Leagues have special nitrogen fixing bacteria in their rhizomes (roots) - Three covalent bonds for N2. Stronger the covalent bonds - the harder it is to react. Nitrogen gas is inert.






29. One farmer=100 eaters.






30. Completely missing something






31. Can hurt other species - methods used to control other species can become invasive species themselves - Ex. Australia released a virus to kill the excessive rabbits; Australians brought in cane toads to kill beetles on their sugar cane - BUT the toa






32. Corn yield has increased dramatically in the US since the 1920s because it was in the 1920s that GM corn started to be developed






33. To reclaim is to make things level - and to get something growing and prevent erosion - If the U.S were to try to reclaim - it would cost tax payers about 2 trillion dollars.






34. Do not naturally occur in the environment - but are synthesized by man. Since all these compounds have carbon and hydrogen atoms as the basis of their molecule (as do living plants and animals) - they are referred to as organic compounds to form pest






35. Foods derived from genetically modified organisms. Genetically modified organisms have had specific changes introduced into their DNA by genetic engineering techniques. include selective breeding; plant breeding. Typically - genetically modified food






36. A variation of clear-cutting in which a strip of trees is clear-cut along the contour of the land - with the corridor narrow enough to allow natural regeneration within a few years. After regeneration - another strip is cut above the first - and so o






37. Organic macromolecules hardest to provide during a famine






38. When sulfide minerals in newly exposed rock surfaces react with oxygen and rainwater to produce sulfuric acid - causing runoff as it leaches metals from the rocks






39. The use of heavy machinery to remove huge amounts of earth to expose COAL or MINERALS - which are mined out directly.






40. The surface soil that must be moved away to get at coal seams and mineral deposits






41. Nicotine - Alcohol - Cocaine - if it can kill you - it can kill other living things.






42. A mineral or grouping of minerals from which we extract metals - most metals are found in ore - Copper - iron - lead gold - and aluminum - Used in electronic components of computers - cell phones - DVD players.






43. Genetically engineered using recombinant DNA






44. A naturally occurring solid element or inorganic compound with a crystal structure - a specific chemical composition - and distinct physical properties.






45. Having not enough of something






46. Locally-based socio-economic model of agriculture and food distribution. also refers to a particular network or association of individuals who have pledged to support one or more local farms - with growers and consumers sharing the risks and benefits






47. Cheap - But - removes all overburden (trees - soil - rocks - etc.); obliterates natural communities b/c everything has been removed; leads to erosion; causes sulfuric acid run-off;






48. Makes money - remove resources from its original location - Firewood - Paper - Lumber - Charocoal - Gem - Hunting - Medicine






49. Cutting the trees down - burning them. Nutrients from the ash go to soil. You have a farmland for ranching cattle or farming soybeans.






50. Not enough of some vitamin/mineral/essential thing in food