Bio 121 Exam 1 UPDATED Questions and
CORRECT Answers
Ecology - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- is the study of the structure, function, and interactions
among natural systems in the biosphere.
Abiotic - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- factors are non-living physical conditions such as
weather, climate, geological characteristics and phenomena, and geographical structure.
Biotic factors are those 'living' characteristics of the environment such as organisms and their
products.
biosphere - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- The biosphere is the area on Earth where life may
exist. The physical platform for the biosphere is created by the atmosphere (mixture of gases
enveloping the Earth), hydrosphere (the water component of Earth), and lithosphere (the
Earth's crust and upper mantle).
What component of the biosphere do you think could be damaged most easily by human
activities? C) Explain why. - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- The atmosphere is the most fragile
of the three physical spheres and it has the most immediate impact on life. The hydrosphere
also is subject to impact, but it is more resilient and able to absorb more abuse before obvious
degradation appears.
The atmosphere is constantly exchanging gases and other materials with the planet and space.
These exchanges are often rapid. The atmosphere is very thin, and has a lower capacity to
absorb and process pollutants than the other two spheres. It also has the greatest and most
immediate impact on life on Earth, for it acts as a shield and 'blanket' protecting and warming
the Earth.
) Name the 5 main environmental problems (from the notes). B) Which one is considered to
be the root of all the others? C) Explain why. - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- Pollution,
Depletion of natural resources, Changes in global conditions, War, Overpopulation.
(&C) Overpopulation is the root of all the other problems because as the population increases
it puts increasing pressure on natural resource use, increases the amounts of pollution, which
increases the rate of global changes. Also, as the population increases there is more conflict
over land and natural resources, and warfare is a massive waste of resources and produces
much pollution.
Explain what ecosystem services are and why they are important to your life. - CORRECT
ANSWER✔✔- Ecosystem Services are the natural processes that occur in ecosystems which
, provide 'services' which allow human existence. These natural cycles have always occurred,
and humans have 'used' these services for survival.
These services include purifying water, air, soil, regulating the climate, producing the
resources required to grow our food, and removing wastes.
Human activities may disrupt or destroy these processes to the detriment of organisms living
in the ecosystem, including the humans.
Differentiate (describe the differences) between the environmental ethics of Ecocentrism,
Biocentrism, and Anthropocentrism. B) Which of these ideas most closely describes your
environmental ethic, and explain why. - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- Ecocentrism is the belief
that actions should be taken to preserve and protect ecological systems and all the biotic and
abiotic components therein. This is a holistic approach that looks at a very large scale of
influence. Ecocentric actions would work to preserve ecosystem services.
Biocentric persons believe that all living things have inherent value and should be protected
and preserved regardless of human desires.They would support actions which promoted
various components of ecosystems which support all life.
Anthropocentrism is a belief that human needs outweigh all other interests in the
environment. They disregard and devalue non-human life and support actions which benefit
humans regardless of their impact on other life forms. All activities should be for the benefit
of humans
Which would you predict to be more sustainable... an Agrarian or Industrial society? Explain
your reasoning. - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- In general, agrarian societies are more
sustainable because they operate on a cyclical, sustainable framework that rejuvenates itself
rather than the linear, non-sustainable system of industrial societies.
Agrarian systems are sustainable because they are solar-powered. They also return (recycle)
unused or 'waste' materials back into the flow of energy and materials making them a
renewable resource, contributing to the natural cycle (like ecosystems). Industrial systems
extract resources, consume energy and materials, and then discard wastes without recycling
them back into the resource 'bank'.
Explain why the biosphere is essentially solar-powered. - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- The
Sun supplies heat that warms the planet (with the help of the atmosphere acting as a
'blanket'), maintaining areas of liquid water and keeping temperatures in the ranges able to
support life.
The Sun's heat and radiation drives the hydrologic cycle and atmospheric weather systems
that distribute heat and water across the planet. This provides water and energy to life forms
everywhere.
CORRECT Answers
Ecology - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- is the study of the structure, function, and interactions
among natural systems in the biosphere.
Abiotic - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- factors are non-living physical conditions such as
weather, climate, geological characteristics and phenomena, and geographical structure.
Biotic factors are those 'living' characteristics of the environment such as organisms and their
products.
biosphere - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- The biosphere is the area on Earth where life may
exist. The physical platform for the biosphere is created by the atmosphere (mixture of gases
enveloping the Earth), hydrosphere (the water component of Earth), and lithosphere (the
Earth's crust and upper mantle).
What component of the biosphere do you think could be damaged most easily by human
activities? C) Explain why. - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- The atmosphere is the most fragile
of the three physical spheres and it has the most immediate impact on life. The hydrosphere
also is subject to impact, but it is more resilient and able to absorb more abuse before obvious
degradation appears.
The atmosphere is constantly exchanging gases and other materials with the planet and space.
These exchanges are often rapid. The atmosphere is very thin, and has a lower capacity to
absorb and process pollutants than the other two spheres. It also has the greatest and most
immediate impact on life on Earth, for it acts as a shield and 'blanket' protecting and warming
the Earth.
) Name the 5 main environmental problems (from the notes). B) Which one is considered to
be the root of all the others? C) Explain why. - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- Pollution,
Depletion of natural resources, Changes in global conditions, War, Overpopulation.
(&C) Overpopulation is the root of all the other problems because as the population increases
it puts increasing pressure on natural resource use, increases the amounts of pollution, which
increases the rate of global changes. Also, as the population increases there is more conflict
over land and natural resources, and warfare is a massive waste of resources and produces
much pollution.
Explain what ecosystem services are and why they are important to your life. - CORRECT
ANSWER✔✔- Ecosystem Services are the natural processes that occur in ecosystems which
, provide 'services' which allow human existence. These natural cycles have always occurred,
and humans have 'used' these services for survival.
These services include purifying water, air, soil, regulating the climate, producing the
resources required to grow our food, and removing wastes.
Human activities may disrupt or destroy these processes to the detriment of organisms living
in the ecosystem, including the humans.
Differentiate (describe the differences) between the environmental ethics of Ecocentrism,
Biocentrism, and Anthropocentrism. B) Which of these ideas most closely describes your
environmental ethic, and explain why. - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- Ecocentrism is the belief
that actions should be taken to preserve and protect ecological systems and all the biotic and
abiotic components therein. This is a holistic approach that looks at a very large scale of
influence. Ecocentric actions would work to preserve ecosystem services.
Biocentric persons believe that all living things have inherent value and should be protected
and preserved regardless of human desires.They would support actions which promoted
various components of ecosystems which support all life.
Anthropocentrism is a belief that human needs outweigh all other interests in the
environment. They disregard and devalue non-human life and support actions which benefit
humans regardless of their impact on other life forms. All activities should be for the benefit
of humans
Which would you predict to be more sustainable... an Agrarian or Industrial society? Explain
your reasoning. - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- In general, agrarian societies are more
sustainable because they operate on a cyclical, sustainable framework that rejuvenates itself
rather than the linear, non-sustainable system of industrial societies.
Agrarian systems are sustainable because they are solar-powered. They also return (recycle)
unused or 'waste' materials back into the flow of energy and materials making them a
renewable resource, contributing to the natural cycle (like ecosystems). Industrial systems
extract resources, consume energy and materials, and then discard wastes without recycling
them back into the resource 'bank'.
Explain why the biosphere is essentially solar-powered. - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- The
Sun supplies heat that warms the planet (with the help of the atmosphere acting as a
'blanket'), maintaining areas of liquid water and keeping temperatures in the ranges able to
support life.
The Sun's heat and radiation drives the hydrologic cycle and atmospheric weather systems
that distribute heat and water across the planet. This provides water and energy to life forms
everywhere.
