CONS 127 Final Exam Questions With
All Correct Answers 2025 Latest
Update!!!
What is the biosphere? CORRECT ANSWERS biosphere: all ecosystems on earth,
both terrestrial and marine
Describe the pattern of gross and net photosynthesis as tempurature increases.
CORRECT ANSWERS Gross primary photosynthesis (productivity): the amount of
energy created by plants (via photosynthesis)
Net primary photosynthesis (productivity): is the amount of energy stored in the plant
after accounting for plant respiration (aka biomass)
They are affected by tempurature increases because higher temperatures induce
stress, causing the plant to respire more. With increased respiration comes decreased
net photosynthesis.
- photosynthesis peaks at 20 degrees, where respiration is at its lowest.
Which are carbon sinks and which are carbon sources?
- growing forest
- wildfire
- insect outbreak CORRECT ANSWERS growing forest = carbon sink
wildfire = carbon source
insect outbreak = net neutral carbon likely
How has the biosphere been monitored historically? CORRECT ANSWERS 1. Field
based estimates:
- estimating vegetation cover, width, and height
- gives estimation of biomass
2. Eddy flux towers
- measure carbon flux at a single point high above the vegetation
- monitors gas concentrations which allows for post processing CO2 estimates
- only measures at a single point and cant give an idea of how the carbon cycle is
changing or progressing
Describe the uses of Landsat to monitor the biosphere. What can it track and how is
that related to carbon? Why is it advantageous? CORRECT ANSWERS - Can detect
disturbances and provide change estimates
- can quantify carbon losses and gains
- disturbances include: fires, insect infestations, shocks, agriculture
- advantages: large time dimension since 70s, moderate spatial resolution, moderate
temporal resolution
- able to map changes that have occurred in ecosystems since the 70s
- can map disturbances for all of canada
, How was the cryosphere monitored historically? CORRECT ANSWERS - typically via
aerial photography
- systematic annual measurements since 40s and 50s provide a time series of changes
in cryosphere, including: glacial mass balance, glacial extent, sea ice thickness
- terrestrial photography-- GPS location and angle determined in order to take the exact
same photo over time
- field work
Is snow always white? Why or why not? How do spectral earth observation datasets
take advantage of this phenomenon? CORRECT ANSWERS Snow is not always white.
Glaciers can have impurities and debris cover, high surface roughness, whereas fresh
snow is always bright white ans smooth
- the changes in color and texture make it easier to detect different spectral signatures
which indicate different types of snow in the cryosphere
Name a cryosphere specific application of Radarsat CORRECT ANSWERS Can
measure permafrost stability and can quantify the soil stability by measuring movement
from year to year.
- describes the impacts of warming and moving permafrost there is which can impact
communities in the north
How is ice penetrating RADAR typically collected? CORRECT ANSWERS typically via
airborne or terrestrial radar
What is IceSat? What type of laser does it use? CORRECT ANSWERS IceSat is a high
resolution Lidar tool that uses visible green laser pulses to monitor the cryosphere
How was sea surface tempurature measured historically? Is this method still used
today? Why? CORRECT ANSWERS Buoys! Provided point measurements at a fine
temporal scale, but only at a single point over the whole ocean. Still used today to
validate satellite surface temperatures, mooring buoys are good at measuring time
series through different depths.
What is one advantage of using satellite data to monitor sea surface tempurature when
compared to historical methods? CORRECT ANSWERS Satellite can cover significantly
more area whereas bouys can only meaure a single point, even if there are a dozen
buoys, the daya doesn't compare to that of satellites.
What was the purpose of the Topex/Posidon and Jason series of satellites? CORRECT
ANSWERS Used for sea level measurements
What is a newer/useful satellite for coral reef mapping? CORRECT ANSWERS Landsat
8 and 9 because it has extra band in VIS blue and more sensitivity
All Correct Answers 2025 Latest
Update!!!
What is the biosphere? CORRECT ANSWERS biosphere: all ecosystems on earth,
both terrestrial and marine
Describe the pattern of gross and net photosynthesis as tempurature increases.
CORRECT ANSWERS Gross primary photosynthesis (productivity): the amount of
energy created by plants (via photosynthesis)
Net primary photosynthesis (productivity): is the amount of energy stored in the plant
after accounting for plant respiration (aka biomass)
They are affected by tempurature increases because higher temperatures induce
stress, causing the plant to respire more. With increased respiration comes decreased
net photosynthesis.
- photosynthesis peaks at 20 degrees, where respiration is at its lowest.
Which are carbon sinks and which are carbon sources?
- growing forest
- wildfire
- insect outbreak CORRECT ANSWERS growing forest = carbon sink
wildfire = carbon source
insect outbreak = net neutral carbon likely
How has the biosphere been monitored historically? CORRECT ANSWERS 1. Field
based estimates:
- estimating vegetation cover, width, and height
- gives estimation of biomass
2. Eddy flux towers
- measure carbon flux at a single point high above the vegetation
- monitors gas concentrations which allows for post processing CO2 estimates
- only measures at a single point and cant give an idea of how the carbon cycle is
changing or progressing
Describe the uses of Landsat to monitor the biosphere. What can it track and how is
that related to carbon? Why is it advantageous? CORRECT ANSWERS - Can detect
disturbances and provide change estimates
- can quantify carbon losses and gains
- disturbances include: fires, insect infestations, shocks, agriculture
- advantages: large time dimension since 70s, moderate spatial resolution, moderate
temporal resolution
- able to map changes that have occurred in ecosystems since the 70s
- can map disturbances for all of canada
, How was the cryosphere monitored historically? CORRECT ANSWERS - typically via
aerial photography
- systematic annual measurements since 40s and 50s provide a time series of changes
in cryosphere, including: glacial mass balance, glacial extent, sea ice thickness
- terrestrial photography-- GPS location and angle determined in order to take the exact
same photo over time
- field work
Is snow always white? Why or why not? How do spectral earth observation datasets
take advantage of this phenomenon? CORRECT ANSWERS Snow is not always white.
Glaciers can have impurities and debris cover, high surface roughness, whereas fresh
snow is always bright white ans smooth
- the changes in color and texture make it easier to detect different spectral signatures
which indicate different types of snow in the cryosphere
Name a cryosphere specific application of Radarsat CORRECT ANSWERS Can
measure permafrost stability and can quantify the soil stability by measuring movement
from year to year.
- describes the impacts of warming and moving permafrost there is which can impact
communities in the north
How is ice penetrating RADAR typically collected? CORRECT ANSWERS typically via
airborne or terrestrial radar
What is IceSat? What type of laser does it use? CORRECT ANSWERS IceSat is a high
resolution Lidar tool that uses visible green laser pulses to monitor the cryosphere
How was sea surface tempurature measured historically? Is this method still used
today? Why? CORRECT ANSWERS Buoys! Provided point measurements at a fine
temporal scale, but only at a single point over the whole ocean. Still used today to
validate satellite surface temperatures, mooring buoys are good at measuring time
series through different depths.
What is one advantage of using satellite data to monitor sea surface tempurature when
compared to historical methods? CORRECT ANSWERS Satellite can cover significantly
more area whereas bouys can only meaure a single point, even if there are a dozen
buoys, the daya doesn't compare to that of satellites.
What was the purpose of the Topex/Posidon and Jason series of satellites? CORRECT
ANSWERS Used for sea level measurements
What is a newer/useful satellite for coral reef mapping? CORRECT ANSWERS Landsat
8 and 9 because it has extra band in VIS blue and more sensitivity
