Science Ecology Test

Question 1

What is ecological footprint?

Answer 1

• The impact of a person or community on the environment, expressed as the amount of land required to sustain their use of natural resources.

Question 2

What is a fragmented habitat?

Answer 2

• A large, continuous area of land that has been broken up into smaller, isolated patches.

Question 3

What is DDT?

Answer 3

• A man-made, persistent organic pollutant (POP) that was widely used as an insecticide.
  -A persistent organic pollutant that can accumulate in the food chain and persist in the environment for long periods.
• ppm + ppb (parts per million/billion)

Question 4

What is pesticide resistance?

Answer 4

• When a pest (insect, weed, etc.) develops a tolerance to a pesticide that was previously effective against it.

Question 5

What is a non-target organism?

Answer 5

• Any living thing that is not the intended object of a particular action or treatment, but that may be affected by it.

Question 6

What is integrated pest management?

Answer 6

• A sustainable approach to pest control that minimizes environmental harm while effectively managing pests.

Question 7

What is monoculture?

Answer 7

• The cultivation of a single crop in a given area.

Question 8

What is Bioaccumulation?

Answer 8

• When a toxic substance builds up in one organism over time because the organism takes it in faster than it can get rid of it.

Question 9

What is Bioamplification?

Answer 9

• When the concentration of a toxic substance increases as it moves up the food chain.
• The higher the level in the food chain, the higher the concentration of the poison.

Question 10

What is Introduced Species? Why are they bad?

Answer 10

• Animals or plants that are brought by humans to a place where they don’t naturally live.
  -Introduced species can mess up ecosystems because they don’t belong there. (e.g., take up space, outcompete native species, spread disease, etc.)

Question 11

What is COSEWIC? SARA?

Answer 11

• Committee on the Status of Endangered WIldlife in Canada.
• Studies animals and plants in Canada.
• Decides if a species is endangered, threatened, or at risk.
• Tells the government which species need protection.
• SARA: Species-At-Risk-Act

Question 12

What is Pollution?

Answer 12

• Refers to the unwanted substances put into ecosystems.
• can be in the air or on the ground.
• Ex: water pollution from fertilizers, “algal bloom”

Question 13

What is Project CHIRP!/Christine Sharma?

Answer 13

• Project CHIRP! (Creating Habitat in Residential areas and Parklands) is an urban conservation initiative launched by Christina Sharma in Etobicoke, Ontario.
• The project hopes to inpire gardeners to plant native species in their gardens so that the local birds can be provided with food, water, and shelter.

Question 14

Who is Jane Goodall?

Answer 14

• Jane Goodall is a famous scientist and animal expert from England. She is best known for studying chimpanzees in Africa.
• Started the Roots & Shoots program

Question 15

The 3 different types of pesticides:

Answer 15

1. Herbicides: kills weeds
2. Fungicides: kills fungus
3. Insecticides: kills insects

Question 16

2 damaging air pollutants:

Answer 16

• Sulfur dioxide + Nitrogen oxides
• Produced in industrial processes and from burning fossil fuels (coal and petroleum)

Question 17

How does acid rain affect aquatic & terrestrial ecosystems?

Answer 17

• As rivers and lakes become more acidic, species decline in numbers and may dissapear.
• In terrestrial ecosystems, acid rain chemically changes the soil by depleting the nutrients needed by plants, damaging vegetation.

Question 18

Whats a watershed?

Answer 18

An area of land that drans into a body of water. (ex: Toronto is on a watershed, our water drains into Lake Ontario.)

Question 19

Broad v.s Narrow Spectrum Pesticides:

Answer 19

Broad
- They might kill pests you did not intend to kill.
Narrow
- Very specific on what they control.

Question 20

What if it is water-solluble (pesticides)?

Answer 20

• Animal eats the plant and ingests chemical.
• Can get rid of chemical in urine.

Question 21

What if it is fat-solluble (pesticides)?

Answer 21

• It stays in the fat tissue of the animal.

Question 22

6 WAYS TO HANDLE PESTS BETTER:

Answer 22

1. MECHANICAL: pull pests ff by hand.
2. HOME PRODUCTS: soapy water, spray.
3. COMPANION PLANT: ex: roses + garlic
4. PLANT A VARIETY: many pests like specific plants.
5. ROTATE CROPS: next season switch the locations.
6. BIOLOGICAL CONTROL: attract insect-eating birds.

Question 23

Why don’t fragmented habitats work as well as the whole thing?

Answer 23

• Smaller, isolated patches can’t support as many animals and plants.
• With less food, water, and shelter, it’s harder for species to survive and reproduce.
• Limited movement

Question 24

Canada’s endangered species list:

Answer 24

1. EXTINCT
2. EXTIRPATED
3. ENDANGERED
4. THREATENED
5. SPECIAL CONCERN

Question 25

What is species richness?

Answer 25

- The number of different species in an ecosystem.

Question 26

How we can lower our Ecological Footprint:

Answer 26

- Eat more plant-based foods – Less meat, more veggies. - Use public transport or bike instead of driving. - Switch to energy-efficient bulbs. - Reduce, reuse, recycle. - Conserve water – Shorter showers, fix leaks. - Plant trees and support green spaces. - Buy locally-produced goods. - Use less plastic – Reusable bags, bottles. - Use renewable energy when possible.

Question 27

What is OUR ecological footprint?

Answer 27

- About 7 ha/person