Chapter 4 Evolution assignment
Modified True/False
Indicate whether the statement is true or false. If false, change the identified word or phrase to make the statement true.
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1. The recent use of tools has dramatically increased what humans can do in altering natural ecosystems—even
to the point of moving mountains. ____________________
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2. Agroecosystems have greater biodiversity. ____________________
____
3. Soils made up of larger particles have less air space. ____________________
____
4. In nature, all organisms are simply pests and non-pests within food webs. ____________________
____
5. When farmers plant a monoculture, they often create a poor environment for pests. ____________________
____
6. In general, pesticides obtained from natural sources are more persistent than synthetic pesticides.
____________________
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7. If a pesticide bioamplifies in a food chain, the amount of toxin in the top consumers will be less than the
amount in the bottom consumers. ____________________
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8. Microorganisms in the soil affect the soil’s productivity. ____________________
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9. Resistance to pesticides is a growing concern in agriculture today. ____________________
____ 10. Compaction does not affect plant growth if the soil has the right amount of nutrients. ____________________
____ 11. Soil management is not important in an agroecosystem. ____________________
____ 12. Drainage systems can help typically dry soil become very productive. ____________________
____ 13. Understanding how urban ecosystems function will improve planning outcomes for new urban developments,
and, therefore, research on urban development should continue. ____________________
____ 14. Natural fertilizers tend to be more concentrated than synthetic fertilizers. ____________________
____ 15. By rotating crops, farmers can reduce their use of fertilizers and pesticides. ____________________
Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
____ 16. Which of the following species spends little time in natural ecosystems?
a. mice
b. raccoons
c. bats
d. humans
____ 17. All major foods produced in Canada were
a. native to Canada
b. introduced from other parts of the world
c. refined in Canadian laboratories
d. and still are imported from other countries
____ 18. Which of the following are ways in which an agroecosystem differs from a natural ecosystem?
a. lower biodiversity
b. more uniform abiotic features
c. requires humans to maintain it
d. all of the above
____ 19. The cultivation of a single crop in an area is called
a. mega-farming
b. monoculture
c. agriculture
d. agroecosystem
____ 20. Consumers that feed on crops are considered
a. customers
b. human
c. pests
d. nuisances
____ 21. What is the purpose of a farmer’s intervention in an agroecosystem?
a. eliminate competitors
b. manage biotic and abiotic features
c. create ideal and uniform growing conditions
d. all of the above
____ 22. Which of the following is an example of a natural ecosystem?
a. city park
b. forest on the outer edge of a farm
c. yard in a housing development
d. none of the above
____ 23. Which of the following components is (are) part of soil?
a. air spaces
b. decomposing organic material
c. water
d. all of the above
____ 24. What occurs in an agroecosystem when farmers harvest their crops?
a. Nutrients are removed and not returned to the soil.
b. Nutrients are replaced naturally by rain and sunlight.
c. The amount of available soil is gradually reduced.
d. all of the above
____ 25. The process by which nutrients are removed from the soil as water passes through it is called
a. filtration
b. depletion
c. leaching
d. dumping
____ 26. What do farmers typically do to dry out saturated fields?
a. pump the water out
b. install drainage tiles
c. use tarps to keep fields covered during rain
d. nothing
____ 27. What function(s) do air spaces in soil serve?
a. allow water to pass through and reach the roots of plants
b. allow nutrients to pass through and reach the roots of plants
c. provide oxygen to plant roots
d. all of the above
____ 28. Which of the following is an advantage of using synthetic fertilizers?
a. less danger of overfertilizing
b. nutrients released quickly
c. benefit soil micro-organisms and nutrient cycling
d. can improve soil structure
____ 29. Which of the following is an advantage of using natural fertilizers?
a. relatively easy to apply
b. can improve soil structure
c. nutrients released quickly
d. amounts of nutrients can be precisely measured
____ 30. What factor(s) affect(s) the amount of oxygen in soil?
a. altitude
b. depth
c. compaction
d. all of the above
____ 31. How many pests are there in nature?
a. none
b. too many
c. infinitely many
d. no one knows
____ 32. What is the difference between broad-spectrum pesticides and narrow-spectrum pesticides?
a. the coverage they provide
b. the number of different types of agroecosystems they can be used in
c. the number of types of pests they control
d. all of the above
____ 33. A pesticide that is delivered by contact is only effective if
a. the pesticide is absorbed into the soil surrounding a plant
b. the target pest must be touched by the pesticide
c. the pesticide is later consumed by the pest
d. none of the above
____ 34. Which of the following types of pest can pesticides be used to control?
a. weeds
b. rodents
c. insects
d. all of the above
____ 35. What are non-target species?
a. species not intended to be controlled by pesticides
b. pests that kill crops
c. predatory species that farmers are attempting to control
d. none of the above
____ 36. The concentration of a substance, such as a pesticide, in the body of an organism is called
a. excessive absorption
b. bioamplification
c. bioaccumulation
d. none of the above
____ 37. The increase in concentration of a substance, such as a pesticide, as it moves higher up the food web is called
a. bioaccumulation
b. bioamplification
c. bioreduction
d. bioconstipation
____ 38. Which of the following toxins bioamplify in the food web?
a. DDT
b. mercury
c. PCB
d. all of the above
____ 39. Which of the following is a (are) disadvantage(s) to organic farming?
a. higher cost of production
b. loss of production due to pests
c. may cause bioaccumulation
d. all of the above
____ 40. A farming strategy to control pests that uses a combination of physical, chemical, and biological controls is
called
a. organic farming
b. integrated pest management
c. integrated farming
d. organic pest management
____ 41. Pest baiting is when a farmer attempts to
a. confuse the mating process of pests
b. draw pests away from the crops
c. poison the pests
d. trap the pests
____ 42. Which of the following is (are) true of plant species generally found in urban ecosystems?
a. mostly non-native species
b. mostly monocultures
c. low diversity
d. all of the above
____ 43. Which of the following produce(s) an overall ecological benefit in an urban ecosystem?
a. increased consumption of energy
b. free public transportation
c. high density housing
d. all of the above
____ 44. Why is the use of pesticides practised more than removal when dealing with weeds?
a. more environmental friendly
b. desire to keep the decaying matter in the soil rather than removing
c. fear of damaging crop during the removal process
d. removal is not practical on a large scale
____ 45. Which of the following activities unnaturally, negatively affect(s) the growth of terrestrial plants?
a. applying cow manure as fertilizer
b. children swimming in a pond
c. salting icy roads
d. all of the above
____ 46. Which of the following is a (are) reason(s) for the disappearance of topsoil?
a. wind
b. water
c. leaching
d. all of the above
____ 47. Which of the following is (are) the most important nutrient(s) that a plant requires for growth?
a. nitrogen
b. water
c. oxygen
d. all of the above
____ 48. An urban ecosystem is a designed ecosystem. Which of the following is (are) another example(s) of a
designed ecosystem?
a. natural pond
b. a farm that has not been maintained in 10 years
c. fish aquarium
d. all of the above
____ 49. What can the thickness of an eggshell tell us about an ecosystem?
a. health of the birds in the ecosystem
b. the toxicity that is present in the ecosystem
c. if bioaccumulation is occurring
d. all of the above
____ 50. What is a possible result of a pest developing a resistance to a certain pesticide?
a. The pest will die out naturally.
b. The pest population will experience a resurgence and explosion.
c. Disease will spread rapidly.
d. The crop will be more sturdy.
____ 51. Why do natural ecosystems not need fertilizer for sustainability?
a. nutrients do not leave the ecosystem
b. lack of pesticides
c. lack of air pollution
d. all of the above
____ 52. What enables the soil in a natural ecosystem to remain loose and in proper condition to deliver water,
nutrients, and oxygen to roots?
a. The soil is just naturally looser.
b. The moistness from tree cover keeps the soil loose.
c. Burrowing animals regularly dig in the soil.
d. The soil is tilled by soil organisms.
____ 53. Fields that are tilled by earthworms are much more capable of absorbing water. Which of the following is an
(are) advantage(s) of a field tilled by earthworms?
a. reduces run off and erosion
b. provides more water for plants
c. increases ground water
d. all of the above
____ 54. If there is a problem with the soil structure, which of the following factors is (are) most likely to impact the
soil?
a. wind
b. rain
c. run-off
d. all of the above
____ 55. Which of the following farming techniques lead(s) to the depletion of the soil?
a. irrigation systems
b. drainage systems
c. regular tilling
d. all of the above
____ 56. Which of the following practices help(s) to maintain soil structure and nutrients?
a. crop rotation
b. manure management
c. reducing tillage
d. all of the above
____ 57. Why is the existence of organic matter important in the content of the soil?
a. contains nutrients
b. keeps it out of the landfills
c. eliminates the need for tilling
d. all of the above
____ 58. Soil erosion can be caused by which of the following?
a. wind
b. water
c. tilling
d. all of the above
____ 59. Why is storm water run off an issue that needs planning in an urban ecosystem?
a. more rain in urban settings
b. run off inconvenient for the increased number of people
c. increased paved surfaces increases run off
d. not an issue
____ 60. Which of the following is a synthetic fertilizer?
a. sludge
b. compost
c. ammonia
d. wood ashes
Short Answer
61. Describe the difference between natural fertilizers and synthetic fertilizers.
62. How has what you have learned about in this chapter affect your thinking on the use of pesticides for food
production?
63. What two types of ways can pesticides control pests? Describe each way.
64. Describe a real-world situation in which pesticides caused drastic unintended consequences.
65. Summarize the implications of the graph shown below.
66. Based on what you have learned in this chapter, how do you think farmers should reduce their dependence on
pesticides?
67. Defend the occasional use of herbicides in agriculture.
68. Describe a possible unintended consequence that might occur due to the use of synthetic pesticides.
69. Is the use of natural fertilizers or synthetic fertilizers better? Defend your answer.
70. What differences might occur in different urban ecosystems that have very different economic situations?