Environmental Science Quiz: Greenhouse Gases & Algal Blooms

Excessive growth of algae in water bodies, often due to nutrient pollution.

Excess nitrogen and phosphorus from sources like fertilizers and sewage cause algal growth.

Measures algal biomass during a bloom's peak season.

The total area of water covered by visible algal blooms.

A type of algae that can produce harmful toxins.

Harmful toxins produced by cyanobacteria.

Ways people can get exposed to HAB toxins (e.g., skin contact, breathing contaminated air, eating contaminated food).

Frequency of algal bloom detection.

A measure of heat stress combining temperature, humidity, wind speed, sun angle, and cloud cover.

A range of health problems caused by overheating, from mild discomfort to life-threatening conditions.

An inflammatory skin condition from blocked sweat glands.

A serious heat illness with excessive sweating, weakness, and dizziness, caused by fluid loss.

The most serious heat illness, where the body cannot regulate temperature, leading to a dangerously high body temperature.

Conditions like age, chronic diseases, and medications that make individuals more vulnerable to heat illness.

Prolonged periods of abnormally high temperatures.

Global warming is increasing the frequency and severity of heat waves.

Factors increasing risk of heat-related illness during extreme heat.

Lack of social support increases risk of heat illness especially for isolated individuals, making help inaccessible during extreme heat events.

Poverty and homelessness increase heat-related risk due to limited access to resources like AC, water, and healthcare.

Urban areas are warmer than surrounding rural areas due to heat absorption and re-emission by buildings, roads, etc.

Surfaces like asphalt and concrete that don't allow water to penetrate, hindering evaporative cooling.

Combined evaporation from soil and transpiration from plants that cools the environment.

The reflectivity of a surface. Dark surfaces absorb more heat than lighter ones.

Outdoor workers experience higher heat risks due to prolonged exposure to high temperatures and strenuous physical exertion.

Flooded buildings often have poor indoor air quality due to damp conditions promoting mold and bacteria growth. Mold spores can cause allergies and respiratory issues.

Power outages caused by floods can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning from gas-powered appliances like generators used for power or water.

Floods can cause anxiety, depression, and PTSD due to physical health problems, personal loss, and financial difficulties.

Floods force people from their homes, leading to health risks like poor sanitation, inadequate shelter, malnutrition, and increased diseases.

Indigenous communities in Canada face disproportionate flood impacts due to socioeconomic vulnerabilities on reserve lands.

These deaths occur due to the immediate forces of a disaster, like structural collapse or strong winds.

These deaths result from unsafe conditions caused by the disaster, like hazardous roads, power outages, or loss of medical access.

Accurate mortality data helps understand how disasters cause death, informs response and recovery efforts, develops prevention strategies, and supports affected families.

Urbanization increases the density of people and can worsen living conditions (like poor housing and sanitation), which makes it easier for diseases to spread.

Urbanization leads to more contact between humans and disease-carrying organisms (vectors) like mosquitoes, increasing the risk of infections.

Air pollution weakens the body's defenses and makes it more vulnerable to infections.

As cities grow, humans come into contact with new animals and their diseases, leading to new infections.

Faster and more frequent travel spreads diseases quickly across the globe.

Climate change is making some areas warmer, creating more suitable environments for disease-carrying insects (vectors) like mosquitoes.

While climate change could lead to more malaria cases, prevention and healthcare improvements have actually reduced malaria cases in recent years.

Dengue is a viral disease spread by mosquitoes, and its impact has been increasing due to urbanization and poor control measures.

Long-term positive health outcomes that occur over decades as a result of climate action, often less noticeable in the short term.

Reducing fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the air through climate action, leading to fewer deaths from respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Strategies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting sustainable practices, leading to long-term health benefits.

Walking, cycling, or running for transportation, lowering reliance on cars and improving overall health.

Health improvements that are seen quickly after implementing climate action.

Harmful air pollutants like methane and black carbon, that have a short lifespan in the atmosphere but contribute significantly to warming.

Modern stoves that reduce harmful emissions from traditional cooking methods, improving indoor air quality and health.

Health advantages of using active transport, such as walking and biking, including reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.