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Questions and Answers
What are ecosystem services?
What are ecosystem services?
Which of the following is classified as a provisioning service?
Which of the following is classified as a provisioning service?
What do support services in an ecosystem primarily include?
What do support services in an ecosystem primarily include?
Which of the following is NOT a type of ecosystem service?
Which of the following is NOT a type of ecosystem service?
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What is the primary benefit of regulating services in an ecosystem?
What is the primary benefit of regulating services in an ecosystem?
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What components are included in the definition of the environment?
What components are included in the definition of the environment?
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How is nutrient cycling significant in an ecosystem?
How is nutrient cycling significant in an ecosystem?
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What role do ecosystems play in the quality of human life?
What role do ecosystems play in the quality of human life?
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What are cultural services primarily related to?
What are cultural services primarily related to?
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Which of the following human activities negatively impacts ecosystems?
Which of the following human activities negatively impacts ecosystems?
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What is a direct consequence of burning fossil fuels for electricity?
What is a direct consequence of burning fossil fuels for electricity?
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What is the primary concern associated with extensive agricultural activities?
What is the primary concern associated with extensive agricultural activities?
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Which type of waste includes discarded items from households and commercial entities?
Which type of waste includes discarded items from households and commercial entities?
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Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of solid waste?
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of solid waste?
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What is a significant environmental risk associated with agricultural waste?
What is a significant environmental risk associated with agricultural waste?
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How do invasive species affect ecosystems?
How do invasive species affect ecosystems?
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Eutrophication from agricultural activities is predominantly caused by the discharge of which substances?
Eutrophication from agricultural activities is predominantly caused by the discharge of which substances?
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Which type of waste includes materials like demolition waste and manufacturing scraps?
Which type of waste includes materials like demolition waste and manufacturing scraps?
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What is a primary characteristic of landfill waste disposal?
What is a primary characteristic of landfill waste disposal?
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What must be done to gases produced during incineration before they are released?
What must be done to gases produced during incineration before they are released?
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Which waste type is specifically derived from farming activities?
Which waste type is specifically derived from farming activities?
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Which of the following is a drawback of landfill disposal?
Which of the following is a drawback of landfill disposal?
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What does mining waste primarily consist of?
What does mining waste primarily consist of?
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What is a common outcome of improperly managed agricultural waste?
What is a common outcome of improperly managed agricultural waste?
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What does the process of composting primarily transform?
What does the process of composting primarily transform?
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Which stage in the resource cycle involves creating new products from extracted materials?
Which stage in the resource cycle involves creating new products from extracted materials?
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What is source reduction primarily focused on?
What is source reduction primarily focused on?
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How does the recycling process contribute to waste management?
How does the recycling process contribute to waste management?
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What is the first step in the resource cycle?
What is the first step in the resource cycle?
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Which subsystems are impacted by waste generated during the resource cycle?
Which subsystems are impacted by waste generated during the resource cycle?
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Which of the following is a consequence of extracting and processing raw materials?
Which of the following is a consequence of extracting and processing raw materials?
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What method is best described as reusing materials to minimize waste?
What method is best described as reusing materials to minimize waste?
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Study Notes
Human Activities and the Environment
- Environment encompasses all that surrounds living organisms, including air, water, soil, and living things (flora and fauna).
- Ecosystem—a community of organisms interacting with each other and their non-living environment.
- Ecosystem services—direct and indirect contributions of ecosystems to human survival and quality of life.
Types of Ecosystem Services
- Support services: Include nutrient cycling (nitrogen and phosphorus), organic matter decomposition, water cycles, and primary production.
- Provisioning services: Provide basic necessities like air, water, shelter, food, and energy.
- Regulating services: Regulate climate, hazards, and disease through processes like carbon sequestration.
- Cultural services: Include non-material benefits like spiritual enrichment, tourism, recreation, and aesthetic enjoyment of nature.
Human Activities
- Human actions significantly affect ecosystems by altering land use, introducing invasive species, exploiting resources, and causing pollution.
- Burning fossil fuels increases atmospheric carbon dioxide, contributing to global warming.
- Poor agricultural practices can diminish soil quality and lead to water pollution (eutrophication).
Types of Solid Waste
- Solid waste encompasses discarded household, commercial, industrial, agricultural, construction material, and street sweepings.
- Municipal waste: consists of unwanted items from homes, businesses, and institutions.
- Agricultural waste: includes materials from farming and poultry operations.
- Industrial waste: encompasses different materials stemming from industries other than mining.
- Mining waste: includes rocks, soils, and tailings (leftover materials) from extraction activities.
Methods of Waste Disposal
- Landfill: A method of waste disposal where garbage is covered with soil to prevent spreading and groundwater contamination.
- Incineration: Burning waste to generate energy, though the ash and smoke require treatment prior to release.
- Mulch and Compost: Natural decomposition methods converting organic matter into humus-like material.
- Source reduction: Reducing waste by designing products for durability and reuse.
- Recycling: Transforming discarded materials into new products.
The Resource Cycle
- The resource cycle describes the transformation of raw materials into usable products and their eventual disposal.
- Steps include extraction, processing, transportation, manufacturing, use, and disposal/recycling.
- Waste generation occurs at each stage affecting the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere.
- Minimizing resource consumption, and recycling/reuse can balance resource use and waste disposal.
Waste Management
- Proper waste management involves reducing waste generation, reusing materials, recycling, recovering energy from waste, and managing disposal.
- Prevention, reuse, recycling, recovery, disposal—waste management hierarchy of options.
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Description
Test your knowledge about the interactions between human activities and ecosystems. This quiz covers ecosystem services, their types, and how human actions impact the environment. Assess your understanding of the complex relationship we share with nature.
