1. Define the following terms. (3 pts each)
Ecosystem- A community and its environment. Includes all the interactions between
living things and their physical environment.
Benthic- plant and animal communities associated with the ocean floor.
Community- A community and its environment. Includes all the interactions
between living things and their physical environment.
External cost- costs (usually environmental or social) associated with producing an
item that are not included in the price of the commodity.
Bioamplification- the increase in concentration of contaminants as they pass
through the food chain.
2. Why does Phosphorus cycle more slowly than Carbon or Nitrogen? (4 pts)
Phosphorus does not occur in a gaseous state.
3. Approximately 75 percent of the pesticides used in the United States are applied to
crops. (3 pts)
4. T or F. Since DDT has been banned, it is no longer causing problems for wildlife populations.
(2 pts)
5. Despite being less toxic than organophosphates and carbamates, chlorinated hydrocarbons have caused more problems for wildlife species. What two characteristics of chlorinated hydrocarbons account for this apparent enigma. (6 pts)
1. Long persistence
2. Fat soluble
6. Define and give examples of each of the following ecological problems that have been caused
by pesticide applications. (5 pts each)
Ecological imbalance- a change in predator/prey, host/parasite, or competitive relationships that allows the pest to increase following the spray.
ex) ladybugs that prey on pests may be eliminated from an area by
insecticides
Genetic resistance- natural selection causes the pest to evolve resistance to the pesticide
ex) Mosquitos and DDT applications
ex) Bollworm and a number of pesticides
ex) Tobacco Budworm and a number of pesticides
Creation of new pests- when natural predators or parasites are eliminated by pesticides, species that did not cause problems may become pests
ex) European red mite on apples in the NE United States
ex) Red scale on citrus fruit
7. What are the two principal benefits of pesticides? (6 pts)
1. Protection from disease
2. Reduction in crop damage
8. Economists view the optimal level of pollution as a balance between the marginal cost of pollution and the cost of cleaning it up. Give three criticisms of this view. (12 pts)
1. difficult to measure monetary cost of pollution
2. pollution is a violation of a basic human right
3. the effect on the ecosystem is rarely taken into account
9. Describe the provisions of the following amendments to the Food and Drug Cosmetics Act. (4 pts each)
Pesticide chemicals (or Miller) amendment- set limits on amounts of pesticides in food.
Delaney clause- no substance capable of causing cancer is permitted in processed
foods
10.What agency is responsible for setting limits for pesticide levels in food? (3 pts)
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
11. What agency is responsible for registering pesticides? (3 pts)
EPA
12. What is Integrated Pest Management and why is it difficult to implement? (6 pts)
IPM is the combination of biological, genetic, chemical, and other methods to
control pests. Successful implementation requires detailed knowledge of the life
history of the pest and its predator, parasite, competitors, and the host plant (or
animal) it feeds on.
13. What are the advantages and disadvantages of biological control of pests? (8 pts)
Advantages
Reduction or elimination of pesticide applications
Disadvantages
The species introduced to control the pest may have negative effects of other
beneficial species.
14. Photosynthesis is the biological process in which radiant energy from the sun is
converted into chemical energy. Chlorophyll is the pigment in green plants that
is responsible for this process. (4 pts)
15. Name a species that fits each of the consumer categories listed below. (5 pts)
Producer- any plant species Primary consumer- any herbivore species
Secondary consumer- hawks, owls, mammalian carnivores, etc.
Omnivore- humans, bears, pigs
Detritivore- earthworms, clams, termites, maggots, etc.