Question 1

Which of the following is the best definition of the aims of ecologically sustainable development? Ecologically sustainable development aims to

Accepted Answer

A)  limit environmental degradation. 
B)  limit resource use. 
C)  use, conserve and enhance resources and maintain ecological processes. 
D)  adopt the precautionary principle in policy making. 
E)  ensure that development by humans remains within the limitations of the ecology of the environment. 
A)  limit environmental degradation. 
B)  limit resource use. 
C)  use, conserve and enhance resources and maintain ecological processes. 
D)  adopt the precautionary principle in policy making. 
E)  ensure that development by humans remains within the limitations of the ecology of the environment.

Question 2

Australian bats and rodents

Accepted Answer

A)  are unique because they have a Gondwanan origin. 
B)  were exchanged with Asian islands as the Australian plate approached the South-East Asian plate. 
C)  evolved in Australia in isolation just after its separation from Gondwana. 
D)  evolved in response to Australia's increasingly arid climate during the Tertiary. 
E)  were brought here about 40 000 years ago by people. 
A)  are unique because they have a Gondwanan origin. 
B)  were exchanged with Asian islands as the Australian plate approached the South-East Asian plate. 
C)  evolved in Australia in isolation just after its separation from Gondwana. 
D)  evolved in response to Australia's increasingly arid climate during the Tertiary. 
E)  were brought here about 40 000 years ago by people.

Question 3

Habitat corridors

Accepted Answer

A)  promote the exchange of genes between subpopulations. 
B)  inhibit the spread of weeds and diseases. 
C)  promote animal migration when they are long and narrow. 
D)  threaten the biodiversity of the area. 
E)  inhibit animal migration when they are wide. 
A)  promote the exchange of genes between subpopulations. 
B)  inhibit the spread of weeds and diseases. 
C)  promote animal migration when they are long and narrow. 
D)  threaten the biodiversity of the area. 
E)  inhibit animal migration when they are wide.

Question 4

The total extent of National Parks and Reserves has increased since 1968 and is now

Accepted Answer

A)  0.5 million hectares. 
B)  1 million hectares. 
C)  4 million hectares. 
D)  10 million hectares. 
E)  40 million hectares. 
A)  0.5 million hectares. 
B)  1 million hectares. 
C)  4 million hectares. 
D)  10 million hectares. 
E)  40 million hectares.

Question 5

Feral animals

Accepted Answer

A)  are animals that are a pest. 
B)  are never domestic animals. 
C)  are not a problem when introduced for bio-control of noxious species. 
D)  may damage vegetation and soil. 
E)  are not in competition with native animals for food. 
A)  are animals that are a pest. 
B)  are never domestic animals. 
C)  are not a problem when introduced for bio-control of noxious species. 
D)  may damage vegetation and soil. 
E)  are not in competition with native animals for food.

Question 6

Declines in abundance of flora and fauna in the regions first settled is attributable to

Accepted Answer

A)  inappropriate land use. 
B)  spread of exotic herbivores. 
C)  habitat loss and fragmentation. 
D)  over-exploitation of fresh-water. 
E)  All of the answers are correct. 
A)  inappropriate land use. 
B)  spread of exotic herbivores. 
C)  habitat loss and fragmentation. 
D)  over-exploitation of fresh-water. 
E)  All of the answers are correct.

Question 7

One problem with identifying biodiversity hotspots is that

Accepted Answer

A)  sites of endemism and richness may not occur in the same place. 
B)  sampling efforts are not extensive enough. 
C)  they are variable in what is identified as rich. 
D)  they are difficult to find. 
E)  some species are considered more important than others. 
A)  sites of endemism and richness may not occur in the same place. 
B)  sampling efforts are not extensive enough. 
C)  they are variable in what is identified as rich. 
D)  they are difficult to find. 
E)  some species are considered more important than others.

Question 8

Threatening processes in freshwater systems do NOT include

Accepted Answer

A)  pollution. 
B)  changes in water temperature. 
C)  low oxygen levels. 
D)  sunlight. 
E)  sandy soil. 
A)  pollution. 
B)  changes in water temperature. 
C)  low oxygen levels. 
D)  sunlight. 
E)  sandy soil.

Question 9

What size organisms are particularly affected by habitat fragmentation?

Accepted Answer

A)  All organisms are equally affected by habitat fragmentation, irrespective of their size 
B)  Microscopic 
C)  Small 
D)  Medium 
E)  Large 
A)  All organisms are equally affected by habitat fragmentation, irrespective of their size 
B)  Microscopic 
C)  Small 
D)  Medium 
E)  Large

Question 10

The most efficient way of managing dryland salinity is

Accepted Answer

A)  clearing, to allow water to enter recharge zones. 
B)  switching to shallow-rooted crops to avoid pulling water to surface. 
C)  irrigating, to flush out salt. 
D)  revegetating land with deep-rooted plants to lower the water table. 
E)  planting of crops that require little water. 
A)  clearing, to allow water to enter recharge zones. 
B)  switching to shallow-rooted crops to avoid pulling water to surface. 
C)  irrigating, to flush out salt. 
D)  revegetating land with deep-rooted plants to lower the water table. 
E)  planting of crops that require little water.

Question 11

How does the new national Carbon Farming Initiative help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?

Accepted Answer

A)  It pays the least efficient farmers a grant to leave farming. 
B)  Farmers and land managers earn carbon credits by increasing stock levels. 
C)  Farmers and land managers earn carbon credits by switching to GM crops. 
D)  Farmers earn a 13 per cent feed-in tariff for permitting the construction of wind turbines or industrial-scale solar generation on their land. 
E)  Farmers and land managers earn carbon credits by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and/or storing carbon on the land. 
A)  It pays the least efficient farmers a grant to leave farming. 
B)  Farmers and land managers earn carbon credits by increasing stock levels. 
C)  Farmers and land managers earn carbon credits by switching to GM crops. 
D)  Farmers earn a 13 per cent feed-in tariff for permitting the construction of wind turbines or industrial-scale solar generation on their land. 
E)  Farmers and land managers earn carbon credits by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and/or storing carbon on the land.

Question 12

It is widely accepted that sometime around 10 000 years ago cheetahs went through a severe genetic bottleneck. As a result of this, the biodiversity of their ecosystems has

Accepted Answer

A)  decreased significantly. 
B)  increased slightly. 
C)  increased significantly. 
D)  remained unchanged. 
E)  decreased slightly. 
A)  decreased significantly. 
B)  increased slightly. 
C)  increased significantly. 
D)  remained unchanged. 
E)  decreased slightly.

Question 13

Which of the following is NOT a common characteristic of a successfully invading new species?

Accepted Answer

A)  High mobility 
B)  High survival rate 
C)  Low fecundity 
D)  Lack of predators 
E)  Broad diet 
A)  High mobility 
B)  High survival rate 
C)  Low fecundity 
D)  Lack of predators 
E)  Broad diet

Question 14

The advantage of burning in a patchwork mosaic, in fire management regimes in coastal heath environments, is that it

Accepted Answer

A)  provides a range of habitats. 
B)  maintains species diversity. 
C)  allows a sequence of plant successions. 
D)  is more easily controlled. 
E)  All of the answers are advantages. 
A)  provides a range of habitats. 
B)  maintains species diversity. 
C)  allows a sequence of plant successions. 
D)  is more easily controlled. 
E)  All of the answers are advantages.

Question 15

The earth's ozone layer absorbs damaging UV radiation, thus protecting us from its most harmful effects. There are several different types of UV radiation which are defined according to their respective wavelengths. UV is also used to create sterile working areas; which UV would be best suited for this application?

Accepted Answer

A)  UV-A 
B)  UV-B 
C)  All UV radiation is equally damaging, therefore any UV wavelength could be used 
D)  UV-D 
E)  UV-C 
A)  UV-A 
B)  UV-B 
C)  All UV radiation is equally damaging, therefore any UV wavelength could be used 
D)  UV-D 
E)  UV-C

Question 16

What proportion of forests present when Europeans arrived in Australia is still here?

Accepted Answer

A)  100 per cent 
B)  80 per cent 
C)  50 per cent 
D)  25 per cent 
E)  10 per cent 
A)  100 per cent 
B)  80 per cent 
C)  50 per cent 
D)  25 per cent 
E)  10 per cent

Question 17

Declines in abundance and range of native Australian flora and fauna have been highest in

Accepted Answer

A)  agricultural areas. 
B)  regions where settlement first occurred. 
C)  forests. 
D)  heavily wooded country. 
E)  arid desert of central Australia. 
A)  agricultural areas. 
B)  regions where settlement first occurred. 
C)  forests. 
D)  heavily wooded country. 
E)  arid desert of central Australia.

Question 18

Which of the following statements about the ozone layer and ultraviolet light is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  Nearly all UV-A is screened out by the ozone layer. 
B)  For each 1 per cent decrease in ozone, UV-B reaching the earth's surface increases by 2 per cent. 
C)  Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) react with ozone in a reversible reaction. 
D)  The thinning of the ozone layer is most pronounced in the tropics. 
E)  UV-C has the longest wavelength and is poorly absorbed by the ozone layer. 
A)  Nearly all UV-A is screened out by the ozone layer. 
B)  For each 1 per cent decrease in ozone, UV-B reaching the earth's surface increases by 2 per cent. 
C)  Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) react with ozone in a reversible reaction. 
D)  The thinning of the ozone layer is most pronounced in the tropics. 
E)  UV-C has the longest wavelength and is poorly absorbed by the ozone layer.

Question 19

Coral bleaching is an indication of rising sea temperatures and increased levels of solar radiation. Coral bleaching

Accepted Answer

A)  has been observed in very few countries in the Caribbean, Indian and Pacific Oceans. 
B)  has affected up to 88 per cent of near-shore corals in the Great Barrier Reef. 
C)  is unlikely to be of increased significance on the Great Barrier Reef in the future. 
D)  only occurs at locations near the equator where the sea temperature is highest. 
E)  All of the answers are true. 
A)  has been observed in very few countries in the Caribbean, Indian and Pacific Oceans. 
B)  has affected up to 88 per cent of near-shore corals in the Great Barrier Reef. 
C)  is unlikely to be of increased significance on the Great Barrier Reef in the future. 
D)  only occurs at locations near the equator where the sea temperature is highest. 
E)  All of the answers are true.

Question 20

In fragmented habitats

Accepted Answer

A)  larger species of animal are more likely to survive than smaller species. 
B)  most patches are small enough to support viable populations of all resident species. 
C)  habitat corridors linking adjacent fragments can increase effective fragment size. 
D)  the size and shape of remnant patches has no impact on species survival. 
E)  small animals are more vulnerable than large animals. 
A)  larger species of animal are more likely to survive than smaller species. 
B)  most patches are small enough to support viable populations of all resident species. 
C)  habitat corridors linking adjacent fragments can increase effective fragment size. 
D)  the size and shape of remnant patches has no impact on species survival. 
E)  small animals are more vulnerable than large animals.

Exam 46: Human Impacts

Which of the following is the best definition of the aims of ecologically sustainable development? Ecologically sustainable development aims to

Australian bats and rodents

Habitat corridors

The total extent of National Parks and Reserves has increased since 1968 and is now

Feral animals

Declines in abundance of flora and fauna in the regions first settled is attributable to

One problem with identifying biodiversity hotspots is that

Threatening processes in freshwater systems do NOT include

What size organisms are particularly affected by habitat fragmentation?

The most efficient way of managing dryland salinity is

How does the new national Carbon Farming Initiative help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?

It is widely accepted that sometime around 10 000 years ago cheetahs went through a severe genetic bottleneck. As a result of this, the biodiversity of their ecosystems has

Which of the following is NOT a common characteristic of a successfully invading new species?

The advantage of burning in a patchwork mosaic, in fire management regimes in coastal heath environments, is that it

What proportion of forests present when Europeans arrived in Australia is still here?

Declines in abundance and range of native Australian flora and fauna have been highest in

Which of the following statements about the ozone layer and ultraviolet light is true?

Coral bleaching is an indication of rising sea temperatures and increased levels of solar radiation. Coral bleaching

In fragmented habitats

Nature of Molecules

Biomolecules

The Chemistry of Life

Functioning Cells

Movement Across Membranes

Harvesting Energy

Cells, Tissues and Signals

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Inheritance

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Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology

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Hormonal Control in Animals

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