BIOL 350 FINAL EXAM
-exam elaborations with 100% verified answer/solutions-
Excel & Succeed - academic year (2026)
60 Q&A
1) The current state of civilization can be described in terms of problems
of 'input' or problems of 'output'. Describe the main current concerns
associated with 'forests' as a problem of 'input', and describe the main
reasons why forests have important value in terms of providing
ecosystem services for humans.
Problems of input:
-Deforestation; clearing forests for agriculture, urban expansion, mining, over-
harvesting for timber and paper production
-increased frequency of fire, drought, insect outbreaks
-clearing forests out faster than we can replace them
-world forest area shrunk by 80% per capita in past century
Value:
-"earth's lungs"; source of oxygen
-Earth's major source of water circulation; about 50% of the water that ends up
in the clouds for rain has been transpired by forests
-forests build and protect top soil; without forests we lose soil and minerals
through erosion
-major carbon sinks; capture, store, and decrease greenhouse carbon dioxide
levels (about 25% of carbon emitted by burning fossil fuels each year are
absorbed by forests)
-home to Earth's treasury of biodiversity
(2) World food production now appears to have peaked and prices are
rising. Describe the main reasons for this crisis that we discussed in
BIOL350.
,Today's food shortages result from 4 critical long-term trends:
1) Rapid pop'n growth
-leads to over-plowing and over-grazing resulting in a loss of top soil
-increased demand for energy therefore increasing energy from fossil fuels
which contributes to global warming
-higher demand for food...causing food shortages
2)Loss of top soil
-because of deforestation, global warming, over-plowing...etc
3)Spreading water shortages
4)Rising temperatures and Global warming
-leads to rising sea level causing coastal flooding, which leads to loss of top
soil
-higher temps also reduce crop yield
OTHER REASONS:
-arable land has peaked
-lost irrigation water from melting/dried up glaciers resulting from global
warming
-rising energy prices
-more land being used to grow bio-fuels instead of crops
-falling pollinator (bee) pop'ns from pesticide use and pollution
-over exploitation of fish
(3) The current state of civilization can be described in terms of
problems of 'input' or problems of 'output'. Describe the main current
concerns associated with 'fossil fuels' as a problem of 'input'.
problems of input:
-problem of supply and demand
-oil discoveries peaked in the 60s and since the 80s we have used more oil
yearly than we are discovering
-most things that we use require oil/natural gas to make (includes everything
plastic)
-rely on fossil fuels for transportation
-since the Great acceleration 5x more energy use (especially fossil fuels)
-turn to renewable resources like solar and wind energy but forget that a lot of
these alternate solutions depend on petro chemicals/fossil fuels to keep them
running; not durable, reliable, or completely safe
-2x more oil consumption in last 4 decades
-fossil fuels=non-renewable=definite supply
-contributes to global warming/climate change
,4) The current state of civilization can be described in terms of problems
of 'input' or problems of 'output'. Describe the main current concerns
associated with 'soil loss' as a problem of 'input'
soil is one of the most precious and threatened resources:
-arable land is disappearing...top soil is vital for maintaining the world's food
supply
-it takes centuries to generate an inch of top soil even in a healthy ecosystem
so essentially it is a non-renewable resource
-soil degradation is especially high in dry lands due to salination from irrigation
-losing it from water erosion, wind, glacier melting (flooding) , deforestation
-loss of biodiversity from pesticide use; less biodiversity= more susceptible to
disease
MAIN PROBLEM OF OUTPUT= decreased capacity for food production
(5) Forecasters worry that climate change may disrupt the so-called
'global ocean conveyer'. Describe what this is, how it might be
disrupted, and what the main consequences would be.
Global conveyer belt= a constantly moving system of deep ocean circulation
driven by temp/salinity; warm less salinated water from gulf stream travels
upward towards Europe in Atlantic and the wind over this current picks up
heat to warm Europe...this causes evaporation making the water more salty
which makes the water colder b/c it's more dense and sinks...downdraft of
heavy cold water generates south going stream
How is it disrupted?
-warming of arctic ice/Greenland ice sheet making the North Atlantic less salty
therefore surface currents aren't as warm, making Europe colder
Consequences:
-colder Europe= shorter growing season
-crop loss/less food production
(6) Several forecasters have predicted that even if we completely stop all
fossil fuel burning tomorrow, it is too late to stop climate change.
Describe the main reasons why this may be so.
-it will take an 80% decrease in carbon dioxide emission by 2050 to stabilize
atmospheric gas concentration
-feedback loops not in our favor; 1) increased levels of water vapour in the
atmosphere traps heat, leads to more evaporation of water vapour increasing
the amount of trapped heat, 2) loss of snow from global warming exposes
more land area which is less reflective then snow that the sun rays hit
, therefore absorbing more heat because not as much snow covered surface to
reflect,3) melting of permafrost boreal regions released greenhouse gas
methane into the atmosphere
-rising CO2 levels lead to ocean acidity which worsens global warming
-likely not possible to come up with an oil/gas alternative in time to; continue
providing the energy need to keep civilization running as we know it, further
stop climate change
-climate change due to increases in carbon dioxide concentration is largely
irreversible for 1000 years after emissions stop
-we have already "kick-started" an irreversible self-escalating series of natural
causes effecting global warming
(7) Many experts today believe that bio-fuel production causes more
problems than it solves. Describe the main reasoning behind this view.
bio-fuel production causes loss of tropical forests and other natural habitats,
depletes oil, accelerates climate changes, exacerbates world hunger
-releases nitrous oxide
-countries fail to plan for cleaner energy
-these approaches do not help rising sea levels
-to grow biofuel crops, large scale forest burnings are needed to clear area
-farming biofuels releases nitrous oxide (climate change)
-biofuel from algae could create 4x the greenhouse gas
(8) The current state of civilization can be described in terms of
problems of 'input' or problems of 'output'. Describe the main current
concerns associated with 'population' as a problem of 'output'.
-population is estimated to reach 9 billion by 2050
-there are at least 1 billion people today that are severely
malnourished/starving
-world population growth rate peaked in 1970; now it's slightly decreasing in
developed but increasing in underdeveloped countries
-high growth rates in developing countries and higher fertility rates in poorer
countries
-urban growth to mega-cities (cities of 10 million or more) ; how will they
survive the effects of climate change? increasing resource competition?
decreasing supplies/oil?
-there are now fewer farmers to feed the growing pop'n
-MALTHUSIAN DILEMMA; pop'n growth will outpace agricultural production ...
-exam elaborations with 100% verified answer/solutions-
Excel & Succeed - academic year (2026)
60 Q&A
1) The current state of civilization can be described in terms of problems
of 'input' or problems of 'output'. Describe the main current concerns
associated with 'forests' as a problem of 'input', and describe the main
reasons why forests have important value in terms of providing
ecosystem services for humans.
Problems of input:
-Deforestation; clearing forests for agriculture, urban expansion, mining, over-
harvesting for timber and paper production
-increased frequency of fire, drought, insect outbreaks
-clearing forests out faster than we can replace them
-world forest area shrunk by 80% per capita in past century
Value:
-"earth's lungs"; source of oxygen
-Earth's major source of water circulation; about 50% of the water that ends up
in the clouds for rain has been transpired by forests
-forests build and protect top soil; without forests we lose soil and minerals
through erosion
-major carbon sinks; capture, store, and decrease greenhouse carbon dioxide
levels (about 25% of carbon emitted by burning fossil fuels each year are
absorbed by forests)
-home to Earth's treasury of biodiversity
(2) World food production now appears to have peaked and prices are
rising. Describe the main reasons for this crisis that we discussed in
BIOL350.
,Today's food shortages result from 4 critical long-term trends:
1) Rapid pop'n growth
-leads to over-plowing and over-grazing resulting in a loss of top soil
-increased demand for energy therefore increasing energy from fossil fuels
which contributes to global warming
-higher demand for food...causing food shortages
2)Loss of top soil
-because of deforestation, global warming, over-plowing...etc
3)Spreading water shortages
4)Rising temperatures and Global warming
-leads to rising sea level causing coastal flooding, which leads to loss of top
soil
-higher temps also reduce crop yield
OTHER REASONS:
-arable land has peaked
-lost irrigation water from melting/dried up glaciers resulting from global
warming
-rising energy prices
-more land being used to grow bio-fuels instead of crops
-falling pollinator (bee) pop'ns from pesticide use and pollution
-over exploitation of fish
(3) The current state of civilization can be described in terms of
problems of 'input' or problems of 'output'. Describe the main current
concerns associated with 'fossil fuels' as a problem of 'input'.
problems of input:
-problem of supply and demand
-oil discoveries peaked in the 60s and since the 80s we have used more oil
yearly than we are discovering
-most things that we use require oil/natural gas to make (includes everything
plastic)
-rely on fossil fuels for transportation
-since the Great acceleration 5x more energy use (especially fossil fuels)
-turn to renewable resources like solar and wind energy but forget that a lot of
these alternate solutions depend on petro chemicals/fossil fuels to keep them
running; not durable, reliable, or completely safe
-2x more oil consumption in last 4 decades
-fossil fuels=non-renewable=definite supply
-contributes to global warming/climate change
,4) The current state of civilization can be described in terms of problems
of 'input' or problems of 'output'. Describe the main current concerns
associated with 'soil loss' as a problem of 'input'
soil is one of the most precious and threatened resources:
-arable land is disappearing...top soil is vital for maintaining the world's food
supply
-it takes centuries to generate an inch of top soil even in a healthy ecosystem
so essentially it is a non-renewable resource
-soil degradation is especially high in dry lands due to salination from irrigation
-losing it from water erosion, wind, glacier melting (flooding) , deforestation
-loss of biodiversity from pesticide use; less biodiversity= more susceptible to
disease
MAIN PROBLEM OF OUTPUT= decreased capacity for food production
(5) Forecasters worry that climate change may disrupt the so-called
'global ocean conveyer'. Describe what this is, how it might be
disrupted, and what the main consequences would be.
Global conveyer belt= a constantly moving system of deep ocean circulation
driven by temp/salinity; warm less salinated water from gulf stream travels
upward towards Europe in Atlantic and the wind over this current picks up
heat to warm Europe...this causes evaporation making the water more salty
which makes the water colder b/c it's more dense and sinks...downdraft of
heavy cold water generates south going stream
How is it disrupted?
-warming of arctic ice/Greenland ice sheet making the North Atlantic less salty
therefore surface currents aren't as warm, making Europe colder
Consequences:
-colder Europe= shorter growing season
-crop loss/less food production
(6) Several forecasters have predicted that even if we completely stop all
fossil fuel burning tomorrow, it is too late to stop climate change.
Describe the main reasons why this may be so.
-it will take an 80% decrease in carbon dioxide emission by 2050 to stabilize
atmospheric gas concentration
-feedback loops not in our favor; 1) increased levels of water vapour in the
atmosphere traps heat, leads to more evaporation of water vapour increasing
the amount of trapped heat, 2) loss of snow from global warming exposes
more land area which is less reflective then snow that the sun rays hit
, therefore absorbing more heat because not as much snow covered surface to
reflect,3) melting of permafrost boreal regions released greenhouse gas
methane into the atmosphere
-rising CO2 levels lead to ocean acidity which worsens global warming
-likely not possible to come up with an oil/gas alternative in time to; continue
providing the energy need to keep civilization running as we know it, further
stop climate change
-climate change due to increases in carbon dioxide concentration is largely
irreversible for 1000 years after emissions stop
-we have already "kick-started" an irreversible self-escalating series of natural
causes effecting global warming
(7) Many experts today believe that bio-fuel production causes more
problems than it solves. Describe the main reasoning behind this view.
bio-fuel production causes loss of tropical forests and other natural habitats,
depletes oil, accelerates climate changes, exacerbates world hunger
-releases nitrous oxide
-countries fail to plan for cleaner energy
-these approaches do not help rising sea levels
-to grow biofuel crops, large scale forest burnings are needed to clear area
-farming biofuels releases nitrous oxide (climate change)
-biofuel from algae could create 4x the greenhouse gas
(8) The current state of civilization can be described in terms of
problems of 'input' or problems of 'output'. Describe the main current
concerns associated with 'population' as a problem of 'output'.
-population is estimated to reach 9 billion by 2050
-there are at least 1 billion people today that are severely
malnourished/starving
-world population growth rate peaked in 1970; now it's slightly decreasing in
developed but increasing in underdeveloped countries
-high growth rates in developing countries and higher fertility rates in poorer
countries
-urban growth to mega-cities (cities of 10 million or more) ; how will they
survive the effects of climate change? increasing resource competition?
decreasing supplies/oil?
-there are now fewer farmers to feed the growing pop'n
-MALTHUSIAN DILEMMA; pop'n growth will outpace agricultural production ...
