PBS - Bill Moyers Reports: Earth on Edge






		Interactive Ecosystem Quiz How much do you know about Earth's ecosystems? The scientists in Earth on Edge say that humans are failing to wisely manage the ecosystems on which our lives depend. And, as the marine ecologist in the program, Carl Safina, reminds us, "Our everyday choices — those we make shopping, eating, building, and commuting — can make the difference between a passing grade or future failure." Do you know enough to help guide Earth's ecosystem's to a "passing grade"? Take our quiz and test your knowledge! If you have an older browser that doesn't support javascript, please go to the non-javascript version of the quiz Question 1 Ecosystems supply us with food, timber, fiber, and places for recreation and spiritual pursuits. They also provide employment. What percent of jobs worldwide are in agriculture, forestry, and fishing? A. 10% B. 25% C. 50% D. 75% The correct answer is Question 2 Ecosystems provide numerous services-air and water purification, climate control, nutrient cycling — that we can't do without. Another important ecosystem service that most people don't think about is pollination. What percent of the world's food crops would not exist without pollinators like bees, bats, and wasps? A. 20% B. 50% C. 75% D. 90% The correct answer is Question 3 The majority of the world's population depends on what kind of fuel as its primary source of energy? A. Coal B. Wood C. Hydropower D. Oil The correct answer is Question 4 Why is New York City spending millions of dollars to purchase and protect lands north and west of the city? A. City residents want more open space for recreation B. To ensure the long-term protection of its drinking water supply C. To provide land for solid waste sites D. As habitat for endangered species The correct answer is Question 5 Why are trees important for urban ecosystems? A. Trees remove thousands of tons of pollutants from the city air B. Trees help cool urban areas C. Trees help reduce urban noise levels D. All of the above The correct answer is Question 6 It takes approximately half a hectare of productive ecosystem to support the consumption levels of the average citizen in a developing country. How does that compare with the ecosystem area needed to support the average US citizen's consumption of goods and services? A. They are about the same B. The average American uses twice as much ecosystem area to support his or her consumption as a developing country citizen C. The average American uses four times as much ecosystem area to support his or her consumption as a developing country citizen D. The average American uses eight times as much ecosystem area to support his or her consumption as a developing country citizen The correct answer is Question 7 The conversion of wildlands to meet human needs — space for farmlands or settlements, for example — has marked the growth of civilization throughout human history. What percent of the world's land has humans converted to agriculture, urban, and suburban areas? A. 10% B. 20% C. 30% D. 50% The correct answer is Question 8 What percent of the world's major marine fish stocks are depleted from overfishing or being fished at their biological limit? A. 10% B. 25% C. 50% D. 75% The correct answer is Question 9 What is the cost of restoring Florida's Everglades, where water quality and quantity and 68 fish and wildlife species are endangered or threatened with extinction? A. $5 million B. $4.6 billion C. $7.8 billion D. $15 billion The correct answer is Question 10 How is most of the water withdrawn from freshwater systems used? A. For drinking water B. For irrigation C. For industrial use D. None of the above The correct answer is Question 11 Cities are expansive consumers of ecosystem goods and services — and prolific generators of ecosystem — damaging wastes. By 2030, what percent of the industrialized world's population will live in urban areas? A. 40% B. 50% C. 80% D. 90% The correct answer is Question 12 How much of the world's wetlands have been lost in the 20th century? A. 10% B. 20% C. 40% D. 50% The correct answer is Question 13 Dams provide hydropower, drinking water, increased agricultural output through irrigation, easier water transport, and flood control. But like most human alterations of ecosystems, dams present tradeoffs. Which of the following are negative tradeoffs that come with damming a river? A. Dams slow the movement of water, increasing sedimentation, lowering levels of dissolved oxygen, and changing patterns of nutrient transport B. Dams contribute to changes in downstream coastal ecosystems C. Dams affect migratory patterns of fish species D. All of the above The correct answer is Question 14 One of the largest grassland ecosystems in the world used to be America's Tallgrass Prairie. What percent of the original Tallgrass Prairie remains today as grasslands? A. 10% B. 25% C. 50% D. 75% The correct answer is Question 15 To what resources was Fidel Castro referring when, in 1991, he said "Cuban scientists will create resources that will one day be more valuable than sugarcane"? A. Genetically modified crops B. New methods of growing crops without fertilizers or pesticides C. Solar powered cars D. Technology to cleanse polluted water The correct answer is Thank you for taking the Earth on Edge Interactive Ecosystem Quiz! You answered of 15 questions correctly!
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