Target: 10 questions in 10 minutes

1. The table below shows the total area of a rainforest in 2010 and 2020:

Year  Rainforest Area (km²)
2010 6,704,996 km²
2020 6,479,537 km²

Using the data provided, calculate (to 2 significant figures) the percentage change in rainforest area between 2010 and 2020.

  • A. 3.4% decrease
  • B. 3.4 % increase
  • C. 3.5% decrease
  • D. 0.34% decrease

2. In a sealed mesocosm, which of the following variables would change?

I. Light
II. Temperature
III. Amount of carbon
  • A. I only
  • B. III only
  • C. I and II only
  • D. I, II and III only

3. The image shows the feeding relationship between sea otters, sea urchins and kelp.

kelp -Sea Urchin - Otter feeding relationship

 Adapted from work by Thomas Luypaert, James G. Hagan, Morgan L. McCarthy and Meenakshi Poti
CC-BY-SA 4.0
How does the sea otter function as a keystone species in its coastal ecosystem?
  • A. Sea otters feed primarily on kelp, controlling the growth of kelp forests.
  • B. Sea otters prey on sea urchins, thus helping maintain kelp forests as habitats.
  • C. Sea otters are a major food source for apex predators like killer whales.
  • D. Sea otters exert bottom-up control of sea urchin populations.

Q4&5. The graph shows spawning stock for Atlantic cod fish between 1985 to 2016.

glucose levels in blodd - graph

 Wing gundam
CC-BY-SA 4.0
4. What can be concluded from the data above?
  • A. Prior to 1995 there was fishing above the maximum sustainable yield level.
  • B. Prior to 1995 there is a linear decrease in the population of fish.
  • C. From 1995-2015 there is a consistent increase in fish stocks.
  • D. From 2010-2015 the relative population of older fish likely exceeds that of younger fish.
5. Which of the following strategies would not help in preventing overfishing of Atlantic cod?
  • A. Implementing strict catch quotas and limiting the total allowable catch.
  • B. Signing international treaties for quotas across different countries.
  • C. Establishing temporary fishing bans to allow stocks to recover.
  • D. Using small-calibre mesh nets to allow juvenile (young) fish to escape from the catch.

6. The image shows a view over the Hinewai Reserve located on the Banks Peninsula in New Zealand.

Hinewai_Reserve

 Michal Klajban
CC-BY-SA 4.0
What is the main goal of the rewilding efforts at Hinewai?
  • A. To reintroduce historically native species through minimal human interference.
  • B. To establish a diverse mix of native and non-native plant species.
  • C. To promote rapid forest regrowth using fast-growing exotic tree species.
  • D. To maintain the existing balance of native and introduced species

Q7&8. The image below shows the eutrophication process.

eutrophication process diagram

 Kungfucrab
c.c. BY-SA 4.0
7. At which step could you most easily exert bottom-up control of algal bloom?
  • A. 1
  • B. 2
  • C. 3
  • D. 4

8. What are the consequences of eutrophication in an aquatic ecosystem?

I. Rapid growth in algal populations due to increased nutrient availability
II. Increase in numbers of saprotrophs as algae die
III. Reduced biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)
  • A. I only
  • B. III only
  • C. I and II only
  • D. I, II and III

9. The image below shows biomagnification of mercury in a food chain.

biomagnification of mercury in a food chain
Which property of a pollutant like mercury allows it to undergo biomagnification?
  • A. The pollutant is water-soluble and easily excreted by organisms.
  • B. The pollutant is fat-soluble and resistant to metabolism.
  • C. The pollutant is in a volatile gaseous form that can be readily absorbed.
  • D. The pollutant is a large, complex molecule that cannot pass through cell membranes.

10. The chart below shows box and whisker plots for the concentrations of different types of microplastics found in water samples taken from the Beaufort Sea.

microplastics found in water samples taken from the Beaufort Sea.

 Peter S. Ross, Stephen Chastain, Ekaterina Vassilenko, Anahita Etemadifar, Sarah Zimmermann, Sarah-Ann Quesnel, Jane Eert, Eric Solomon, Shreyas Patankar, Anna M. Posacka & Bill Williams
c.c. BY-SA 4.0
Which of the following can be concluded from the data above?
  • A. The mean of sample E is approximately 25 particles per cubic metre.
  • B. There are outliers in the data collected.
  • C. No sample contained concentrations higher than 100 particles per cubic metre.
  • D. Acrylic was the majority microplastic found at all depths sampled.