Quiz Yourself
Deforestation and Biodiversity Quiz
How much do you know about deforestation and biodiversity?
This quiz was last updated in 2021.
True or False: Deforestation is a leading cause of global warming in the world.
Deforestation is one of the largest causes of global warming. When deforestation occurs, the carbon stored by trees is released back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, contributing to climate change. It is responsible for 12-20% of global greenhouse gas emission. Therefore, forest is essential to our life. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), around 420 million hectares of forest were lost between 1990 and 2020.
Which of the following is NOT a problem caused by deforestation?
25% of the world’s population — 1.6 billion people — rely on forests for their livelihood. Many of these people are the world’s poorest. Forests provide $75-100 billion per year in goods and services such as clean water, healthy soil, and carbon cycle. Furthermore, forests are the habitat of 80% of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity.
Which of the following is NOT a reason why biodiversity is important?
Biodiversity is important for a variety of reasons. For one, biodiversity promotes healthier, maintained ecosystems that provide services to us, such as protected water resources and recovery from disasters. The genetic variety of crops, livestock, and marine organisms used for food ensures that humans are provided with a healthy, nutrient rich diet. A variety of diverse species ensures that natural enemy species, which are integral to biological control, are able to take care of pests in ecosystems.
Which land-based ecosystem has the most biodiversity?
The world's most diverse ecological habitats are rainforests. Rainforests are the oldest and richest ecological habitat on Earth, with as many as 1,500 flowering plants, 750 species of trees, 400 species of birds and 150 species of butterflies per 10 square kilometers. Although tropical forests are only 6% of the Earth, it is the most diverse, complex home to all animals and plants on the planet.
Which of the following is NOT the way to fight deforestation?
Meat consumption is a shortcut to accelerating deforestation rather than preventing it since land is appropriated to make feed for raising livestock. Consuming meat is the same as killing other wild animals living in degraded forests. Between 2016 to 2019, an estimated 1,470 jaguars in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest were killed or displaced due to accelerated deforestation and the wildfires.
What is known as the "Sixth Extinction"?
Elizabeth Kolbert, author of The Sixth Extinction, says that human behavior, particularly pertaining to use of fossil fuels and climate change, has led to a “Six Extinction” where many species are considered endangered and are disappearing.
How many trees does it take to provide a day's supply of oxygen for 4 people?
One large tree is able to supply a day’s supply of oxygen for four people. Trees are also able to absorb up to 48 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
Which of the following countries' fuel emissions are equivalent to the global annual fossil fuel emissions from the loss of primary forests in 2021?
The tropics lost over 11.1 million hectares of tree cover in 2021. Of particular concern are the 3.75 million hectares of loss that occurred within tropical primary rainforests which is the areas of critical importance for carbon storage and biodiversity. This is also equivalent to a rate of 10 football fields a minute. This loss of the tropical primary forests resulted in 2.5 Gt of carbon dioxide emissions, as same as the annual fossil fuel emissions of India.
How much of the Earth's land is covered by forests?
Forests are one of the world’s largest storage for all of the carbon emitted into the atmosphere through natural processes and human activities. According to the NASA Earth Observatory, Forests cover about 30% of Earth’s land surface, and also account for 50% of plant productivity. More than 4 billion hectares of the Earth is covered by forests. However, there was a decrease from 4.24 billion hectares in 1990 to 4.06 billion in 2020.
Which of the following statements about biodiversity is false?
Plant and animal migration from one area to another can have unexpected consequences. While these kinds of movements can be benign, sometimes they adversely affect the wild ecosystem or humans in an area. When this happens, the new species are called invasive alien species. Invasive species can reduce biodiversity and species richness, cause extinctions, and dramatically change ecosystems.
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