Question
simple answer
How much of Earth’s habitable land was used for agriculture a thousand years ago? Why has this number increased so dramatically?
How is it possible that only 1% of habitable land is used for urban areas when there are so many people living in cities and towns?
Page 5- What happens to habitats when forests are cleared?
What are some consequences of habitat destruction on the environment?
Page 6- How does clearing forests affect global warming?
What is the “heat island effect”?
Page 7- How does the use of synthetic (man-made) fertilizers cause the death of fish and other aquatic organisms?
Page 13- What are bioresources?
Pages 14-17 are very similar to earlier pages in the lesson and can be skimmed over.
Page 18- Check-In Question #1- What are some examples of bioresources?
How much of Earth’s habitable land was used for agriculture a thousand years ago? Why has this number increased so dramatically?
How is it possible that only 1% of habitable land is used for urban areas when there are so many people living in cities and towns?
Page 5- What happens to habitats when forests are cleared?
What are some consequences of habitat destruction on the environment?
Page 6- How does clearing forests affect global warming?
What is the “heat island effect”?
Page 7- How does the use of synthetic (man-made) fertilizers cause the death of fish and other aquatic organisms?
Page 13- What are bioresources?
Pages 14-17 are very similar to earlier pages in the lesson and can be skimmed over.
Page 18- Check-In Question #1- What are some examples of bioresources?
Answers
GPT-4o mini
1. **How much of Earth’s habitable land was used for agriculture a thousand years ago?**
About 7% of Earth's habitable land was used for agriculture a thousand years ago. This number has dramatically increased due to population growth, advances in agricultural techniques, and the demand for food.
2. **How is it possible that only 1% of habitable land is used for urban areas?**
Even though many people live in cities, urban areas are often densely populated, allowing a small percentage of land to support a large number of inhabitants. Most of the habitable land is still utilized for agriculture, forests, and other uses.
3. **What happens to habitats when forests are cleared?**
When forests are cleared, habitats are destroyed, leading to loss of biodiversity, disruption of ecosystems, and changes in soil and water dynamics.
4. **What are some consequences of habitat destruction on the environment?**
Habitat destruction can lead to loss of species, increased greenhouse gas emissions, soil erosion, water cycle disruption, and loss of ecosystem services.
5. **How does clearing forests affect global warming?**
Clearing forests contributes to global warming by releasing stored carbon dioxide when trees are cut down and burned, reducing the planet's capacity to absorb carbon dioxide.
6. **What is the “heat island effect”?**
The heat island effect refers to urban areas becoming significantly warmer than their rural surroundings due to human activities and the concentration of buildings, roads, and other infrastructure that absorb and retain heat.
7. **How does the use of synthetic fertilizers cause the death of fish and other aquatic organisms?**
Synthetic fertilizers can run off into water bodies, leading to nutrient pollution. This causes algal blooms, which deplete oxygen in the water and can create dead zones, suffocating fish and other aquatic organisms.
8. **What are bioresources?**
Bioresources are natural resources obtained from living organisms that are used for various purposes, including food, energy, and materials.
9. **What are some examples of bioresources?**
Examples of bioresources include crops, livestock, forests, fish, and biofuels derived from plants and animal products.
About 7% of Earth's habitable land was used for agriculture a thousand years ago. This number has dramatically increased due to population growth, advances in agricultural techniques, and the demand for food.
2. **How is it possible that only 1% of habitable land is used for urban areas?**
Even though many people live in cities, urban areas are often densely populated, allowing a small percentage of land to support a large number of inhabitants. Most of the habitable land is still utilized for agriculture, forests, and other uses.
3. **What happens to habitats when forests are cleared?**
When forests are cleared, habitats are destroyed, leading to loss of biodiversity, disruption of ecosystems, and changes in soil and water dynamics.
4. **What are some consequences of habitat destruction on the environment?**
Habitat destruction can lead to loss of species, increased greenhouse gas emissions, soil erosion, water cycle disruption, and loss of ecosystem services.
5. **How does clearing forests affect global warming?**
Clearing forests contributes to global warming by releasing stored carbon dioxide when trees are cut down and burned, reducing the planet's capacity to absorb carbon dioxide.
6. **What is the “heat island effect”?**
The heat island effect refers to urban areas becoming significantly warmer than their rural surroundings due to human activities and the concentration of buildings, roads, and other infrastructure that absorb and retain heat.
7. **How does the use of synthetic fertilizers cause the death of fish and other aquatic organisms?**
Synthetic fertilizers can run off into water bodies, leading to nutrient pollution. This causes algal blooms, which deplete oxygen in the water and can create dead zones, suffocating fish and other aquatic organisms.
8. **What are bioresources?**
Bioresources are natural resources obtained from living organisms that are used for various purposes, including food, energy, and materials.
9. **What are some examples of bioresources?**
Examples of bioresources include crops, livestock, forests, fish, and biofuels derived from plants and animal products.