Visualizing Environmental Science

©
Steve Greenberg/www.cartoon

stock.com

Critical and Creative Thinking Questions 347

9. How does an ecosystem’s population growth rate affect
   its likelihood of meeting the criteria for endangered
   ecosystems? Describe the four criteria in your answer.


10. Which federal agencies are responsible for managing
    public rangelands? What environmental and economic
    issues do they face?


11. Given the important contributions of forests in providing
    both timber and ecosystem services, how would you
    manage U.S. public forests if you were in charge? Whose
    interests would you have to balance?


12. For three decades, Forest A has been harvested using
    clear-cutting, and Forest B has been managed through
    sustainable forestry. Describe five differences you
    would expect to see between the two forests, including
    sustainable forest practices in your description.

For questions 13 and 14, examine the following graph of world

land use that was assembled by the World Resources Institute

and the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization.

Critical and Creative Thinking Questions

1. Why is deforestation a serious global environmental
   problem?


2. What are the environmental effects of clear-cutting on
   steep mountain slopes? on tropical rainforest land?


3. Distinguish between rangeland degradation and
   desertification. Why is moderate grazing beneficial
   to rangelands, yet overgrazing leads to erosion?


4. Debate conflicts over logging in Tongass National Forest
   from two points of view: that of the wise-use movement
   and that of the environmental movement.


5. Do you think additional federal lands should be added to
   the wilderness system? Why or why not?


6. Consider the message that the cartoon shown here sends
   about the popularity of U.S. national parks. What might
   park managers do to protect parks while encouraging their
   use? What are some of the uses that must be considered in
   managing a national park?


7. Should private landowners have control over what they
   wish to do to their land? If you were a landowner, what
   are some land-use decisions you might have to make that
   could affect both the public and the environment? Identify
   a ranked list of five or more priorities you would follow.


8. Explain how economic growth and sustainable use of
   natural resources can be compatible goals. ✓✓THE PLANNER


9. How much of the world’s total land area is used for
   agriculture? How might conservation easements protect
   some of these areas?


10. Based on types of habitats represented, which of the
    categories shown are most likely to include the most
    endangered U.S. ecosystems?

Wetlands

and lakes

3%

Other:

Rock, ice, tundra,

and desert

30% Forests

26%

Permanent

pasture

26%

Cropland

12%

Urban

areas

3%

World Re

source

s In

stitute and U.N. Food and

Agriculture Organization.

Sustainable Citizen Question