Natural Systems Under Stress - Plan B 3.0 Chapter 5

Lesotho is a small country with a population of 2 million people that is embedded within South Africa. It is a landlocked country completely surrounded by South Africa's borders. Lesotho is known for its mountainous terrain and is often referred to as the "Kingdom in the Sky" due to its high altitude. The correct spelling of the country is Lesotho.

The correct answer is 4. The question states that at the beginning of the twentieth century, the earth's forested area was estimated at 5 billion hectares. Since then, it has shrunk to just under 4 billion hectares. This means that the forested area has decreased by approximately 1 billion hectares, which is reflected in the answer choices.

There are different ways to convert hectares to acres, depending on the specific conversion factor used. The correct answer options include all possible conversion factors: 2.5, 2.471, 2.47, and 2.4. Each of these values represents a different conversion factor that can be used to calculate the number of acres in a hectare.

Rangeland refers to land that is unsuitable for crop production due to being too dry, too steep, or lacking fertility. It is an area of land that is used for grazing livestock and wildlife. Rangelands can be found in various regions and are important for sustaining grazing activities and maintaining biodiversity.

The head of Iran's Anti-Desertification Organization is Mohammad Jarian. This is indicated by the multiple variations of his name provided as answer options.

The correct answer for the missing population number of leatherback turtles in 1996 is 34,500. This is the numerical representation of "thirty four thousand and five hundred." The sentence indicates that the leatherback turtle population decreased from 115,000 in 1982 to 34,500 in 1996.

The cerrado, also known as Cerrado, is a savanna-like region located south of the Amazon basin. It is comparable in size to Europe and is characterized by a diverse range of vegetation, including grasslands, shrubs, and small trees. The cerrado is an important ecological hotspot, home to a wide variety of plant and animal species, many of which are endemic to the region.

In 2006, the US experienced a major decline in its principal pollinator, which is the bee. Bees play a crucial role in pollination, transferring pollen from male to female flowers, which allows plants to reproduce. The decline of bees can have significant impacts on agriculture and ecosystems, as many plants rely on them for pollination. This decline could be attributed to various factors such as habitat loss, pesticide use, diseases, and climate change.

Approximately 15% of the coral reefs in the Caribbean ocean are threatened by pollution from cruise ship discharges. This means that a significant portion of the coral reefs in the region are at risk due to the pollution caused by the discharge of waste and other pollutants from cruise ships. This pollution can harm the fragile ecosystem of the coral reefs, leading to coral bleaching, loss of biodiversity, and overall degradation of the reefs. Efforts need to be made to reduce this pollution and protect the Caribbean coral reefs for future generations.

The correct answer is 90%. In 2003, a study published in Nature concluded that 90% of the large fish in the oceans had disappeared over the last 50 years. This study was conducted by a Canadian-German research team and is considered a landmark study due to its findings. The high percentage of fish depletion highlights the alarming decline in marine biodiversity and the need for conservation efforts to protect ocean ecosystems.

A hectare is a unit of area commonly used in measuring land. It is equal to 10,000 square meters. This means that a hectare is a very large area, equivalent to 2.47 acres. It is often used in agriculture and land development to determine the size of fields, plots, or parcels of land.

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Introduced or alien species are responsible for causing damage to ecosystems and native species. However, only a small percentage of all the plants listed on the IUCN Red List are affected by these introduced species. The correct answer, 5%, indicates that a relatively low number of plant species on the list are impacted by introduced or alien species.

Thailand announced a nationwide ban on tree cutting in 1989 because severe flooding and heavy loss of life in landslides were occurring. Cutting down trees can lead to deforestation, which in turn increases the risk of flooding and landslides. By implementing the ban, Thailand aimed to protect its citizens and prevent further damage caused by these natural disasters.

Mongolia imports 60% of their wheat. This means that out of the total amount of wheat consumed in Mongolia, 60% is imported from other countries. This suggests that Mongolia relies heavily on wheat imports to meet its domestic demand for this staple crop.