1. Logging in national forests is very controversial. Describe how preservationist and
conservationist views on this issue would likely differ.
2. A community wishes to build a new elementary school to meet the needs of its growing
population. The most convenient site for this new school happens to be one of the few remaining
tracts of forest within the city. On what criteria would virtue ethicists, consequence-based
ethicists, and duty-based ethicists decide if cutting this forest to locate the school was right?
3. In very dry years or when winters are very cold, the food supply for elk in the Yellowstone
wilderness may be limited, and weak or old animals are likely to die. Some argue that park
managers should provide supplemental feeding stations to prevent such deaths. What is your
view on this matter, and on what ethical framework would you base it?
4. Give an example of an environmental justice issue in your community. How do you feel disputes
over such matters should be resolved?
5. Some economists argue that ecological valuation of ecosystem services does not reflect their true value in an economic system. What is their reasoning?
6. Describe two examples of actions that countries might take that increase their GDP while
diminishing their GPI. Give an example of actions that would likely increase both GDP and GPI.
Set 2
1.What factors might influence trophic level efficiency?
2.Sharks are considered to be important keystone species in some marine communities. Why might this be the case?
3.Why have conservationists been particularly interested in the restoration of carnivore populations?
4.What factors influence differences in NPP from one place to another in terrestrial ecosystems? How do those factors compare with the factors that influence NPP in marine ecosystems?
5.Describe how human land use is contributing to the increased flux of CO2 to Earth’s atmosphere?
6.Fossil fuels such as oil and coal are the NEP of a distant time. Explain.
7.How might they influence the biodiversity of the landscapes within which they occur?
Set 3
1.Describe the factors influencing landscape diversity for a park, national forest, or rangeland near your home(Philadelphia).
2.Structural complexity of ecological communities is often correlated with species richness.Explain why this is so, using a specific community as an example.
3.Describe two reasons why ecosystem functions, such as productivity, may increase as species richness increase.
4.Describe three ways in which biodiversity contributes to the economic well-being of communities.
5.What habitats are disappearing near your home(Philadelphia)? What species might be threatened by the loss of these habitats?
6.Give a example of a non-native invasive species that is influencing biodiversity in ecosystems near your home(Philadelphia). What factors contribute to its invasiveness?