Conservation & Sustainability Flashcards
7 cards from real CEP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Conservation & Sustainability flashcards as text
Which international agreement set binding greenhouse gas reduction targets for developed nations during its first commitment period (2008–2012)?
Answer: Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol established legally binding emission reduction targets for Annex I countries for the 2008–2012 commitment period.
In conservation biology, the 'minimum viable population' (MVP) concept is used to:
Answer: Estimate the smallest population with a high probability of long-term persistence
MVP estimates the threshold population size below which a species faces unacceptable extinction risk due to demographic and genetic factors.
Which planning tool is most commonly used to identify and prioritize land for conservation based on biodiversity and ecosystem services?
Answer: Conservation opportunity area mapping
Conservation opportunity area mapping combines spatial data on biodiversity, connectivity, and ecosystem services to prioritize land protection efforts.
The concept of 'ecosystem services' categorizes services into provisioning, regulating, cultural, and which fourth category?
Answer: Supporting
The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment identifies four categories: provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting services (e.g., nutrient cycling, soil formation).
Under the Clean Water Act, Section 401 water quality certification is required when:
Answer: A federal permit or license may result in a discharge to waters of the U.S.
Section 401 requires states or tribes to certify that federally licensed or permitted activities comply with state water quality standards.
Which renewable energy source has the smallest land footprint per unit of electricity generated?
Answer: Geothermal energy
Geothermal plants generate large amounts of electricity from a small surface footprint because energy extraction occurs underground.
A conservation easement is best described as:
Answer: A voluntary legal agreement that restricts development on private land in perpetuity
A conservation easement is a permanent legal restriction voluntarily placed by a landowner on their property to protect its conservation values.