Please answer this: Background: Groundwater salinization compromises buffering properties. Vegetation clearance, along with irrigation, causes serious issues. Irrigation increases the water table and mobilizes salts, and vegetation clearance allows it to come in contact with water habitats and vegetation. This stresses species not adapted to high salinity. High levels of salinity reduces water uptake in plants, by causing stomatal closure, reducing photosynthesis. Forests undergo decline in areas of high salinity and shallow groundwater depths because these conditions make them more susceptible to droughts. Forests undergo decline in areas of high salinity and shallow groundwater depths making them more susceptible to droughts. Paragraph: In the sixteenth century the State of Michigan had forests all over. But that has long been gone. Especially, in the state's northeast part the vegetation has been cleared in the twentieth century. Wooded areas were replaced by farm lands. All these farmlands were under heavy Irrigation. At one time, in the sixteenth century, plant species like elm and oak used to be plentiful. We still had some elms and oaks in the twentieth century, but they were not great many in number. Given the paragraph above, please answer correctly the following question: In which century plant species in northeast Michigan were in more stress, sixteenth century or twentieth century?
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Answer: twentieth century

Please answer this: Background: Cholesterol has been implicated in heart disease for decades. Atherosclerosis is a disorder of the arteries in which cholesterol and other materials are deposited on the interior of the arterial wall. These deposits lead to the formation of plaques that can restrict or even block the flow of blood through these blood vessels (see Figure below ). A decrease in the flow of blood can lead to high blood pressure and a lowered oxygen supply to the heart muscle. A complete blockage of blood flow to parts of the heart (a heart attack) can cause significant damage due to oxygen deprivation, in some cases leading to death. Paragraph: Two brothers went to the doctor for their yearly examination. Liam found out he has high cholesterol, while Rudy found out his triglycerides and cholesterol are within normal parameters. Given the paragraph above, please answer correctly the following question: Which brother was more at risk for a heart attack?
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Answer: Liam

Please answer this: Background: When humans dig up and use fossil fuels, we have an impact on the carbon cycle ( Figure below ). This carbon is not recycled until it is used by humans. The burning of fossil fuels releases more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than is used by photosynthesis. So, there is more carbon dioxide entering the atmosphere than is coming out of it. Carbon dioxide is known as a greenhouse gas , since it lets in light energy but does not let heat escape, much like the panes of a greenhouse. The increase of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere is contributing to a global rise in Earth's temperature, known as global warming or global climate change. Paragraph: Xuejiang, a town in China, recently increased their levels of steel and construction materials production. The factories that produce these materials have been burning high levels of fossil fuels to support this production. Ontario, meanwhile, has been burning low levels of fossil fuels thanks to investment in alternative energies, and a general decrease in the manufacturing industries there. Given the paragraph above, please answer correctly the following question: Which area will release less carbon dioxide, Xuejiang or Ontario?
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Answer:
Ontario