Deck 47: The Biosphere

Question 1

Ocean currents ____ in the Northern Hemisphere and ____ in the Southern Hemisphere.  

A) circulate counterclockwise; circulate clockwise
B) move west to east; move east to west
C) move east to west; move west to east
D) circulate clockwise; circulate counterclockwise
E) undulate along a line northeast and southwest; undulate along a line southeast to northwest

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Earth is tilted about how many degrees on its axis?  

A) 8
B) 15
C) 23
D) 30
E) 38

Answer 2

C

Question 3

El Niño and La Niña ____.  

A) both decrease water temperatures in the eastern Pacific Ocean
B) both increase water temperatures in the eastern Pacific Ocean
C) both increase water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico
D) cause more rain and less rain, respectively, in Australia
E) cause fewer hurricanes and more hurricanes, respectively, in the North Atlantic

Answer 3

E

Question 4

El Niño is a recurring weather phenomenon that leads to increased ocean temperature in the Pacific,and thus ____.  

A) increases global warming
B) stabilizes world climates
C) increases the incidence of cholera
D) depletes the ozone layer
E) increases oceanic productivity

Question 5

The Sierra Nevada contains a region of sparse rainfall on its leeward side due to ________  

A) coastal breezes carrying the rain away.
B) the dense forest absorbing all the rain.
C) global warming
D) a rain barrier
E) the air losing moisture as it rises in altitude

Question 6

Which of the following is the effect of El Niño?  

A) More nutrient-rich cold water wells up along South America's west coast
B) Western Pacific waters cool
C) Less rain in western South America
D) Easterly trade winds weaken or reverse
E) More rain in Australia

Question 7

Which biome is characterized by plants whose leaves turn color and drop off in the autumn?  

A) Coniferous forest
B) Tundra
C) Temperate deciduous forest
D) Tropical rain forest
E) Chaparral

Question 8

A mountain rain shadow is the ____.  

A) arid area on the windward slope
B) wet area on the windward slope
C) arid area on the leeward slope
D) wet area on the leeward slope
E) arid area on either slope

Question 9

The coastal cities of ___________ are hot and humid in summer due to heat and moisture released by the warm Gulf Stream.  

A) The Pacific Northwest
B) Boston and Baltimore
C) California
D) Minneapolis, Minnesota
E) British Columbia

Question 10

Sunlight energy drives moisture-laden air aloft at _________ north and south latitude,bringing rains to temperate zone forests.  

A) 21 degrees
B) 40 degrees
C) 60 degrees
D) 75 degrees
E) 90 degrees

Question 11

In dry shrublands,____.  

A) plants are adapted to episodes of fire
B) primary production is abundant throughout the year
C) there are constant cool temperatures throughout the year
D) winters are mild and summers are wet
E) precipitation occurs evenly year round

Question 12

During the ______,the sun's direct rays fall on equator,and the length of day and night is equal everywhere.  

A) June equinox
B) September solstice
C) June solstice
D) March and September equinox
E) June and December solstice

Question 13

Most of the tallgrass prairies have been converted ____.  

A) to grazing lands
B) for citrus production
C) to homesteads
D) to croplands
E) to vineyards

Question 14

Which factor has the LEAST effect on the amount of incoming light that strikes an area?  

A) Latitude
B) Temperature
C) The tilt of Earth's axis
D) The amount of cloud cover
E) Season

Question 15

The tradewinds in the zone from 0 to 30 degrees north latitude are generally from the ____.  

A) north
B) northwest
C) northeast
D) southeast
E) southwest

Question 16

The oldest-existing biome,resulting in having the most complex diversity,is the ____.  

A) tundra
B) taiga
C) tropical rain forest
D) desert
E) grassland

Question 17

What are the prevailing winds in the United States?  

A) Westerlies
B) Easterlies
C) Southeast tradewinds
D) Northeast tradewinds
E) Doldrums

Question 18

Deserts typically form at ____ latitude where ____.  

A) 30 degrees; cool dry air descends
B) 60 degrees; warm dry air descends
C) 0 degrees; there is intense sunlight
D) 60 degrees; warm dry air ascends
E) 75 degrees; rising air picks up moisture

Question 19

The type of biome characteristic of an area depends mainly on ____.  

A) latitude and prevailing winds
B) prevailing winds and ocean currents
C) soil composition and types of consumers
D) topology and latitude
E) rainfall and temperature

Question 20

What is a uniform characteristic of deserts?  

A) Low rainfall amounts
B) Uniformly high temperatures
C) Thick layers of topsoil
D) Void of animal life
E) Large leafy plants

Question 21

Which characteristic is unlikely to be associated with the profundal zone?  

A) The deeper part of the lake
B) The area where light does not penetrate
C) Contains consumers
D) Contains primary producers
E) Contains cooler water than the other zones

Question 22

Sea creatures which are adapted to life at the bottom of the ocean reside ____.  

A) in the pelagic zone
B) in the intertidal zone
C) in the neritic zone
D) near hydrothermal vents
E) in the benthic province

Question 23

The area where open water fish roam is known as ____.  

A) the pelagic province
B) the intertidal zone
C) the neritic zone
D) hydrothermal vents
E) the benthic province

Question 24

Which biome is a treeless plain that occurs around the Arctic Circle?  

A) Shortgrass prairie
B) Taiga
C) Cold desert
D) Cold grassland
E) Tundra

Question 25

In lakes,the open-water surface layer is called the ____.  

A) benthic zone
B) abyssal zone
C) limnetic zone
D) littoral zone
E) profundal zone

Question 26

In lakes,the nutrient-rich water near the shore,where primary producers are attached to the lake bottom,is part of the ____.  

A) benthic zone
B) abyssal zone
C) limnetic zone
D) littoral zone
E) profundal zone

Question 27

Oxygen content in flowing water is high when the water is ____.  

A) cool and fast-flowing
B) cool and still
C) warm and smooth flowing
D) warm and turbulent
E) warm

Question 28

The taiga or boreal forest is best described as what type of forest?  

A) Deciduous
B) Thorn
C) Coniferous
D) Broad-leafed
E) Shrub

Question 29

What situation causes stress to reefs?  

A) A parasitic relationship with dinoflagellates
B) Clear waters in which all nutrients have settled
C) Decline in fishing operations
D) Lowering of sea level due to climate changes
E) Pollutants released in coastal waters

Question 30

What characteristic is unlikely to be associated with arctic tundra?  

A) A perpetually waterlogged soil
B) Rapid nutrient recycling
C) One of the world's greatest store of carbon
D) Permafrost
E) Cool, anaerobic conditions

Question 31

What area of water serves as nursery grounds for many species of marine fishes and invertebrates?  

A) Photic zones
B) Benthic zones
C) Estuaries
D) Pelagic zones
E) Limnetic areas

Question 32

Freshwater lakes in temperate regions will turn over in the ____.  

A) fall only
B) winter only
C) spring only
D) summer only
E) fall and spring

Question 33

A partly enclosed body of water where fresh water from a river or rivers mixes with seawater is referred to as a(n)____.  

A) upper littoral
B) midlittoral
C) lower littoral
D) estuary
E) upwellings

Question 34

The boreal forests of North America are dominated by ____.  

A) spruce, fir, and pine
B) redwoods and sequoia
C) birch and aspen
D) long-leaf and loblolly pines
E) cedars and junipers

Question 35

What characteristic is unlikely to be correlated with coral reefs?  

A) Develop in warm, clear waters near coasts or tropical islands
B) Found between 25 degrees north and south
C) Comprised of wave-resistant formations
D) Are the least diverse marine ecosystem
E) Consist primarily of secreted calcium carbonate

Question 36

Which characteristic is associated with hardwood species?  

A) Thick cuticles
B) Susceptibility to periodic fires
C) Needle-shaped leaves
D) Recessed stomata
E) Adaptations for conserving water

Question 37

Along an ocean,the rocky shore zone that has the greatest diversity of life is the ____.  

A) upper littoral
B) midlittoral
C) lower littoral
D) intertidal
E) neritic

Question 38

The primary producers for hydrothermal vent ecosystems are  

A) chemoautotrophs.
B) chemoheterotrophs.
C) phytoplankton.
D) cyanobacteria.
E) algae.

Question 39

Most of the ocean's productivity occurs ____.  

A) in the open ocean
B) in the intertidal zone
C) in the pelagic province
D) near hydrothermal vents
E) in the benthic province

Question 40

In the summer,a lake's thin layer of water beneath the top layer where the temperature drops rapidly is known as the ____.  

A) halocline
B) thermocline
C) pycnocline
D) hypocline
E) hypercline

Question 41

Respond to the following statements with reference to the five biomes listed below.
a.Tundra
b.Dry shrubland
c.Desert
d.Taiga
e.Deciduous forest
This biome is characterized by a crust comprising cyanobacteria,lichen,mosses,and fungi.

Question 42

Choose the one most appropriate answer for each.
a."Swamp forest"; northern coniferous forest
b.Undersea formations that are similar to islands in species diversity and abundance
c.Broad belts of grasslands with a few scattered shrubs and trees; found in Africa, India, and Australia
d.Extends around the shore of a lake to a depth where rooted aquatic plants stop growing
e.Includes sediments and rocks on the ocean bottom
f.Most structurally complex and species-rich biome; features nutrient-poor soil
g.Chemoautotrophs are the primary producers
h.Occurs at high altitudes throughout the world, rocky and nutrient-poor
i.Coastal nurseries for marine animals supplied with nutrients by an influx of freshwater
j.Vast expanses of land dominated by distinct kinds of plants that support characteristic communities
Taiga

Question 43

Choose the one most appropriate answer for each.
a."Swamp forest"; northern coniferous forest
b.Undersea formations that are similar to islands in species diversity and abundance
c.Broad belts of grasslands with a few scattered shrubs and trees; found in Africa, India, and Australia
d.Extends around the shore of a lake to a depth where rooted aquatic plants stop growing
e.Includes sediments and rocks on the ocean bottom
f.Most structurally complex and species-rich biome; features nutrient-poor soil
g.Chemoautotrophs are the primary producers
h.Occurs at high altitudes throughout the world, rocky and nutrient-poor
i.Coastal nurseries for marine animals supplied with nutrients by an influx of freshwater
j.Vast expanses of land dominated by distinct kinds of plants that support characteristic communities
Savanna

Question 44

Respond to the following statements with reference to the five biomes listed below.
a.Tundra
b.Desert
c.Grassland
d.Taiga
e.Savanna
Variable daily temperatures and plants that are highly resistant to desiccation characterize this biome.

Question 45

Choose the one most appropriate answer for each.
a."Swamp forest"; northern coniferous forest
b.Undersea formations that are similar to islands in species diversity and abundance
c.Broad belts of grasslands with a few scattered shrubs and trees; found in Africa, India, and Australia
d.Extends around the shore of a lake to a depth where rooted aquatic plants stop growing
e.Includes sediments and rocks on the ocean bottom
f.Most structurally complex and species-rich biome; features nutrient-poor soil
g.Chemoautotrophs are the primary producers
h.Occurs at high altitudes throughout the world, rocky and nutrient-poor
i.Coastal nurseries for marine animals supplied with nutrients by an influx of freshwater
j.Vast expanses of land dominated by distinct kinds of plants that support characteristic communities
Biome

Question 46

Respond to the following statements with reference to the five biomes listed below.
a.Tundra
b.Dry shrubland
c.Desert
d.Taiga
e.Deciduous forest
In this biome you could find a black spruce.

Question 47

Choose the one most appropriate answer for each.
a."Swamp forest"; northern coniferous forest
b.Undersea formations that are similar to islands in species diversity and abundance
c.Broad belts of grasslands with a few scattered shrubs and trees; found in Africa, India, and Australia
d.Extends around the shore of a lake to a depth where rooted aquatic plants stop growing
e.Includes sediments and rocks on the ocean bottom
f.Most structurally complex and species-rich biome; features nutrient-poor soil
g.Chemoautotrophs are the primary producers
h.Occurs at high altitudes throughout the world, rocky and nutrient-poor
i.Coastal nurseries for marine animals supplied with nutrients by an influx of freshwater
j.Vast expanses of land dominated by distinct kinds of plants that support characteristic communities
Estuaries

Question 48

Respond to the following statements with reference to the five biomes listed below.
a.Tundra
b.Dry shrubland
c.Desert
d.Taiga
e.Deciduous forest
This biome would be most likely to have a black oak.

Question 49

Respond to the following statements with reference to the five biomes listed below.
a.Tundra
b.Desert
c.Grassland
d.Taiga
e.Savanna
Needle-shaped leaves help trees shed snow in this biome.

Question 50

Respond to the following statements with reference to the five biomes listed below.
a.Tundra
b.Dry shrubland
c.Desert
d.Taiga
e.Deciduous forest
This biome has mild,wet winters and hot,dry summers,with fire-adapted plants.

Question 51

Choose the one most appropriate answer for each.

-Benthic province

A)"Swamp forest"; northern coniferous forest
B)Undersea formations that are similar to islands in species diversity and abundance
C)Broad belts of grasslands with a few scattered shrubs and trees; found in Africa, India, and Australia
D)Extends around the shore of a lake to a depth where rooted aquatic plants stop growing
E)Includes sediments and rocks on the ocean bottom
F)Most structurally complex and species-rich biome; features nutrient-poor soil
G)Chemoautotrophs are the primary producers
H)Occurs at high altitudes throughout the world, rocky and nutrient-poor
I)Coastal nurseries for marine animals supplied with nutrients by an influx of freshwater
J)Vast expanses of land dominated by distinct kinds of plants that support characteristic communities

Question 52

Choose the one most appropriate answer for each.
a."Swamp forest"; northern coniferous forest
b.Undersea formations that are similar to islands in species diversity and abundance
c.Broad belts of grasslands with a few scattered shrubs and trees; found in Africa, India, and Australia
d.Extends around the shore of a lake to a depth where rooted aquatic plants stop growing
e.Includes sediments and rocks on the ocean bottom
f.Most structurally complex and species-rich biome; features nutrient-poor soil
g.Chemoautotrophs are the primary producers
h.Occurs at high altitudes throughout the world, rocky and nutrient-poor
i.Coastal nurseries for marine animals supplied with nutrients by an influx of freshwater
j.Vast expanses of land dominated by distinct kinds of plants that support characteristic communities
Seamounts

Question 53

Choose the one most appropriate answer for each.
a."Swamp forest"; northern coniferous forest
b.Undersea formations that are similar to islands in species diversity and abundance
c.Broad belts of grasslands with a few scattered shrubs and trees; found in Africa, India, and Australia
d.Extends around the shore of a lake to a depth where rooted aquatic plants stop growing
e.Includes sediments and rocks on the ocean bottom
f.Most structurally complex and species-rich biome; features nutrient-poor soil
g.Chemoautotrophs are the primary producers
h.Occurs at high altitudes throughout the world, rocky and nutrient-poor
i.Coastal nurseries for marine animals supplied with nutrients by an influx of freshwater
j.Vast expanses of land dominated by distinct kinds of plants that support characteristic communities
Littoral zone

Question 54

Respond to the following statements with reference to the five biomes listed below.
a.Tundra
b.Desert
c.Grassland
d.Taiga
e.Savanna
Grasslands with a few scattered shrubs and trees,home to diverse herbivores as well as carnivores that eat them.

Question 55

Respond to the following statements with reference to the five biomes listed below.
a.Tundra
b.Desert
c.Grassland
d.Taiga
e.Savanna
Their soils are rich,with deep topsoil.

Question 56

Respond to the following statements with reference to the five biomes listed below.
a.Tundra
b.Desert
c.Grassland
d.Taiga
e.Savanna
Permafrost acts as a barrier that prevents drainage.

Question 57

Choose the one most appropriate answer for each.
a."Swamp forest"; northern coniferous forest
b.Undersea formations that are similar to islands in species diversity and abundance
c.Broad belts of grasslands with a few scattered shrubs and trees; found in Africa, India, and Australia
d.Extends around the shore of a lake to a depth where rooted aquatic plants stop growing
e.Includes sediments and rocks on the ocean bottom
f.Most structurally complex and species-rich biome; features nutrient-poor soil
g.Chemoautotrophs are the primary producers
h.Occurs at high altitudes throughout the world, rocky and nutrient-poor
i.Coastal nurseries for marine animals supplied with nutrients by an influx of freshwater
j.Vast expanses of land dominated by distinct kinds of plants that support characteristic communities
Hydrothermal vent

Question 58

Choose the one most appropriate answer for each.
a."Swamp forest"; northern coniferous forest
b.Undersea formations that are similar to islands in species diversity and abundance
c.Broad belts of grasslands with a few scattered shrubs and trees; found in Africa, India, and Australia
d.Extends around the shore of a lake to a depth where rooted aquatic plants stop growing
e.Includes sediments and rocks on the ocean bottom
f.Most structurally complex and species-rich biome; features nutrient-poor soil
g.Chemoautotrophs are the primary producers
h.Occurs at high altitudes throughout the world, rocky and nutrient-poor
i.Coastal nurseries for marine animals supplied with nutrients by an influx of freshwater
j.Vast expanses of land dominated by distinct kinds of plants that support characteristic communities
Alpine tundra

Question 59

Choose the one most appropriate answer for each.
a."Swamp forest"; northern coniferous forest
b.Undersea formations that are similar to islands in species diversity and abundance
c.Broad belts of grasslands with a few scattered shrubs and trees; found in Africa, India, and Australia
d.Extends around the shore of a lake to a depth where rooted aquatic plants stop growing
e.Includes sediments and rocks on the ocean bottom
f.Most structurally complex and species-rich biome; features nutrient-poor soil
g.Chemoautotrophs are the primary producers
h.Occurs at high altitudes throughout the world, rocky and nutrient-poor
i.Coastal nurseries for marine animals supplied with nutrients by an influx of freshwater
j.Vast expanses of land dominated by distinct kinds of plants that support characteristic communities
Tropical rain forest

Question 60

Respond to the following statements with reference to the five biomes listed below.
a.Tundra
b.Dry shrubland
c.Desert
d.Taiga
e.Deciduous forest
In this biome you would expect to find soggy masses of vegetation which has not decayed.

Question 61

Which of the following are wave-resistant formations that consist primarily of calcium carbonate secreted by generations of coral polyps?  

A) Seamounts
B) Hydrothermal vents
C) Benthic provinces
D) Pelagic provinces
E) Coral reefs

Question 62

No fishes survive when the oxygen content of water falls below ___________________.

Question 63

____________________ is a process in which unrelated species in separated parts of a biome develop similar characteristics,such as water-storing stems in North American cacti and African euphorbs.

Question 64

Vast ____________________ form in the interior of midlatitude continents.

Question 65

Low-growing,hardy plants of the ____________________ occur at high latitudes,where there is a layer of ____________________.

Question 66

From the equator to latitudes 10 degrees north and south,high rainfall,high humidity,and mild temperatures can support ____________________.

Question 67

A main contribution of cyanobacteria to desert crust is ____________.  

A) producing starch
B) water storage
C) unburying the soil when winds blow sand over it
D) fixing atmospheric carbon
E) fixing nitrogen

Question 68

Trees with needle-shaped leaves and a thick cuticle with stomata sunk below the leaf surface dominate ____________________.

Question 69

What is the most direct and likely cause of coral bleaching?  

A) Ocean acidification
B) Warming temperatures kill the coral polyps.
C) Warming temperatures kill the dinoflagellate population.
D) Pollution of coastal waters
E) Destructive fishing practices

Question 70

Desert plants have the following characteristics that help them adapt to the desert climate,except which one?  

A) Perennials undergo a rapid life cycle
B) Alternative carbon-fixing pathways
C) Reduced or no leaves
D) Dropping leaves during dry season
E) Stems serving as water storage

Question 71

In summer,a(n)____________________ prevents upper and lower waters from mixing,causing low oxygen content in deeper waters.

Question 72

In temperate-zone lakes,spring and fall _______ cause vertical mixing of waters and trigger a burst of productivity.

Question 73

A(n)____________________ is a partly enclosed coastal region where seawater mixes with nutrient-rich fresh water from rivers and streams.