Deck 19: The Biosphere and Human Effects

Question 1

Which way do ocean currents circulate in the northern hemisphere?

A) counterclockwise
B) clockwise
C) away from continents
D) toward the shore
E) parallel to the direction of the shore

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which biome is pictured here?

A) temperate deciduous forest
B) chaparral
C) tropical rainforest
D) temperate grassland
E) boreal forest

Answer 2

A

Question 3

The most extensive of the biomes is the ____.​

A) ​temperate deciduous forest
B) ​chaparral
C) ​tropical rainforest
D) ​temperate grassland
E) boreal forest​

Answer 3

E

Question 4

Crater Lake in Oregon formed as a result of a(n) ____ about 7,700 years ago.​

A) ​asteroid strike
B) ​collapsed volcano
C) ​massive earthquake
D) ​continental shift
E) shift in Earth's axis​

Question 5

Unrelated species that live in ________ parts of a biome often have _______ traits because they face similar conditions.

A) widely separated; different
B) nearby; different
C) extreme; similar
D) widely separated; identical
E) widely separated; similar

Question 6

What happens to air as it is warmed?​

A) ​It rises.
B) ​It sinks.
C) ​It moves toward higher latitudes.
D) ​It moves along a pressure gradient.
E) It moves toward lower latitudes.​

Question 7

Where are grassland biomes typically found?​

A) ​in the middle of a continent
B) ​in the rain shadow of a mountain range
C) ​on the windward side of a mountain range
D) ​on the leeward side of a mountain range
E) adjacent to the shore of a continent​

Question 8

A characteristic of a temperate deciduous forest biome that differs from a tropical rainforest biome is that in a deciduous forest, ____.​

A) ​there is greater biodiversity
B) there are more conifers​
C) ​there are year-round warm temperatures
D) ​the trees shed their leaves
E) ​it is very similar to taiga

Question 9

Evergreen broadleaf trees, along with abundant rain, warm temperatures, and consistent day length, characterize the ____ biome.

A) chaparral
B) tropical rain forest
C) temperate deciduous forest
D) temperate grassland
E) boreal forest

Question 10

Climate is the ____.

A) average weather condition an area receives over a short interval
B) average weather condition an area receives over a long interval
C) annual amount of sunlight an area receives
D) annual amount of rainfall an area receives
E) annual amount of total precipitation that occurs in an area

Question 11

What happens to air as it is cooled?​

A) ​It rises.
B) ​It sinks.
C) ​It moves toward higher latitudes.
D) ​It moves along a pressure gradient.
E) It moves toward lower latitudes.​

Question 12

Which form of the monarch butterfly makes it to Mexico?

A) migrant caterpillar
B) sexually dormant butterfly
C) sexually active butterfly
D) sexually active caterpillar
E) sexually dormant caterpillar

Question 13

Why is the monarch butterfly so sensitive to environmental changes?

A) It is preyed upon by many birds in a variety of ecosystems.
B) It eats a variety of foods in many ecosystems.
C) It competes for reproductive space with other butterflies in many ecosystems.
D) Its mimicry is sensitive to forests covers in many ecosystems.
E) It has a long-distance, multigenerational migration that crosses many ecosystems.

Question 14

Global air circulation patterns are produced by ____ differences in the amount of solar radiation reaching Earth.​

A) ​elevational
B) ​latitudinal
C) ​moisture
D) ​rotational
E) longitudinal​

Question 15

Solar radiation that falls on high latitudes ____.​

A) ​passes through about the same amount of atmosphere as that which falls at low latitudes
B) ​passes through less atmosphere than that which falls at low latitudes
C) ​passes through more atmosphere than that which falls near low latitudes
D) ​is spread out over less area than that which falls near low latitudes
E) covers about the same area as that which falls near low latitudes​

Question 16

What characterizes a biome?​

A) ​its temperature and main type of vegetation
B) ​its climate and main type of vegetation
C) ​its climate and temperature
D) ​its humidity and temperature
E) its plant life and mountain ranges​

Question 17

Which tree has needle-shaped leaves that are adaptations for minimizing water loss?​

A) ​cacti
B) ​conifer
C) ​broadleaf evergreen
D) ​deciduous angiosperms
E) mesquite​

Question 18

Logging of conifer forests in ________ threatens the butterflies' winter home.

A) Florida
B) Canada
C) Texas
D) California
E) Mexico

Question 19

The dark pink color at the top of this picture represents the ____ biome.

A) temperate deciduous forest
B) chaparral
C) tundra
D) temperate grassland
E) boreal forest

Question 20

Which biome has a layered structure that will contain many vines and epiphytes?​

A) ​chaparral
B) ​tundra
C) ​estuary
D) ​taiga
E) tropical rainforest​

Question 21

Which primary succession event led to the formation of the tundra?​

A) large tsunamis​
B) ​glacial retreat
C) ​volcanic activity
D) ​the breaking up of Pangaea
E) ​large earthquakes

Question 22

The conversion of grasslands or woodlands to desertlike conditions is called ____.

A) desertification
B) bleaching
C) eutrophication
D) deforestation
E) intensive agriculture

Question 23

The primary producers associated with hydrothermal vents are ____.​

A) ​dinoflagellates
B) ​archaea
C) ​red algae
D) ​diatoms
E) sea kelp​

Question 24

Nutrient poor soils and dominant evergreen angiosperm trees dominate which biome?​

A) boreal forests​
B) ​chaparral
C) ​deserts
D) ​tropical rain forests
E) temperate deciduous forests​

Question 25

Permafrost is ____.​

A) ​a temporary pool of water in an estuary
B) ​a permanent pool of water in the grasslands
C) ​permanently frozen ground in the polar icecap
D) ​temporary frozen ground in the polar icecap
E) permanently frozen layer of ground in the tundra​

Question 26

In this freshwater aquatic ecosystem, species composition varies along its length based on rock types, depth, oxygen concentrations, and temperature.​

A) ​streams
B) ​lakes
C) ​estuaries
D) ​coral reefs
E) hydrothermal vents​

Question 27

Which biome is generally found between the polar ice cap and boreal forests?​

A) ​desert
B) ​taiga
C) ​grassland
D) ​estuary
E) tundra​

Question 28

California's most extensive ecosystem, the ____ biome, is dominated by drought-resistant, fire-adapted shrubs with small, leathery leaves.

A) temperate deciduous forest
B) prairie
C) desert
D) chaparral
E) savannah

Question 29

A(n) ____ species resides where it evolved and is found nowhere else on Earth.

A) invasive
B) endemic
C) endangered
D) exotic
E) persistent

Question 30

A clear lake is likely to be ____.

A) very old
B) well lit
C) shallow
D) recently formed
E) experiencing high primary productivity

Question 31

The prime factor that drives coral bleaching is ____.​

A) ​fungal infection
B) ​water levels changing
C) ​salinity levels changing
D) ​light levels changing
E) temperature changes​

Question 32

An aquatic ecosystem that may include protists and bacteria as producers in a well-lit zone and detritus feeders in a deeper dark zone is a(n) ____.​

A) ​estuary
B) ​stream
C) ​lake
D) ​coral reef
E) ​hydrothermal vent

Question 33

What salt-tolerant woody plants have prop roots that help the plant stay upright in soft sediments?​

A) ​wetlands
B) ​tide pools
C) ​cordgrass
D) ​mangroves
E) tidal flats​

Question 34

Seawater and freshwater mix in which coastal region?​

A) ​hydrothermal vents
B) ​coral reefs
C) ​seamounts
D) ​tidal pools
E) estuary​

Question 35

Which North American biome has mostly disappeared because of extensive farming of wheat and corn?​

A) ​chaparral
B) ​grasslands
C) ​boreal forest
D) ​desert
E) taiga​

Question 36

What is an undersea mountain called?​

A) ​a seamount
B) ​a mangrove
C) ​a trench
D) ​an estuary
E) a coral reef​

Question 37

Concerning species survival, which status is of greatest concern?​

A) ​threatened
B) ​endemic
C) ​critical
D) ​endangered
E) serious​

Question 38

Which event endangers far more species than the destruction of a comparable area elsewhere?​

A) ​deforestation of temperate deciduous
B) ​desertification of grasslands
C) ​deforestation of taiga
D) ​desertification of savannah
E) deforestation in tropical rainforest biomes​

Question 39

In 2001, the ____ became the first invertebrate to be listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.​

A) ​dodo
B) ​white abalone
C) ​Texas blind salamander
D) ​harvester ant
E) coelacanth​

Question 40

The distribution of major biomes is controlled mainly by ____.​

A) ​ocean currents
B) ​climate
C) ​human manipulation
D) ​longitude
E) latitude​

Question 41

The increased concentration of plastics as they move up through the food chain is called ____.

A) biological magnification
B) eutrophication
C) biological accumulation
D) deposition
E) desertification

Question 42

Acid rain is the result of ____.​

A) ​the burning of fossil fuels
B) ​the greenhouse effect
C) ​contamination with CFCs
D) ​desertification
E) deforestation​

Question 43

One disadvantage of hydroelectric energy as a renewable power source is that ____.​

A) ​it causes disease-causing organisms to remain in the stream
B) ​it contributes to acid rain
C) ​it produces greenhouse gases
D) ​its dams block salmon from returning to streams to breed
E) it pollutes streams downriver from the dams​

Question 44

Which was responsible for destruction of the ozone layer?​

A) chlorofluorocarbons​
B) ​carbon dioxide
C) ​methylmercury
D) ​methane
E) nitrogen​

Question 45

The only way to meet the resource needs of future generations is through ____.​

A) ​sustainable resource use
B) ​biological magnification
C) ​creating conservation hotspots
D) ​clear cutting and mining
E) increasing use of nonrenewable resources​

Question 46

Because all commercially produced energy has some kind of negative environmental impact, it is a good idea to simply use ____.

A) wind energy
B) solar energy
C) less energy
D) incandescent light bulbs
E) less water

Question 47

Renewable energy sources ____.​

A) ​have no disadvantages
B) ​include coal-fired power plants
C) ​have by-products that increase acid rain
D) ​do not produce clean energy
E) do not produce greenhouse gases​

Question 48

Protecting biodiversity can be problematic even for developed countries because ____.​

A) ​it is politically incorrect
B) ​there are not enough endangered species in developed countries to make it worthwhile
C) ​there are more endangered species in undeveloped countries
D) ​people are afraid of nature
E) people fear economic consequences​

Question 49

A plant pathologist, a scientist who studies plant diseases, examines a tree that has burnt leaves, is mineral deficient, and has several diseases. The plant pathologist concludes the tree's symptoms are most likely the direct result of ____.​

A) ​biological magnification
B) ​desertification
C) ​ozone depletion
D) ​acid rain
E) deforestation​

Question 50

Plastic pollution has had serious ecological consequences in ____. ​

A) ​river ecosystems
B) ​the atmosphere over urban areas
C) oceans​
D) ​temperate deciduous forests
E) desert biomes​

Question 51

What does the ozone layer absorb?​

A) ​heat
B) ​pollution
C) ​ultraviolet radiation
D) ​infrared radiation
E) oxygen​

Question 52

Which term refers to the renewal of a natural ecosystem that has been degraded?​

A) ​ecological balance
B) ​ecological restoration
C) ​eutrophication
D) ​biological magnification
E) bioremediation​

Question 53

Due to biological magnification, which would have the highest concentration of a plastic?

A) grass-the dominant primary producer
B) cow-an herbivore
C) grasshoppers-an herbivore
D) mice-predators of butterflies
E) hawk-predators of mice

Question 54

A(n) ____ is an observed consequence of global climate change.

A) increase in earthquakes
B) acid rain
C) increase in the ozone hole
D) decrease in the ozone layer
E) rise in sea level

Question 55

The loss of mayflies from a stream suggests that the quality of water is declining; therefore, mayflies are a(n) ____ species.​

A) ​degraded
B) ​endangered
C) ​threatened
D) ​keystone
E) indicator​

Question 56

In its use in conservation efforts, lichens are classified as an example of a(n) ____.​

A) ​biological magnified species
B) ​endangered species
C) ​biodiverse species
D) ​indicator species
E) exotic species​

Question 57

What is the main function of the ozone layer?

A) to provide cloud cover for protection of polar regions
B) to provide a source of oxygen for photosynthesis
C) to filter toxins from acid rain
D) to block most of the sun's damaging rays from reaching Earth
E) to trap carbon dioxide and warm the planet

Question 58

Which region experienced a desertification event called the Dust Bowl in the 1930s?​

A) ​Europe
B) ​North America
C) ​South America
D) ​East Asia
E) Central Africa​

Question 59

The genetic diversity within a species of a given region is called the ____.​

A) ​biodiversity
B) ​dominance hierarchy
C) ​biogeographic distribution
D) ​biome
E) community​

Question 60

​The Klamath-Siskiyou forest in southwestern Oregon and northwestern California is home to many rare conifers, two endangered birds, and the endangered Coho salmon. Because of this, it is considered to be a conservation _____.

A) ​hot spot
B) ​endangered region
C) ​national park
D) ​island
E) ecoregion​

Question 61

Matching
Match each description with the appropriate biome. Some choices may be used more than once.
a.chaparral
b.tropical rainforest
c.temperate deciduous forest
d.boreal forest
e.tundra
f.desert
g.savanna
trees shed their leaves and become dormant in winter

Question 62

Desertification is mainly caused by ____.​

A) ​lack of rain
B) ​poor agricultural practices
C) ​too much precipitation
D) ​deforestation
E) erosion​

Question 63

Matching
Match each description with the appropriate biome. Some choices may be used more than once.
a.chaparral
b.tropical rainforest
c.temperate deciduous forest
d.boreal forest
e.tundra
f.desert
g.savanna
youngest of all the biomes

Question 64

Although extinction is a natural process and is ongoing, it is likely we are in a time of ____, an event in which many different kinds of organisms become extinct in a relatively short period.​

A) ​mass extinction
B) ​genetic mutation
C) ​geologic catastrophe
D) ​loss of megafauna
E) birth of new species​

Question 65

The best way to reclaim an ecosystem that is extensively damaged is to ____.​

A) ​allow natural succession to take over
B) ​remove all predators from the area
C) ​seed the area with a type of grass
D) ​bring in beneficial insects
E) implement ecological restoration​

Question 66

Matching
Match each description with the appropriate biome. Some choices may be used more than once.
a.chaparral
b.tropical rainforest
c.temperate deciduous forest
d.boreal forest
e.tundra
f.desert
g.savanna
dominant plants are drought-resistant shrubs adapted to fire

Question 67

In a hydrothermal vent community pictured here, the typical consumer is a(n) ____.

A) coral reef
B) bacteria
C) archaea
D) tube worm
E) algae

Question 68

The photos of the Muir Glacier taken in 1941 (left) and 2004 (right) demonstrate the consequences of____.

A) deforestation
B) biological magnification
C) acid rain
D) ozone destruction
E) global climate change

Question 69

Ultimately, what is the greatest threat to biodiversity?​

A) ​plant pathogens
B) ​exotic species
C) ​unthinking humans
D) ​mineral and energy use
E) conservation efforts​

Question 70

Matching
Match each description with the appropriate biome. Some choices may be used more than once.
a.chaparral
b.tropical rainforest
c.temperate deciduous forest
d.boreal forest
e.tundra
f.desert
g.savanna
most extensive biome

Question 71

Matching
Match each description with the appropriate biome. Some choices may be used more than once.
a.chaparral
b.tropical rainforest
c.temperate deciduous forest
d.boreal forest
e.tundra
f.desert
g.savanna
sometimes called the "lungs of the Earth"

Question 72

Matching
Match each description with the appropriate biome. Some choices may be used more than once.
a.chaparral
b.tropical rainforest
c.temperate deciduous forest
d.boreal forest
e.tundra
f.desert
g.savanna
tropical grasslands with a few scattered shrubs and trees

Question 73

For the monarch butterfly, farming has increased the use of ____ plants, which has further decreased the availability of nectar plants and ____.

A) crop; weeds
B) herbicide-resistant crop; trees
C) herbicide-resistant crop; milkweed
D) bioengineered; trees
E) drought-resistant; milkweed

Question 74

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a region of the north central Pacific where a high concentration of confetti-like plastic particles swirls slowly around an area as large as the state of ____.

A) Alaska
B) Idaho
C) Rhode Island
D) Texas
E) Pennsylvania

Question 75

Matching
Match each description with the appropriate biome. Some choices may be used more than once.
a.chaparral
b.tropical rainforest
c.temperate deciduous forest
d.boreal forest
e.tundra
f.desert
g.savanna
oldest of all the biomes

Question 76

Pandas are an example of a(n) ____ species that is in danger of extinction because they are dependent on disappearing bamboo forests.​

A) ​"extinct in the wild"
B) ​extinct
C) ​indicator
D) ​endemic
E) keystone​

Question 77

Matching
Match each description with the appropriate biome. Some choices may be used more than once.
a.chaparral
b.tropical rainforest
c.temperate deciduous forest
d.boreal forest
e.tundra
f.desert
g.savanna
biome with the coldest temperatures

Question 78

Matching
Match each description with the appropriate biome. Some choices may be used more than once.
a.chaparral
b.tropical rainforest
c.temperate deciduous forest
d.boreal forest
e.tundra
f.desert
g.savanna
perennial cacti and drought-resistant shrubs

Question 79

Very high concentrations of ____ accumulates in large predatory fishes such as swordfish, bluefin tuna, and albacore tuna, which may cause developmental abnormalities when consumed by pregnant women.

A) methylmercury
B) carbon dioxide
C) sulfur dioxide
D) chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)
E) ozone gas

Question 80

Matching
Match each description with the appropriate biome. Some choices may be used more than once.
a.chaparral
b.tropical rainforest
c.temperate deciduous forest
d.boreal forest
e.tundra
f.desert
g.savanna
the most structurally complex