Deck 7: Climate and Biodiversity

Question 1

Large terrestrial regions with similar climate, soil, plants, and animals are called

A) Ecosystems
B) Communities
C) Populations
D) Biomes
E) Niches

Answer 1

Biomes

Question 2

The distribution of the desert, grassland, and forest biomes is determined principally by

A) average annual temperature only
B) average annual precipitation and temperature
C) Latitude
D) Sunlight
E) Wind

Answer 2

average annual precipitation and temperature

Question 3

Which terrestrial ecosystem has been disturbed by human activity more than any other?

A) Desert
B) tropical rainforest
C) temperate deciduous forest
D) coniferous forest
E) shortgrass prairie

Answer 3

temperate deciduous forest

Question 4

All of the following are greenhouse gases except

A) carbon dioxide
B) water vapor
C) Methane
D) Nitrogen
E) nitrous oxide

Question 5

The term greenhouse effect describes

A) occupational diseases of florists
B) the trapping of heat energy in the troposphere by certain gaseous molecules
C) the trapping of heat energy in the stratosphere by nitrogen
D) efforts by the White House to support environmental legislation
E) the trapping of heat energy in the troposphere by nitrogen

Question 6

All of the following affect the climate of the earth except:

A) solar radiation
B) the earth's rotation
C) the earth's gravity
D) gases in the atmosphere
E) the earth's surface features

Question 7

Which of the following microclimate effects is incorrectly described?

A) The leeward sides of high mountains tend to show relatively dry conditions.
B) Oceans and lakes modify temperature extremes.
C) Mountains interrupt the flow of prevailing winds.
D) Cities tend to have lower temperatures and higher wind speeds than the surrounding countryside.
E) The windward sides of high mountains tend to show relatively wet conditions.

Question 8

Weather is a combination of

A) temperature and precipitation
B) atmospheric conditions over years
C) wind speed and precipitation over decades
D) temperature, humidity, wind speed, cloud cover and other factors over hours or days
E) temperature, humidity, wind speed, cloud cover and other factors over at least decades

Question 9

Heated air masses above the equator move north and south to cooler areas because:

A) The equator spins faster than the polar regions as Earth rotates.
B) Cooler areas of air are less dense.
C) Rotational gravity pulls the air north and south.
D) The moon exerts a gravitational pull on the air.
E) The sun exerts a gravitational pull on the air.

Question 10

Climate

A) describes weather conditions over long periods of time.
B) describes weather conditions over short periods of time.
C) describes average patterns of weather.
D) both describes weather conditions over long periods of time, and describes average patterns of weather
E) both describes weather conditions over short periods of time, and describes average patterns of weather

Question 11

An explanation for why polar regions are colder than equatorial regions is that:

A) The sun never reaches these areas because of the tilt of Earth on its axis.
B) Sunlight strikes the polar regions at an angle and spreads out over a much larger area.
C) Sunlight is more intense at the poles.
D) Earth is spinning slower at the poles.
E) The earth is spinning slower and the precipitation is more intense at the poles.

Question 12

Land and sea breezes occur because

A) water evaporates from the ocean.
B) of varying speeds of the earth's rotation.
C) of different water temperatures in the ocean.
D) heat absorption in water is faster than on land.
E) heat is absorbed and released more slowly by water than by land.

Question 13

Vertical ocean currents are generated by

A) cold and dense ocean water sinking and warm and less-dense water rising
B) warm and dense ocean water sinking and cold and less-dense water rising
C) cold and dense ocean water rising and warm and less-dense water sinking
D) less dense water rising and cold but dense water sinking
E) None of these answers are correct because there are no vertical ocean currents.

Question 14

Temperate forests typically have

A) warm summers, warm winters and abundant precipitation
B) warm summers, cold winters and abundant precipitation
C) cool summers, rainy winters
D) cool summers, cold winters, low precipitation
E) warm summers, cold winters, low precipitation

Question 15

The primary influence on variation in climate is

A) slope angle
B) elevation and slope angle
C) temperature and slope angle
D) average annual precipitation and temperature
E) humidity and elevation

Question 16

A rain shadow is most likely to be produced by a

A) Forest
B) Ocean
C) Lake
D) sand dune
E) Mountain

Question 17

There are ____ separate belts of moving air, or prevailing winds.

A) Two
B) Four
C) Six
D) Eight
E) Ten

Question 18

Surface-level ocean currents are caused by

A) dense ocean water sinking
B) cool ocean water rising
C) warm ocean water exchanging with cool ocean water
D) prevailing winds blowing over the ocean surface
E) strong winds coming from warm coastal areas and traveling across the ocean surface

Question 19

Microclimates can be produced by

A) Mountains
B) bodies of water
C) Cities
D) mountains, bodies of water and cities
E) only mountains and bodies of water

Question 20

The rain shadow effect refers to

A) more light on the windward side of mountain ranges
B) more light on the leeward side of mountain ranges
C) drier conditions on the windward side of mountain ranges
D) drier conditions on the leeward side of mountain ranges
E) wetter conditions on the windward side of mountain ranges

Question 21

In tropical rainforests, vegetation layers are structured according to

A) how deep the rainfall penetrates into the forest
B) the plant's needs for sunlight
C) how well each plant handles predation by herbivores
D) nutrient availability and uptake by plant roots
E) tropical rainforests are not layered

Question 22

Many species of hoofed animals can live together in the African tropical savannas because they have ____ eating habits that ____ competition for resources.

A) specialized, maximize
B) specialized, minimize
C) generalized, maximize
D) generalized, minimize
E) similar, facilitate

Question 23

Which of the following is not appropriate to use in describing a tropical rain forest?

A) moist conditions
B) high nutrient content of soil
C) Layered
D) Diversity
E) Rainfall

Question 24

Permafrost is characteristic of the ____ biome.

A) tropical savanna
B) Arctic tundra
C) Taiga
D) thorn woodland
E) deciduous forest

Question 25

Tropical, temperate, and cold are categories that apply to which of the following?

A) Deserts
B) Grasslands
C) Forests
D) forest and grassland
E) desserts, forests, and grassland

Question 26

Climate and vegetation vary with

A) latitude only
B) elevation only
C) latitude and elevation
D) latitude and longitude
E) elevation and longitude

Question 27

Animals in desert biomes may eat plants for their water content as a survival adaptation. Plants, in turn, may have ____ as a defense against being eaten by animals.

A) poisonous leaves
B) camouflaged leaves
C) a lack of leaves
D) Spines
E) both camouflaged leaves and spines

Question 28

Which of the following is not characteristic of desert plants?

A) widespread, shallow root systems
B) deep root systems
C) large leaves that droop in the bright sunlight
D) succulent leaves or stems
E) becoming dormant during dry periods

Question 29

Which of the following terms does not belong with the others?

A) Taiga
B) Tundra
C) boreal forest
D) evergreen forest
E) cold forest

Question 30

The loss of permafrost secondary to global warming in parts of Canada, Russia, China, Mongolia, and Alaska is causing

A) the release of CO₂ from the soil into the atmosphere
B) the release of CH₄ from the soil into the atmosphere
C) the release of hydrogen gas from the soil into the atmosphere
D) the release of nitrogen gas from the soil into the atmosphere
E) the release of CO₂ and CH₄ from the soil into the atmosphere

Question 31

What is the function of the thick outer coverings of rattlesnakes and insects in desert biomes?

A) to prevent sunburn
B) to reduce water loss through evaporation
C) to prevent drowning during typical desert flash floods
D) to prevent sunburn and reduce water loss
E) for protection during competitive action during mating seasons

Question 32

In the western United States, an area called the Great Basin contains many freestanding mountain ranges that are separated from each other by high desert. These mountain ranges could be called

A) taiga reserves
B) islands of biodiversity
C) broadleaf deciduous reserves
D) grazing animal reserves
E) island reserves

Question 33

A tropical grassland with widely scattered clumps of trees would be called a

A) Veldt
B) Steppes
C) Savanna
D) Pampas
E) Taiga

Question 34

The fragility of the desert ecosystem is indicated by

A) the high growth rate of plants
B) moderate species diversity
C) abundant groundwater
D) long recovery time from disturbance
E) all of these except the high growth rate of plants

Question 35

At least half of the known species of terrestrial plants and animals are found in:

A) Temperate and tropical rainforests combined.
B) Temperate rainforests only.
C) Tropical rainforests only.
D) Deciduous forests.
E) They are evenly distributed amongst the biomes of Earth.

Question 36

In reality, biomes

A) are not uniform but consist of a mosaic of patches each with somewhat different biological communities
B) are not uniform but consist of a mosaic of patches, each with the same biological communities
C) are very uniform, but can have normal variations in temperatures from one region to another
D) are very uniform in order to resist environmental disruptions
E) are very diverse in order to resist environmental disruptions to the sameness of all communities in the biome

Question 37

Through your binoculars you observe a pack of wolves stalking a caribou separated from its herd. Geese take to the air, departing the boggy scene. You are most likely in

A) Desert
B) topical grassland
C) temperate grassland
D) Arctic tundra
E) Savanna

Question 38

Succulent plants are most likely to be found in

A) aquatic habitats
B) cold ecosystems
C) high elevations
D) Deserts
E) coastal ecosystems

Question 39

A forest that is known for its year-round uniformly warm temperature is the:

A) temperate deciduous forest
B) Taiga
C) tropical rainforest
D) boreal forest
E) subalpine forest

Question 40

Much of this biome has disappeared from Earth because it has been converted to grazing lands for cattle and croplands.

A) temperate grassland
B) temperate forest
C) tropical grassland
D) cold grassland
E) cold desert

Question 41

Humans have affected grasslands by

A) the introduction of livestock
B) plowing and conversion to croplands
C) oil exploration
D) introduction of livestock and plowing and conversion to croplands
E) introduction of livestock, oil exploration and plowing and conversion to croplands

Question 42

Most photosynthesis in the open sea occurs in the

A) euphotic zone
B) abyssal zone
C) bathyal zone
D) coastal zone
E) benthic zone

Question 43

Trees of wet tropical rain forests tend to be

A) succulent plants
B) broadleaf evergreen plants
C) broadleaf deciduous plants
D) coniferous evergreen plants
E) coniferous deciduous plants

Question 44

Saltwater or marine life zones include

A) Oceans
B) Estuaries
C) coral reefs
D) oceans and estuaries
E) oceans, estuaries and coral reefs

Question 45

Water temperature drops rapidly between the euphotic zone and the abyssal zone of the ocean. This phenomenon is called the

A) Thermocline
B) Thermosphere
C) temperature flattening
D) continental shelf decline
E) Hydrocline

Question 46

The coastal zone has ____ of all marine species and ____ of its surface area.

A) 95%, 5%
B) 90%, 10%
C) 90%, 25%
D) 80%, 25%
E) 80%, 10%

Question 47

Marine snow refers to

A) appearance of the water during freezing weather
B) animal and plant plankton that die and drift downward
C) white sand beaches
D) algal blooms
E) weather over the Arctic that contributes to the ice pack

Question 48

The majority of the world's forests are located:

A) at the equator
B) in the temperate zones
C) in mountains
D) adjacent to deserts
E) by large bodies of water such as oceans, lakes and bays

Question 49

Which of the following is least descriptive of coniferous forests?

A) carpet of needles on forest floor
B) long, cold, dry winter
C) short summer
D) high species diversity
E) south of the Arctic tundra

Question 50

Worldwide, coral reefs provide habitat for about 25% of all marine organisms. However, coral reefs occupy about _____ of the ocean floor.

A) 25%
B) 10%
C) 15%
D) 5%
E) 0.2%

Question 51

Which of the following does not belong with the others?

A) Taiga
B) Savanna
C) boreal forest
D) evergreen coniferous forest
E) coastal coniferous forest

Question 52

Which of the following is not an economic service provided by marine ecosystems?

A) source of animal and pet feed
B) nutrient cycling
C) provides harbors and transportation routes
D) provides employment
E) source of minerals, oil, and natural gas

Question 53

Oak, hickory, maple, poplar, and beech are typical tree species in the

A) boreal forest
B) tropical rainforest
C) temperate rainforest
D) temperate deciduous forest
E) coastal coniferous forest

Question 54

In your explorations in your new job as a marine biologist, you find a new species of algae floating on the surface of a coastal zone body of water. You would most likely classify this species as

A) zooplankton or phytoplankton
B) Nekton
C) Benthic
D) Coral
E) a fungus

Question 55

Examples of economic services that oceans provide are

A) Employment
B) waste treatment
C) climate moderation
D) employment and climate moderation
E) employment, food and pharmaceuticals

Question 56

Humans affect mountain biomes by

A) plowing and conversion of pristine land to cropland
B) depletion of groundwater
C) increased air pollution from urban areas
D) hydroelectric dams and reservoirs
E) establishment of tree plantations

Question 57

Saltwater in the ocean covers

A) 97% of the earth's surface
B) 98% of the earth's surface
C) 50% of the earth's surface
D) 71% of the earth's surface
E) 97% of the biosphere

Question 58

Cone-bearing trees are characteristic of the

A) Taiga
B) tropical rain forest
C) temperate deciduous forest
D) Savanna
E) Desert

Question 59

Mountain biomes

A) have deep, rich soils
B) recover quickly from vegetation loss
C) do not affect climate
D) have little biodiversity
E) may act as sanctuaries for animal species driven from lowland areas

Question 60

Oceans

A) have three major life zones
B) occupy most of the earth's surface
C) are thoroughly understood by humans
D) have three major life zones and are thoroughly understood by humans
E) have three major life zones and occupy most of the earth's surface

Question 61

Lakes that fall between the two extremes of nutrient enrichment are called

A) Oligotrophic
B) Mesotrophic
C) Eutrophic
D) Trophic
E) Metatrophic

Question 62

Some desert animals are able to exist without drinking any water.

Question 63

Inland wetlands include all of the following except

A) prairie potholds
B) wet Arctic tundra
C) Marshes
D) Swamps
E) Estuaries

Question 64

A lake that is described as oligotrophic is typically

A) low in primary productivity
B) low in plant nutrients
C) high in plant nutrients
D) both low in primary productivity and low in plant nutrients
E) both low in primary productivity and high in plant nutrients

Question 65

The majority of photosynthesis in a lake takes place in the

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

Question 66

Deserts are primarily located in the hot, tropical regions.

Question 67

The darkest zone of the sea is the

A) euphotic zone
B) abyssal zone
C) bathyal zone
D) coastal zone
E) benthic zone

Question 68

Which of the following trees is characteristic of tropical coastal wetlands?

A) Cypress
B) Coconut
C) Mangrove
D) Palm
E) live oak

Question 69

Fish adapted to cool, dark water are most likely found in the zone of lakes called the

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

Question 70

In lakes, the nutrient-rich water near the shore is part of the

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

Question 71

When the algae in coral reefs die off due to environmental stresses, the coral subsequently dies because of lack of food. This process is referred to as

A) coral acidification
B) algal blooming
C) erosion
D) coral bleaching
E) parasitism

Question 72

Estuaries and coastal wetlands are important for all of the following reasons except

A) nursery grounds for a variety of marine species
B) filtering out waterborne pollutants
C) reduction of storm damage
D) providing coral for limestone production and the tourist trade
E) high productivity

Question 73

In typical, fairly deep, temperate zone lakes, the vast majority of animals are found in the

A) benthic zone
B) profundal and benthic zones
C) limnetic zone only
D) limnetic and littoral zones
E) littoral zone only

Question 74

The euphotic zone is that region of the ocean just below the limit of light absorption.

Question 75

Crater Lake in Oregon is an example of a lake depression caused by

A) displacement of the Earth's crust
B) glaciation
C) intentional digging by man to create a reservoir
D) volcanic activity
E) a meteor strike millions of years ago

Question 76

Which of the following terms does not belong with the others?

A) Floodplains
B) Marshes
C) Swamps
D) Streams
E) prairie potholes

Question 77

Deciduous forests are typically located at higher altitudes than coniferous forests.

Question 78

The zone of the ocean with a very high net primary productivity (NPP) is the

A) euphotic zone
B) abyssal zone
C) bathyal zone
D) coastal zone
E) benthic zone

Question 79

The global circulation of air is determined by the properties of air only.

Question 80

The land area around a stream that delivers runoff, sediment, and dissolved substances into the water is called the

A) Watershed
B) drainage basin
C) floodplain zone
D) transition zone
E) watershed and drainage basin