Deck 56: Ecology and the Geography of Life

Question 1

Which biome has the least primary productivity?

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

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Figure 56-1
Use the figure to answer the corresponding question(s).
Based on the temperature range and precipitation, the area on Figure 56-1 labeled 3 represents which of the following biomes?

A) savanna
B) temperate deciduous forest
C) temperate rain forest
D) taiga
E) tundra

Answer 2

A

Question 3

In tropical and temperate regions, __________ becomes more significant than temperature.

A) altitude
B) precipitation
C) latitude
D) migration
E) pH

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Based on the temperature range and precipitation, the area on Figure 56-1 labeled 5 represents which of the following biomes?

A) savanna
B) temperate deciduous forest
C) temperate rain forest
D) taiga
E) tundra

Question 5

The Southern Hemisphere lacks which of the following biomes?

A) tundra
B) taiga
C) savanna
D) tundra and taiga
E) tundra and savanna

Question 6

Figure 56-1
Use the figure to answer the corresponding question(s).

-Using Figure 56-1, what is the annual precipitation and temperature range for a temperate rain forest?

A) 300-400 cm/yr precipitation and 20-30 $\degree$ C
B) 200-300 cm/yr precipitation and 20-30 $\degree$ C
C) 200-300 cm/yr precipitation and 10-20 $\degree$ C
D) 150-250 cm/yr precipitation and 10-20 $\degree$ C
E) 150-250 cm/yr precipitation and 20-30 $\degree$ C

Question 7

Which of the following characteristics applies to biomes?

A) usually confined to a relatively small geographical area
B) encompass interacting landscapes
C) level of ecological organization preceding (lower than) ecosystem
D) boundaries extend beyond climate barriers
E) regions with similar climate, but different plants, animals, and soil

Question 8

__________ is characterized by cold temperatures, little precipitation, and few or no trees.

A) Taiga
B) Chaparral
C) Savanna
D) Tundra
E) Desert

Question 9

Glacier ice occupied about __________% of Earth's land during the last Ice Age, then began retreating about 17,000 years ago.Today, glacier ice occupies about __________% of the land surface.

A) 30; 10.
B) 50; 10
C) 73; 50
D) 80; 50
E) 15; 1

Question 10

The Southern Hemisphere has no equivalent of the arctic tundra because:

A) it has no latitudes near the poles.
B) it has insufficient altitudes.
C) it has no land in the proper latitudes.
D) it is too close to the sun during the winter.
E) it has an inhospitable temperature.

Question 11

Tundra soils are usually __________ and have __________ in the uppermost layer of soil.

A) nutrient poor; little organic litter
B) nutrient rich; much organic litter
C) frozen; nutrients
D) moist; dead plant material
E) sandy; high pH

Question 12

All of the following are adaptations of black-tailed prairie dogs except:

A) digestive tracts modified to easily digest seeds and leaves of grasses.
B) omnivores.
C) live underground.
D) hibernate throughout the winter.
E) live in large social groups.

Question 13

Based on the temperature range and precipitation, which area in Figure 56-1 is dominated by pine trees?

A) 3
B) 4
C) 5
D) 6
E) 7

Question 14

Soils of the tundra are very __________ due to __________.

A) old; lack of precipitation
B) young; lack of precipitation
C) old; glaciation
D) young; glaciation
E) thick; high precipitation

Question 15

Which biome has the shortest growing season?

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

Question 16

Which biome has the fewest kinds of species?

A) tundra
B) taiga
C) grassland
D) desert
E) It is not possible to determine this based on the information provided.

Question 17

Select the false statement.

A) Biomes near the poles have less rainfall than biomes on the equator.
B) Altitude can result in biomes that are not characteristic for a particular latitude.
C) Deserts have less rainfall due to their distance from the ocean.
D) Rainforests occur in both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere.
E) Deserts occur in both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere.

Question 18

Near the poles, what is generally the overriding climate factor?

A) temperature
B) precipitation
C) latitude
D) altitude
E) pH

Question 19

There are no trees in the tundra because:

A) of the short growing season.
B) of the limited supply of nutrients in the soil.
C) permafrost limits the depth to which roots penetrate.
D) of limited precipitation.
E) of low temperatures.

Question 20

Which biome is characterized by weasels, gray wolves, ptarmigan, musk oxen, and lemmings?

A) tundra
B) desert
C) tropical rain forest
D) savanna
E) temperate deciduous forest

Question 21

Which of the following is not characteristic of desert plants?

A) annuals common after periods of precipitation
B) reduced leaf size or no leaves at all
C) lianas with extensive epiphytes
D) adaptations that conserve water
E) adaptations to resist grazing by animals

Question 22

Currently, much commercial lumber and wood products come from which biome?

A) tundra
B) temperate rain forest
C) savanna
D) tropical rain forest
E) temperate deciduous forest

Question 23

Which of the following is characteristic of desert animals?

A) they tend to be quite large in size
B) they estivate during the rainy season
C) most only come out at night
D) rodents are the only group of mammals represented in this biome
E) insects are absent

Question 24

All of the following are sources of environmental damage in desert biomes except:

A) people driving across the desert in four-wheel drive vehicles
B) poaching
C) irrigation of desert soils
D) increased groundwater consumption by desert cities
E) aquifer buildup

Question 25

The tropical rain forest biome is characterized by:

A) high density of plants, but nutrient poor soil.
B) high density of plants and nutrient rich soil.
C) low density of plants due to nutrient poor soil.
D) low density of plants, yet nutrient rich soil.
E) intermediate density of plants and intermediate nutrient supply.

Question 26

Overgrazing in savannas by domestic animals has contributed to the conversion of parts of this ecosystem to:

A) chaparral.
B) grassland.
C) desert.
D) taiga.
E) ecotones.

Question 27

All of the following are distinctions between alpine tundra and arctic tundra except:

A) Alpine tundra is located at high altitudes.
B) Alpine tundra typically lacks permafrost.
C) High elevations of temperate mountains do not have the great extremes of day length that are associated with the changing seasons in high-latitude biomes.
D) The intensity of solar radiation is greater at high elevations than at high latitudes.
E) Alpine tundra receives less precipitation than arctic tundra.

Question 28

The exact elevation at which the treeline occurs depends on the __________ and __________.

A) temperature; distance from the sun
B) altitude; distance from the sun
C) elevation; annual precipitation
D) latitude; distance from the ocean
E) longitude; distance from the equator.

Question 29

Much precipitation in the tropical rain forest is derived from:

A) evaporation from lakes.
B) evaporation from rivers.
C) groundwater.
D) transpiration.
E) translocation.

Question 30

The biotic community that characterizes the arctic tundra would include all of the following except:

A) migrating herbivores, small mammals, and mosquitoes.
B) foxes, wolves, and hares.
C) owls, oxen, and lemmings.
D) mosses, lichens, and dwarf woody plants.
E) nuthatches, turtles, and garter snakes

Question 31

Lianas and epiphytes are especially common in the:

A) tropical rain forest.
B) savanna.
C) temperate grassland.
D) chaparral.
E) taiga.

Question 32

Climates characteristic of the Mediterranean region are also common in:

A) Nebraska.
B) New York.
C) Florida.
D) Hawaii.
E) California.

Question 33

The __________ biome is found in states such as Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, and other Midwestern states, and is characterized by thick, rich soils, and a thick mat of sod.

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

Question 34

The greatest proportion of these two biomes has been converted to agriculture:

A) taiga and tropical rain forest.
B) tropical rain forest and temperate rain forest.
C) temperate deciduous forest and temperate grassland.
D) chaparral and tropical rain forest.
E) temperate grassland and savanna.

Question 35

The __________ biome is characterized by plants that are particularly well adapted to periodic fires.

A) taiga
B) temperate rain forest
C) tundra
D) chaparral
E) tropical rain forest

Question 36

Compared to soils of other ecosystems, desert soils are characterized as having:

A) high amounts of organic material and low mineral content.
B) low amounts of organic material and low mineral content.
C) high amounts of organic material and high mineral content.
D) low amounts of organic material and high mineral content.
E) moderate levels of both organic material and minerals.

Question 37

The dominant vegetation of the temperate rain forest includes all of the following except:

A) Sitka spruce.
B) western red cedar.
C) beech.
D) Douglas fir.
E) western hemlock.

Question 38

Which biome has the longest growing season?

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

Question 39

Which biome is characterized by an abundance of trees that lose all of their leaves at a specific time of year?

A) taiga only
B) tropical rain forest only
C) temperate rain forest only
D) temperate deciduous forest only
E) both the temperate and tropical rain forests

Question 40

The __________ biome has the greatest species richness of the terrestrial biomes.

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

Question 41

This environment is characterized by high nutrient inputs and by relatively great fluctuations in salinity and temperature:

A) a river.
B) an estuary.
C) a freshwater wetland.
D) a large lake.
E) the oceanic province.

Question 42

__________ is the transition zone where two ecosystems meet and intergrade.

A) The intertidal zone
B) An ecotone
C) A range
D) A biome
E) A thermocline

Question 43

Figure 56-2
Use the figure to answer the corresponding question(s).
Which of the lakes in Figure 56-2 may experience turnover?

A) 2 and 4
B) 2 and 3
C) 3 and 4
D) 1 and 2
E) 1 and 3

Question 44

For coral reefs to form in tropical waters, it is necessary for the coral animals to live in symbiosis with:

A) bacteria.
B) parrot fish.
C) zooxanthellae.
D) sea urchins.
E) kelp.

Question 45

The marine euphoric zone is comparable to the __________ zone of lakes.

A) profundal
B) intertidal
C) abyssal
D) littoral
E) limnetic

Question 46

The most productive region of a lake is the __________ zone.

A) neritic
B) limnetic
C) profundal
D) littoral
E) oceanic

Question 47

The __________ contains the greatest volume of ocean water.

A) oceanic province
B) intertidal zone
C) euphotic zone
D) neritic province
E) limnetic zone

Question 48

Microscopic algae typically fall under the classification of:

A) nekton.
B) phytoplankton.
C) zooplankton.
D) benthos.
E) profundal microorganisms.

Question 49

Which of the following would not be found exclusively in the benthic environment?

A) coral reefs
B) clams and oysters
C) kelp
D) eel grass
E) nekton

Question 50

The __________ realm has long been separated from other land masses and is the area in which marsupials are particularly common.

A) Ethiopian
B) Palearctic
C) Nearctic
D) Oriental
E) Australian

Question 51

Headwater streams depend primarily on __________ as an energy input.

A) photosynthesis
B) detritus
C) phytoplankton
D) zooplankton
E) nekton

Question 52

Which of the following is not important in determining the distribution of organisms in aquatic biomes?

A) light penetration
B) mineral nutrient concentrations
C) precipitation
D) salinity
E) temperature

Question 53

Figure 56-2
Use the figure to answer the corresponding question(s).
Refer to Figure 56-2.Which of the following represents the fall turnover?

A) 1 going to 2
B) 2 going to 3
C) 3 going to 4
D) 4 going to 1
E) 4 going to 2

Question 54

Characteristics of headwaters include:

A) fast flow, high oxygen, and free-floating vegetation.
B) fast flow, low oxygen, and free-floating vegetation.
C) fast flow, high oxygen, and streamlined animal bodies.
D) fast flow, high oxygen, and free-floating vegetation.
E) slow flow, high oxygen, and free-floating vegetation.

Question 55

All of the following apply to the deepest zone of a large lake except:

A) effective recycling of minerals.
B) anaerobic conditions.
C) a mineral-rich zone.
D) no light penetration.
E) few organisms other than bacteria live here.

Question 56

Figure 56-2
Use the figure to answer the corresponding question(s).
Which of the lakes in Figure 56-2 may have a thermocline?

A) 1
B) 2
C) 4
D) 1 and 3
E) 2 and 4

Question 57

Adaptations found in inhabitants of the rocky intertidal zone include:

A) soft bodies.
B) an anchor or some other means of attachment.
C) strong swimming abilities.
D) active burrowing.
E) delicate outer coverings or bodies.

Question 58

Sponges and brittle stars are members of the:

A) nekton.
B) phytoplankton.
C) zooplankton.
D) benthos.
E) profundal zone.

Question 59

Which biome has the greatest number of distinct layers of vegetation?

A) savanna
B) tropical rain forest
C) desert
D) chaparral
E) grassland

Question 60

Marine snow is a major source of energy for the __________ region of the ocean.

A) littoral
B) aphotic
C) euphotic
D) intertidal
E) neustonic

Question 61

Small lakes and ponds usually lack a profundal zone.
____________________

Question 62

Extensive epiphytes are found in the tropical dry forests.
____________________

Question 63

Explain the changes in vegetation observed with increasing elevation.BONUS: Compare this to changes in vegetation with latitude.

Question 64

Describe the climate, soil, and representative organisms for two of the following terrestrial biomes: savanna, temperate rain forest, chaparral, or taiga.

Question 65

The hadal zone is that part of the benthic environment deeper than 6000 m.
____________________

Question 66

MATCHING
Match the biome with its description.
a.chaparral
f.temperate grassland
b.desert
g.temperate rain forest
c.savanna
h.tropical rain forest
d.taiga
i.tundra
e.temperate deciduous forest
vegetation can be cactus, yucca, or sagebrush

Question 67

A layer of permanently frozen ground is called permafrost.
____________________

Question 68

The Southern Hemisphere has no alpine tundra.
____________________

Question 69

The transition zone between biomes is called an ecotone.
____________________

Question 70

The oceanic province is that part of the ocean that overlies the continental shelf.
____________________

Question 71

Identify and briefly describe three biogeographical realms as described by Wallace.

Question 72

The American kangaroo rat is characteristic of the desert biome.
____________________

Question 73

The United States is part of the Palearctic realm.
____________________

Question 74

The chaparral biome is characterized by grasses as high as 2 meters.
____________________

Question 75

The term nekton refers to bottom-dwelling organisms in an aquatic ecosystem.
____________________

Question 76

An example of a freshwater wetland is an estuary.
____________________

Question 77

The boreal forest biome does not contain deciduous trees.
____________________

Question 78

The limnetic zone is the shallow-water area along the shore of a lake or pond.
____________________

Question 79

The upper part of the neritic province is called the euphotic zone.
____________________

Question 80

Dense coastal fog is characteristic of the temperate deciduous forest biome.
____________________