Deck 57: The Biosphere and Human Impacts

Question 1

As the global concentration of carbon dioxide increases,there is great potential for direct impact on the world's

A)climate.
B)biodiversity.
C)biogeochemistry.
D)ozone layer.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

The great deserts and associated arid areas of the world mostly lie along the western sides of the continents at about

A)0° north and south latitude.
B)15° north and south latitude.
C)30° north and south latitude.
D)60° north and south latitude.
E)90° north and south latitude.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Which of the following are characteristics of biomes? Check all that apply.

A)A biome is a large geographical area with distinctive plant and animal groups.
B)Biomes are only located at certain longitudes and latitudes.
C)The climate and geography of a region determines what type of biome can exist in that region.
D)Each biome consists of only one type of ecosystem.
E)Temperate evergreen forest is one of the major biomes.

Answer 3

A,C,E

Question 4

Destruction of which biome would result in the greatest loss of biodiversity?

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

Question 5

The distribution of biomes is dependent upon which of the following? Check all that apply.

A)available moisture
B)temperature
C)the presence of mountains
D)distance from the oceans and elevation
E)a thermocline

Question 6

Which statement best describes the relationship between elevation and latitude?

A)Elevation and latitude are related because they are both measurements of distance.
B)Elevation and latitude are related because as one increases the other increases.
C)Elevation and latitude are related because they have similar effects on temperature.As the elevation increases,the temperature of the air increases,which is likewise with latitude.
D)Elevation and latitude are related because they have similar effects on temperature.As the elevation increases,the temperature of the air decreases,which is likewise with latitude.

Question 7

CO₂ and other gases,which absorb the longer wavelengths of infrared light and radiated heat from Earth,are responsible for causing the

A)ozone layer depletion.
B)greenhouse effect.
C)decreased biodiversity.
D)acid rain.

Question 8

Drifting freely in the upper,well-illuminated waters of the ocean,a diverse biological community exists,primarily consisting of microscopic organisms called

A)phytoplankton.
B)archaeans.
C)detritus.
D)benthos.
E)bacteria.

Question 9

Most of the ultraviolet radiation reaching the upper atmosphere is absorbed by

A)CFCs.
B)ozone.
C)nitrogen.
D)carbon dioxide.
E)water vapor.

Question 10

While visiting the South Island of New Zealand,you notice that conditions vary sharply across the island.The West Coast is very wet and receives between 600 and 1600 mm of rainfall per year,while the East Coast only receives about 640 mm of rain per year and is very dry.What best explains this regional difference in precipitation?

A)Proximity to Antarctica.
B)The absence of inland lakes.
C)The presence of a large river along the West Coast.
D)The presence of mountains along the West Coast.
E)Latitudinal differences between the East and West Coasts.

Question 11

If the energy of the sun no longer reached Earth,the primary productivity of which of the following ecosystems would be least affected?

A)deep sea hydrothermal vent
B)temperate rain forest
C)desert
D)taiga
E)coral reef

Question 12

Tropical climates are warmer than temperate climates because

A)temperate climates have more mountains and thus more snow causing the landmasses to warm slower.
B)tropical climates have more vegetation and thus can absorb more heat.
C)temperate climates are closer to the poles and the polar surfaces cause a reduction in heat gain.
D)tropical climates receive the sun's rays at an almost perpendicular angle; since Earth is a sphere,the temperate climates receive the sun's rays at a much steeper incidence thus spreading the radiation over a broader area.
E)tropical climates receive the sun's rays at a much steeper incidence thus spreading the radiation over a broader area and causing the tropics to be warmer while the temperate climates receive the sun's rays at an almost perpendicular angle,which causes some areas to be warm and other areas to be cold.

Question 13

Prairie is another name for a

A)desert.
B)temperate grassland.
C)savanna.
D)taiga.
E)tundra.

Question 14

During an ecology field trip to a lake,your professor asks you to take temperature readings at various depths and record your data.At 5 meters,you note a temperature of 25°C and at 10 meters you record a temperature of 10°C.Readings at 20 meters and below stay fairly consistent around 8°C.The temperature readings of 25°C,10°C,and 8°C represent the

A)epilimnion,thermocline,and hypolimnion.
B)epilimnion,hypolimnion,and thermocline.
C)hypolimnion,epilimnion,and thermocline.
D)hypolimnion,thermocline,and epilimnion.
E)thermocline,epilimnion,and hypolimnion.

Question 15

Photosynthetic organisms of the open oceans are confined to the upper

A)two hundred millimeters.
B)two hundred centimeters.
C)two hundred meters.
D)two hundred kilometers.
E)two thousand kilometers.

Question 16

Researchers in Alaska were interested in increasing the sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka)population in three coastal lakes.To accomplish this,the ponds were treated with fertilizers.As a result,zooplankton biomass increased between 40% and 700% in the three lakes.The substantial growth in zooplankton would suggest that prior to these experiments,these lakes were ________.

A)eutrophic
B)stratified
C)subject to low light levels
D)oligotrophic

Question 17

Which of the following choices best describes the relationship that exists between moisture and air temperature?

A)The moisture-holding capacity of air decreases when it is warm and increases when it is cool.
B)The moisture-holding capacity of air remains the same (warm or cool)and is not related to its temperature.
C)The moisture-holding capacity of air increases when it is warm and decreases when it is cool.
D)The moisture-holding capacity of air decreases as the higher altitude winds of the polar regions descend onto the continents.

Question 18

The relatively shallow part of the ocean extending from the low tide mark to the edge of the continental shelf is called the

A)surface zone.
B)abyssal zone.
C)neritic zone.
D)littoral zone.
E)limnetic zone.

Question 19

Rhizosphaera needle cast is a fungal disease that affects spruce trees.Which of the following biomes would be most severely affected by an outbreak of this disease?

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

Question 20

Periodic disturbances of the Pacific currents that cause global weather changes are given the name

A)El Niño.
B)gyrals.
C)the Humboldt current.
D)the Japan current.
E)west equatorial drift.

Question 21

Your biology professor takes the class on a field trip to a local lake.You spend an hour studying the lake and writing down all observations.You hypothesize that the lake is oligotrophic.Which observations would support this hypothesis? Check all that apply.

A)The shoreline is mostly rock and sand with very little vegetative matter.
B)The lake has extensive aquatic plant beds.
C)The lake has little planktonic growth.
D)The bottom of the lake is easily visible.
E)An oxygen probe reveals low oxygen content in the water.

Question 22

Biomes are broad regional areas with defined flora and fauna.Which one of the following choices correctly identifies the biomes shown plotted in the graph of precipitation versus temperature?

A)Tropical Rain forest = 1; Desert = 2; Tundra = 3; Grassland = 4
B)Tropical Rain forest = 1; Desert = 3; Tundra = 4; Grassland = 2
C)Tropical Rain forest = 3; Desert = 4; Tundra = 1; Grassland = 2
D)Tropical Rain forest = 3; Desert = 1; Tundra = 2; Grassland = 3

Question 23

In a temperate zone lake,what should the temperature profile be immediately after the fall overturn?

A)coldest water at the top,4° C water at the bottom
B)warmest water at the top,4° C water at the bottom
C)4° C water throughout
D)10° C water throughout
E)4° C water at the top,coldest water at the bottom

Question 24

Which of the following statements about El Niño are true?

A)Occurrence of El Niño is irregular and unpredictable.
B)The immediate effect of El Niño is a weakening in the east-to-west trade winds
C)Weakening in the trade winds results in more upwelling along the Peru-Ecuador coast.
D)El Niño results in the movement of weather systems from the western Pacific eastward.
E)El Niño events in the Pacific can influence weather as far away as Africa.

Question 25

A mountain range along the coast of a continent is located perpendicular to the prevailing sea breeze.Which one of the following describes an area where the rain shadow is located?

A)on the leeward side of the mountain where cool,dry air is descending
B)on the leeward side of the mountain where warm,moist air is descending
C)on the windward side of the mountain where warm,moist air is rising
D)on the windward side of the mountain where cool,dry air is rising
E)on the leeward side,far inland from the mountain

Question 26

If the tilt of Earth's axis relative to its plane of orbit was increased to 30 degrees,the seasons in Boston,Massachusetts would become less distinct.

Question 27

Temperate grasslands and temperate deciduous forests are two different biomes that are located in the same latitudes.Which one of the following abiotic conditions is most likely to account for the differences in their community composition?

A)temperature
B)precipitation
C)sunlight
D)soil nutrients
E)a rain shadow

Question 28

Which of the following statements about ozone depletion are true? Check all that apply.

A)Concentrations of ozone-depleting chemicals continue to rise in the atmosphere.
B)Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)are the major cause of ozone depletion.
C)Free chlorine in the upper atmosphere catalyzes the conversion of O₃ into O₂.
D)Weather conditions also influence the size of the ozone hole in the stratosphere.
E)CFCs are acted on by conditions in the stratosphere to form diatomic chlorine (Cl₂).

Question 29

Which of the following adversely affects the ozone layer?

A)chlorofluorocarbons
B)greenhouse gases
C)oil
D)coal and natural gas
E)plastics

Question 30

Which of the following statements about the consequences of global warming are true? Check all that apply.

A)The rate of global warming may be too great for populations to be able to adapt through natural selection.
B)Rising sea levels will be a consequence of global warming.
C)Global warming will cause a decrease in the incidence of diseases caused by mosquitoes.
D)The frequency of El Niño events may increase as a consequence of global warming.
E)Agricultural production will increase.

Question 31

Which statements about acid precipitation are accurate? Check all that apply.

A)Acid rain is intermediate between point-source and diffuse pollution.
B)Mercury is a pollutant that often accompanies acid precipitation.
C)Acid precipitation is a severe problem in areas with soils having high buffering capacity.
D)Acid precipitation can affect aquatic ecosystems.
E)Acid precipitation can affect forests,weakening the trees and making them more susceptible to disease.

Question 32

Which of following statements about the causes and effects of global warming are accurate? Check all that apply.

A)The effects of global warming will be uniform throughout the world.
B)In addition to carbon dioxide,other greenhouse gases include methane and nitrous oxide.
C)Melting of the Arctic permafrost will slow the process of global warming because of new plant growth in those areas.
D)The effects of global warming can be measured today.
E)Carbon dioxide absorbs short wavelength radiant energy better than long wavelength radiant energy.

Question 33

Which of the following are examples of diffuse pollution? Check all that apply.

A)chemicals released from a factory waste pipe
B)wind-borne debris blowing out to sea
C)pet waste
D)oil leaking from a cargo ship
E)oil that washes off of roads

Question 34

Scientists cannot predict when an El Niño will begin.But once it does,forecasters are able to predict changes to weather patterns.What would be a predicted weather effect of an El Niño?

A)Drier and warmer in the southeastern United States
B)Colder than normal across the northeastern United States
C)More rain in Peru and Ecuador
D)More rain in Indonesia and the Philippines

Question 35

Which two countries are both likely to have prevailing winds blowing from west to east?

A)the United States and Argentina
B)the United States and Panama
C)Canada and Brazil
D)Panama and Brazil

Question 36

Oxygen levels in the photic zone fluctuate over the course of a 24-hr period.If you were measuring dissolved oxygen over the course of the day,when would you expect to see the lowest levels of oxygen and why?

A)Mid-morning -- because fish are most active and their respiration rates are highest.
B)Early afternoon -- when the surface water warms up and sinks to the bottom.
C)Mid-afternoon -- because the activity of the Calvin cycle (the dark reactions)of photosynthesis are at their peak.
D)Early evening -- when animals come to feed and disturb the surface waters.
E)During the night -- because the light reactions of photosynthesis are inactive.

Question 37

Which one of the following marine ecosystems would be expected to have the lowest species diversity and primary production per unit area?

A)oligotrophic oceans
B)upwelling regions of ocean
C)coral reefs
D)estuaries
E)intertidal zone

Question 38

Which of the following statements about the effects of deforestation on terrestrial ecosystems are true? Check all that apply.

A)At present rates of deforestation,it is predicted that all of the world's tropical rain forests will be degraded or gone within 10 years.
B)Today,deforestation is one of the greatest problems facing terrestrial ecosystems.
C)Deforestation usually leads to the overaccumulation of nutrients such as nitrates/nitrites in the soil.
D)Deforestation can lead to loss of topsoil.
E)Deforestation can lead to eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems.

Question 39

If you plot mean annual precipitation against mean annual temperature and look at the distribution of major biomes relative to these two variables,which biome would be in the central region of the graph?

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

Question 40

Biological magnification of persistent toxins would be greatest in a

A)deer.
B)fox.
C)black bear.
D)mushroom.
E)oak tree.

Question 41

An old farm that has been abandoned for 65 years is being sold to develop the land for housing.You attend a town meeting and describe this as a bad idea.Your evidence to support this claim relates to the removal of trees to build the homes.You tell the crowd that removal of the trees will limit the number of predators in the area,and therefore allow the local mouse population to increase,and with the mice,an increase in disease.Is basis of your argument true or false?