Deck 56: Ecology and the Geography of Life

Question 1

Which of the following characteristics applies to biomes?

A) They are usually confined to a relatively small geographical area.
B) They encompass interacting landscapes.
C) Their distribution is largely the result of differences in population.
D) Their boundaries extend beyond climate barriers.
E) They include regions with similar climate, but different plants, animals, and soil.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

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

Answer 2

B

Question 3

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

Answer 3

A

Question 4

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 5

Overgrazing in savannas by domestic animals has contributed to its conversion into:

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

Question 6

Which of the following is a characteristic of desert plants?

A) Common annuals
B) Enlarged leaf size
C) Lianas with extensive epiphytes
D) Adaptations that conserve water
E) Adaptations to stable temperatures

Question 7

Which of the following is an adaptation of black-tailed prairie dogs?

A) Modified digestive tracts easily digest seeds of grasses
B) Transition to a carnivore lifestyle
C) Movement toward above ground living
D) Hibernation throughout the spring
E) Movement toward living in small social groups

Question 8

Based on the temperature range and precipitation, which area in the accompanying figure is dominated by pine trees?

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

Question 9

The greatest proportion of which two biomes have 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 10

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

A) Temperature
B) Precipitation
C) Latitude
D) Altitude
E) pH

Question 11

Which of the following is most characteristic of desert animals?

A) They tend to be quite large in size.
B) They estivate during the rainy season.
C) They are primarily active at night.
D) They do not include mammals except for rodents.
E) They do not include insects.

Question 12

The Southern Hemisphere has no equivalent of the boreal forest of the north. Why?

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

Question 13

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) of limited root penetration due to permafrost.
D) of limited precipitation.
E) of low temperatures.

Question 14

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 15

Figure 56-1 ​

​
Based on the temperature range and precipitation, the area on the accompanying figure labeled as 3 represents which of the following biomes?

A) Savanna
B) Temperate deciduous forest
C) Temperate rain forest
D) Taiga
E) Tundra

Question 16

Which statement about Earth's biomes is FALSE?

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 17

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 18

Figure 56-1 ​

​
Based on the temperature range and precipitation, the area on the accompanying figure labeled as 5 represents which of the following biomes?

A) Savanna
B) Temperate deciduous forest
C) Temperate rain forest
D) Taiga
E) Tundra

Question 19

Climates characteristic of the Mediterranean region are also common in:

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

Question 20

Figure 56-1 ​

​
Based on the accompanying figure, what is the annual precipitation and temperature range for a temperate rain forest?

A) 300−400 cm/yr precipitation and 20−30 °C
B) 200−300 cm/yr precipitation and 20−30 °C
C) 200−300 cm/yr precipitation and 10−20 °C
D) 150−250 cm/yr precipitation and 10−20 °C
E) 150−250 cm/yr precipitation and 20−30 °C

Question 21

The ____ contains the greatest volume of ocean water.

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

Question 22

What 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) Aa large lake
E) The oceanic province

Question 23

Lianas and epiphytes are especially common in the:

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

Question 24

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 25

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

A) Savanna
B) Tropical rain forest
C) Desert
D) Chaparral
E) Grassland

Question 26

Which organism would be found exclusively in the benthic environment?

A) Painted turtles
B) Pond snail
C) Bur-reeds
D) Cattails
E) Bloodworms

Question 27

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 28

Microscopic algae typically fall under the classification of:

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

Question 29

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

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

Question 30

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 31

Figure 56-2 ​

​
Refer to the accompanying figure. 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 32

Which of the following applies to the deepest zone of a large lake?

A) Effective recycling of minerals
B) Anaerobic conditions
C) A mineral-poor zone
D) Plentiful light penetration
E) Numerous organisms

Question 33

Which biome has the longest growing season?

A) Tundra
B) Taiga
C) Grassland
D) Temperate deciduous forest
E) Tropical rain forest

Question 34

Figure 56-2 ​

​
Which of the lakes in the accompanying figure may have a thermocline?

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

Question 35

Headwater streams depend primarily on ____ as an energy input.

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

Question 36

A(n) ____ is the transition zone where two ecosystems meet and intergrade.

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

Question 37

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 38

Figure 56-2 ​

​
Which of the lakes in the accompanying figure may experience turnover?

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

Question 39

Sponges and brittle stars are members of the ____ category of organisms:

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

Question 40

Which factor is most important in determining the distribution of organisms in aquatic biomes?

A) Interspecies composition
B) Dominant vegetation
C) Distance from shore
D) Salinity
E) Intraspecies composition

Question 41

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

Question 42

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

Question 43

The transition zone between biomes is called an ecotone.

Question 44

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

Question 45

An example of a freshwater wetland is an estuary.

Question 46

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

Question 47

The Southern Hemisphere has no alpine tundra.

Question 48

Small lakes and ponds usually lack a profundal zone.

Question 49

The boreal forest biome does not contain deciduous trees.

Question 50

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

Question 51

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

Question 52

Explain the changes in vegetation observed with increasing latitude.

Question 53

A layer of permanently frozen ground is called permafrost.

Question 54

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

Question 55

Extensive epiphytes are found in the tropical dry forests.

Question 56

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 57

The United States is part of the Palearctic realm.

Question 58

The chaparral biome is characterized by grasses as high as 2 m.

Question 59

Identify and briefly describe three biogeographical realms.

Question 60

The American kangaroo rat is characteristic of the desert biome.

Question 66

Chose five biomes. Briefly describe how humans have altered those biomes. Consider how humans may have converted these biomes for commercial or agricultural use.

Question 69

Describe the physical processes that result in the summer and winter stratification in temperate zone lakes. Include the cause of the mixing in the spring and fall.

Question 76

Describe the human impact on two aquatic ecosystems. How have these alterations impacted these ecosystems?

Question 78

Describe and diagram the various zones and provinces in the ocean. What adaptations to these variable conditions are seen in the biota that inhabit these regions?