Deck 39: Conserving Biodiversity

Question 1

The ______________________ in the stratosphere above Earth's surface absorbs much of the harmful UV wavelengths of light.

A)Benthic zone
B)Ozone layer
C)Cumulus clouds
D)Particulate layer
E)Profundal zone

Answer 1

B

Question 2

The pH of "acid rain" occurring in the eastern United States is about:

A)4.4
B)5.6
C)6.4
D)7.0
E)8.4

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Major human damage to the everglades began with the building of ___________ large canals between 1903 and 1917 to drain the area to prevent flooding.

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

Answer 3

E

Question 4

The Montreal Protocol,an international treaty,banned the use of:

A)DDT
B)Steroid hormones
C)ICBMs
D)Ethylene glycol
E)CFCs

Question 5

Approximately _______________ of the world's moist tropical forests have been cleared.

A)One-eighth
B)One-fourth
C)One-half
D)One-third
E)None of the above are correct

Question 6

Since the settling of North America by Europeans,only about ___________ percent of the original temperate forest area survives.

A)1
B)5
C)10
D)20
E)25

Question 7

Sea turtles mistake plastic blobs for their natural food,the ___________________,and swallow the plastic killing the turtles.

A)Octopus
B)Crab
C)Lobster
D)Sea snake

Question 8

Biodiversity has declined by about ____________ percent since 1970.

A)70
B)30
C)50
D)10
E)5

Question 9

An increase in the surface temperature of the Earth caused by heat trapping gases in the atmosphere is known as:

A)The greenhouse effect
B)The biome effect
C)Bioremediation
D)Desertification
E)The nursery effect

Question 10

In a process called _____________________ nitrogen and phosphorous fertilize algae in the water resulting in algal blooms.

A)Particulation
B)Eutrophication
C)Denitrification
D)Nitrification
E)Desertification

Question 11

The ozone layer absorbs harmful ____________________ wavelengths of light.

A)Ultraviolet
B)Violet
C)Red
D)Blue
E)Green

Question 12

The primary cause of loss of biodiversity is:

A)Predation
B)Parasitism
C)Genetic mutation
D)Habitat destruction
E)Global warming

Question 13

A type of air pollution that forms a visible haze in the lower atmosphere is:

A)Fog
B)Paticulation
C)Smog
D)Acid rain
E)Smoke

Question 14

Any chemical,physical,or biological change in the environment that harms living organisms is:

A)Nitrification
B)An "upwelling"
C)Deforestation
D)Ozone depletion
E)Pollution

Question 15

Which of the following is not one of the world's endangered species?

A)The Sumatran rhino
B)The California condor
C)The zebra mussel
D)The vaquita
E)The green pitcher plant

Question 16

A decrease in the ozone layer and a subsequent increase in the UV radiation reaching the Earth's surface is a significant factor in the increasing number of cases of human:

A)Lung cancer
B)Tuberculosis
C)Still births
D)Skin cancer
E)Malaria

Question 17

Which of the following is not an effect of acid rain?

A)The destruction of aquatic food webs
B)The thinning of high-elevation forests
C)A decrease in the number of species that can survive in the lake ecosystem
D)The raising of pH in lakes
E)Causing deformities in fish and other aquatic organisms

Question 18

The main culprits in the thinning of the ozone layer are:

A)Carbon dioxide and nitrogen gas
B)Water vapor, particulates, and bromine gas
C)Bromine gas, fluorine gas, and chlorine gas
D)Carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and chlorine gas
E)Water vapor, chlorine gas, and carbon dioxide

Question 19

Which of the following has contributed to the damage done to the Florida Everglades ecosystem?

A)A drought lasting from the early 1960s to 1975
B)Canals that drain the area to prevent flooding
C)Levees built around Lake Okeechobeee
D)The human population swelling to more than 4 million
E)All are correct

Question 20

The "background" species extinction rate:

A)Estimates how quickly species disappeared before human intervention
B)Measures today's extinction rate of plants
C)Measures today's extinction rate of animals
D)Estimates of how many extinctions humans are causing
E)All are correct

Question 21

Why is deforestation often associated with extreme floods and mud slides?

A)Increased rain fall
B)Increased transpiration
C)Decreased nutrient absorption
D)Increased soil erosion
E)Decreased rain fall

Question 22

Release of sulfate and nitrate during the burning of coal contributes to ___.

A)Eutrophication
B)Acid rain
C)Accumulation of persistent organic pollutants
D)Loss of the ozone layer
E)The dead zone

Question 23

The lowest part of Earth's atmosphere is the:

A)Ozone layer
B)Stratosphere
C)Troposphere
D)Ionosphere
E)Limnetic zone

Question 24

The current extinction rate of vertebrates is 100-1000 times the historical background.This is primarily due to:

A)Over harvesting
B)Competition with exotic species
C)Habitat destruction
D)Competition with native species
E)Random chance

Question 25

Greenhouse gases block:

A)Carbon dioxide escape from the Earth
B)Oxygen escape from the Earth
C)UV wavelengths from reaching Earth's surface
D)UV wavelengths escape from the Earth
E)Heat escape from the Earth

Question 26

How is tropical deforestation linked to climate change?

A)Burning the forests releases carbon dioxide and transpiration by trees is diminished.
B)Burning the forests consumes oxygen and transpiration by trees is diminished.
C)Burning the forests releases carbon dioxide and transpiration by trees is increased.
D)Burning the forests consumes oxygen and transpiration by trees is increased.

Question 27

Commercial fisheries are increasing focusing on catching smaller fish like anchovies because of ______ large predatory fishes.

A)Exotic
B)Competition with
C)Increases in
D)Pollution in
E)Overexploitation of

Question 28

Which of the following is not a "greenhouse gas"?

A)Carbon dioxide
B)Methane
C)Nitrous oxide
D)Oxygen
E)CFCs

Question 29

A species that humans bring to an area where it did not previously occur is:

A)An exotic species
B)A native species
C)An endemic species
D)An existing species
E)An endangered species

Question 30

The ozone layer is part of the:

A)Ionosphere
B)Stratosphere
C)Troposphere
D)Biosphere
E)Limnetic zone

Question 31

Since the 1950s ____________ of the ocean's large predatory fishes have disappeared.

A)20%
B)50%
C)90%
D)70%
E)1%

Question 32

The normal pH of rainfall:

A)Is slightly acidic, pH 5.6
B)Is slightly basic, pH 9.6
C)Is slightly acidic, pH 9.6
D)Is neutral, pH 7.0
E)Is slightly basic, pH 5.6

Question 33

What was a disadvantage of digging canals in the Everglades?

A)Increased cropland
B)Increased flooding during hurricanes
C)Increased risk of algae blooms
D)Increased floodplain wetlands
E)Increased water shortages during drought

Question 34

How does damming a river destroy wetlands?

A)Fish can no longer migrate up and down the river
B)Wetlands can no longer obtain nutrients from annual floods
C)Wetlands can no longer obtain oxygen from the flowing water of the river
D)Birds can no longer get to the wetlands
E)Increased nutrients flow into the wetlands causing eutrophication

Question 35

Each year almost ________________ metric tons of carbon dioxide are released into Earth's atmosphere.

A)500,000
B)6,000,000
C)1,000,000
D)3,000,000
E)4,000,000

Question 36

If global warming continues and predictions are correct by the end of the twenty-first century,sea level on Earth will:

A)Rise by 7 to 23 inches
B)Remain the same
C)Lower by 3 to 5 inches
D)Rise by 2 to 6 inches
E)Rise by 2 to 3 feet

Question 37

To be considered _______________,an introduced species must begin breeding in its new location and spread widely from its point of introduction.

A)Resourceful
B)Harmful
C)Native
D)Dominant
E)Invasive

Question 38

Which of the following is an invasive species?

A)Zebra mussels in the Great Lakes
B)Brown tree snakes of Guam
C)The bison in the North American plains
D)The marine toad in Florida
E)Gypsy moth caterpillars in North America

Question 39

Since the Endangered Species Act of 1973 was passed,about _______________ species of animals and ______________ species of plants and lichens have been placed on the list of threatened or endangered species.

A)500, 700
B)200, 100
C)1000, 2000
D)300, 300
E)20, 50

Question 40

In addition to filling in lakes,why is eutrophication a biological concern?

A)Filling in lakes is the only major concern
B)Excess plant growth leads to high levels of dissolved oxygen
C)Excess plant growth makes it difficult for primary consumers to find food
D)High levels of nutrients are toxic to plants
E)When the plants die and decompose dissolved oxygen levels drop

Question 41

Cattails are most likely being impacted by purple loosestrife by:

A)Predation
B)Parasitism
C)Mutualism
D)Competitive exclusion
E)Commensalism

Question 42

A cloud forest is typically a __________ biome.

A)Warm, wet
B)Cool, dry
C)Cool, wet
D)Warm, dry
E)Hot, wet

Question 43

Purple loosestrife would be considered:

A)An exotic species
B)A native species
C)A consumer
D)A parasite
E)A beneficial species

Question 44

How did climate change affect frog mortality?

A)The chytrid fungus had optimal growth temperatures with cooler days and warmer nights.
B)The frogs could not survive the cooler temperatures during the day.
C)The frogs could not survive the warmer temperatures at night.
D)The chytrid fungus had optimal growth temperatures with warmer days and cooler nights.
E)The frogs immune systems were suppressed by pollutants, making them more susceptible to infection by chytrid.

Question 45

A 2004 study in the journal Nature concluded "Many plant and animal species are unlikely to survive climate change.New analyses suggest that 15-37% of a sample of 1,103 land plants and animals would eventually become extinct as a result of climate changes expected by 2050.For some of these species there will no longer be anywhere suitable to live." What is the best explanation for this conclusion?

A)Carbon dioxide is toxic to plants.
B)No plants can survive at high temperatures.
C)Greenhouse gases will block the amount of light available for photosynthesis.
D)Temperatures will change faster than plants can adapt.
E)If animals go extinct the plants that depend on them will go extinct as well.

Question 46

Conservation biologists have been able to breed some endangered species like the panda bear in captivity.Which is the most likely reason that panda populations in the wild are still threatened?

A)Not enough animals can be bred to release into the wild
B)Their environment is polluted
C)Loss of habitat
D)The wild pandas cannot breed
E)Their population density is too high

Question 47

In addition to eutrophication in lakes,which process is being caused by excess nutrients in rivers?

A)Warming of the water in the gulf of Mexico
B)Introduction of exotic species like Zebra mussels
C)The dead zone in the gulf of Mexico
D)Decreased plant growth
E)Clogging of city water lines

Question 48

The removal of all tree cover from a forested area is desertification.

Question 49

What happened to temperatures in the cloud forest over the past 40 years based on figure 39.21b?

A)Maximum temperatures increased and minimum temperatures dropped
B)Temperatures overall increased
C)Temperatures overall decreased
D)They were constant
E)Maximum temperatures dropped and minimum temperatures increased

Question 50

Which of the following best describes the greenhouse effect?

A)Less light is radiated from the atmosphere
B)More light enters the atmosphere
C)More heat enters the atmosphere
D)Less heat is radiated from the atmosphere
E)The Earth produces more heat

Question 51

Conservation biologists study the preservation of biodiversity.

Question 52

Red and brown tides resulting from algal blooms may kill sea life.

Question 53

Why are some conservation biologists concerned that the polar bear will be extinct by 2050?

A)Over hunting will decrease the population
B)Taiga will become tundra, brining in brown bears as competitors
C)Increased snow will fall in the Arctic and the bears won't be able to hunt
D)The seal population will decrease, and the bears will starve
E)Arctic ice caps will melt and the bears won't be able to hunt

Question 54

Conservation biologists in the United States are protecting habitat of endangered species at the northern end of their current ranges.What is the rationale for this strategy?

A)As global temperatures warm, biomes will move to the north
B)Animals tend to migrate to the north
C)Tectonic plates are shifting to the south
D)There are fewer people in the north, so there is more habitat available
E)Biodiversity is higher the farther north you go from the equator

Question 55

A 2004 study in the journal Nature concluded "Many plant and animal species are unlikely to survive climate change.New analyses suggest that 15-37% of a sample of 1,103 land plants and animals would eventually become extinct as a result of climate changes expected by 2050.For some of these species there will no longer be anywhere suitable to live." How would the extinction of plant species lead to the extinction of animal species?

A)Animals need plants for pollination
B)Plants consume carbon dioxide
C)Plants perform transpiration
D)Plants are the energy base of an ecosystem
E)Plants prevent soil erosion

Question 56

What explanation do scientists give for decline in amphibians in pristine habitats and little contact with humans?

A)Pollution
B)Fungal infection
C)Habitat loss
D)Over harvesting
E)Competition with exotic species

Question 57

Canvasback ducks and bog turtles are most likely being impacted by purple loosestrife by:

A)Competitive exclusion
B)Loss of breeding sites
C)Overexploitation
D)Pollution
E)Climate change

Question 58

figure 39.21a
At which elevations were most frog extinctions occurring according to figure 39.21a?

A)0-199 m
B)200-1000 m
C)2,400-4,000 m
D)1,001-2,399 m
E)They were equally distributed at all elevations.

Question 59

Forests are expanding and deserts are shrinking worldwide.

Question 60

Amphibians have which characteristics in common?

A)Require fresh water to reproduce and can breathe through their skin
B)Reproduce on land and can breathe through their skin
C)Require fresh water to reproduce and must breathe through their lungs
D)Reproduce on land and must breathe through their lungs

Question 61

The ozone layer absorbs much of the harmful UV wavelengths of light that would otherwise reach Earth.

Question 62

The zebra mussel and the gypsy moth are native species of North America.

Question 63

Carbon dioxide gas is not a major contributor to the greenhouse effect.

Question 64

Since the 1950s about 1% of the ocean's large predatory fish have disappeared.

Question 65

One key to reversing environmental decline will be to slow the growth of the human population.

Question 66

Overexploitation is harvesting a species faster than it can reproduce.

Question 67

One important conservation tool used to restore native populations is to set aside an area and protect it from overexploitation,invasive species,and habitat destruction.

Question 68

Besides habitat destruction,desertification and eutrophication are the two most important threats to biodiversity.

Question 69

The greatest threat to the endangered great spotted kiwi of New Zealand is introduced predators.

Question 70

Of every 100 species introduced only one persists to take over a niche.

Question 71

The disappearance of harlequin frogs from Costa Rica's Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve has been shown to be related to oil spills and a skin bacterium.

Question 72

After nearing extinction in the 1960s,the bald eagle population is now about 10,000.