Question 1

A biome is described by:

Accepted Answer

A)  A specified bioregion 
B)  Broadly similar environmental conditions 
C)  A watershed divide, generally 
D)  Geographic location 
E)  Large landforms in the area 
A)  A specified bioregion 
B)  Broadly similar environmental conditions 
C)  A watershed divide, generally 
D)  Geographic location 
E)  Large landforms in the area B

Question 2

In what continent would you find a polar desert?

Accepted Answer

A)  Antarctica 
B)  Africa 
C)  South America 
D)  Australia 
A)  Antarctica 
B)  Africa 
C)  South America 
D)  Australia A

Question 3

In the graph of precipitation and temperature, temperate forest biomes would fall in the area marked by the letter:

Accepted Answer

A)  A 
B)  B 
C)  C 
D)  D 
E)  E 
A)  A 
B)  B 
C)  C 
D)  D 
E)  E B

Question 4

The deciduous forest with the highest present-day deforestation rate is located in

Accepted Answer

A)  eastern Siberia. 
B)  the northern United States. 
C)  western Europe. 
D)  southern China. 
A)  eastern Siberia. 
B)  the northern United States. 
C)  western Europe. 
D)  southern China.

Question 5

Biomes exhibit __________ patterns in habitat characteristics.

Accepted Answer

A)  latitudinal 
B)  longitudinal 
C)  seasonal 
A)  latitudinal 
B)  longitudinal 
C)  seasonal

Question 6

The sharp boundary between a lake's warmer epilimnion and cooler hypolimnion is called the benthos.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

Morpheus has been led into a wilderness environment and left to fend for himself for the summer. Luckily, he has a good coat because it looks like there may be a frost during the night and the mosquitoes are everywhere. As he looks around, he is relieved because he recognizes some of the plants. There are some mosses, lichens, small shrubs, sedges, and grasses. Which biome is he in?

Accepted Answer

A)  Tropical rainforest 
B)  Wetland 
C)  Temperate rainforest 
D)  Tundra 
E)  Coastal area 
A)  Tropical rainforest 
B)  Wetland 
C)  Temperate rainforest 
D)  Tundra 
E)  Coastal area

Question 8

What aquatic ecosystem phenomenon is illustrated in the diagram?

Accepted Answer

A)  Nutrient inputs from upstream and uphill 
B)  Vertical stratification 
C)  Nutrient cycling 
D)  Internal convective currents 
E)  Horizontal stratification 
A)  Nutrient inputs from upstream and uphill 
B)  Vertical stratification 
C)  Nutrient cycling 
D)  Internal convective currents 
E)  Horizontal stratification

Question 9

Boreal forests are generally

Accepted Answer

A)  Cold and dry, with extensive barren areas 
B)  Warm and humid, with large rivers 
C)  Dry because water is frozen most of the year 
D)  Slow-growing because of the cold temperatures 
E)  Soggy in the summer because of permafrost 
A)  Cold and dry, with extensive barren areas 
B)  Warm and humid, with large rivers 
C)  Dry because water is frozen most of the year 
D)  Slow-growing because of the cold temperatures 
E)  Soggy in the summer because of permafrost

Question 10

Tundra biomes occur

Accepted Answer

A)  At high latitudes, where temperatures are low 
B)  Where rainfall is too great for tree growth 
C)  Only at high latitudes 
D)  Almost exclusively on Antarctica 
E)  At high latitudes and altitudes, where the growing season is short 
A)  At high latitudes, where temperatures are low 
B)  Where rainfall is too great for tree growth 
C)  Only at high latitudes 
D)  Almost exclusively on Antarctica 
E)  At high latitudes and altitudes, where the growing season is short

Question 11

If an organism is described as 'benthic," where does it reside?

Accepted Answer

A)  In a cave 
B)  At the bottom of the ocean or a lake 
C)  At the bottom of a lake only 
D)  At the bottom of the ocean only 
A)  In a cave 
B)  At the bottom of the ocean or a lake 
C)  At the bottom of a lake only 
D)  At the bottom of the ocean only

Question 12

Tropical seasonal forests are specially adapted to tolerate

Accepted Answer

A)  Annual cycles of extreme heat and extreme cold 
B)  Years of drought followed by years of rain 
C)  Annual cycles of severe drought and heavy rain 
D)  Extreme drought and cold at the same time 
E)  Extreme heat 
A)  Annual cycles of extreme heat and extreme cold 
B)  Years of drought followed by years of rain 
C)  Annual cycles of severe drought and heavy rain 
D)  Extreme drought and cold at the same time 
E)  Extreme heat

Question 13

Neo finds himself sweating in a moist forest but there aren't many streams or wetlands. He is amazed by the tremendous amount of biodiversity including an abundance of biting mosquitoes. Has he inadvertently gotten closer to his goal of finding a boreal forest?

Accepted Answer

A)  Yes 
B)  No, the description is that of a tropical seasonal forest 
C)  No, the description is that of a temperate deciduous forest 
D)  No, the description is that of a tropical rainforest 
E)  No, the description is that of a temperate rainforest 
A)  Yes 
B)  No, the description is that of a tropical seasonal forest 
C)  No, the description is that of a temperate deciduous forest 
D)  No, the description is that of a tropical rainforest 
E)  No, the description is that of a temperate rainforest

Question 14

Chaparral is

Accepted Answer

A)  a type of drought-adapted shrub-land. 
B)  found only in the tropics. 
C)  characterized by moderate rain and snow. 
D)  characterized by a dry season that corresponds with cool temperatures. 
A)  a type of drought-adapted shrub-land. 
B)  found only in the tropics. 
C)  characterized by moderate rain and snow. 
D)  characterized by a dry season that corresponds with cool temperatures.

Question 15

The category of wetland that always contains trees is the

Accepted Answer

A)  marsh. 
B)  bog. 
C)  swamp. 
D)  fen. 
A)  marsh. 
B)  bog. 
C)  swamp. 
D)  fen.

Question 16

Arctic deserts and tundras are the least disturbed by humans since they are usually unattractive places for humans to live.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

You are in an area that is relatively hot. You bend down and notice that there are tracks in the soil that are very old. Since you know that this area is easily destroyed by human activity and the harsh climate slows recovery from human damage, you conclude that this biome is

Accepted Answer

A)  A tropical dry forest 
B)  A desert 
C)  Tundra 
D)  A grassland 
E)  A wetland 
A)  A tropical dry forest 
B)  A desert 
C)  Tundra 
D)  A grassland 
E)  A wetland

Question 18

Estuaries are noted by biologists because they have few, but highly specialized biological niches.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

Unlike terrestrial communities, aquatic communities are rarely determined by the physical characteristics of the environment (other than the water itself).

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

The thermocline is the layer in a lake at which

Accepted Answer

A)  Pollutants are trapped and held 
B)  Seasonal lake mixing occurs 
C)  The warm upper zone meets the cold lower zone 
D)  Nutrient levels are the lowest 
E)  Light no longer penetrates enough for photosynthesis to occur 
A)  Pollutants are trapped and held 
B)  Seasonal lake mixing occurs 
C)  The warm upper zone meets the cold lower zone 
D)  Nutrient levels are the lowest 
E)  Light no longer penetrates enough for photosynthesis to occur

Exam 5: Biomes: Global Patterns of Life

A biome is described by:

In what continent would you find a polar desert?

In the graph of precipitation and temperature, temperate forest biomes would fall in the area marked by the letter:

The deciduous forest with the highest present-day deforestation rate is located in

Biomes exhibit __________ patterns in habitat characteristics.

The sharp boundary between a lake's warmer epilimnion and cooler hypolimnion is called the benthos.

What aquatic ecosystem phenomenon is illustrated in the diagram?

Boreal forests are generally

Tundra biomes occur

If an organism is described as 'benthic," where does it reside?

Tropical seasonal forests are specially adapted to tolerate

Neo finds himself sweating in a moist forest but there aren't many streams or wetlands. He is amazed by the tremendous amount of biodiversity including an abundance of biting mosquitoes. Has he inadvertently gotten closer to his goal of finding a boreal forest?

Chaparral is

The category of wetland that always contains trees is the

Arctic deserts and tundras are the least disturbed by humans since they are usually unattractive places for humans to live.

You are in an area that is relatively hot. You bend down and notice that there are tracks in the soil that are very old. Since you know that this area is easily destroyed by human activity and the harsh climate slows recovery from human damage, you conclude that this biome is

Estuaries are noted by biologists because they have few, but highly specialized biological niches.

Unlike terrestrial communities, aquatic communities are rarely determined by the physical characteristics of the environment (other than the water itself).

The thermocline is the layer in a lake at which

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