Question 1

Which of the following is a major concern regarding biogeochemical and industrial sources of atmospheric sulfur?

Accepted Answer

A)  greenhouse effect 
B)  acid rain 
C)  ozone depletion 
D)  inhibition of photosynthesis 
E)  all of the above 
A)  greenhouse effect 
B)  acid rain 
C)  ozone depletion 
D)  inhibition of photosynthesis 
E)  all of the above B

Question 2

Discuss how human activities have perturbed the nitrogen cycle.

Accepted Answer

Dinitrogen gas constitutes about 79% of the atmosphere on Earth. Despite its abundance, its stable and unreactive properties make it largely unavailable to most living things. Until recently in Earth's history, nitrogen was fixed entirely by bacteria and archaea. However, humans have drastically increased the amount of fixed nitrogen by 30-50% through the Haber process. The massive use of fertilizers pollutes aquatic habitats and the atmosphere through algal blooms and denitrification. Thus anthropogenic activities have severely altered the nitrogen cycle more than any other.

Question 3

What types of bacteria will carry out nitrification (conversion of ammonia to nitrite or nitrate)?

Accepted Answer

A)  lithotrophs 
B)  heterotrophs 
C)  chemoorganotrophy 
D)  phototrophs 
E)  fastidious heterotrophs 
A)  lithotrophs 
B)  heterotrophs 
C)  chemoorganotrophy 
D)  phototrophs 
E)  fastidious heterotrophs A

Question 4

What would happen if household wastewater was emptied into local receiving rivers without prior treatment?

Accepted Answer

Wastewater is rich in organic matter, wh

Question 5

Desulfovibrio desulfuricans plays a role in the corrosion of sewer pipes but is also used in a beneficial way for uranium decontamination. Describe its role in the latter.

Accepted Answer

Desulfovibrio desulfuricans can use U(VI

Question 6

The sink of an element in the ecosystem:

Accepted Answer

A)  is the reservoir to which it returns during cycling 
B)  is the most accessible reservoir of that element 
C)  renders the element inaccessible 
D)  releases the element into the subsurface 
E)  is the source of the element for living organisms 
A)  is the reservoir to which it returns during cycling 
B)  is the most accessible reservoir of that element 
C)  renders the element inaccessible 
D)  releases the element into the subsurface 
E)  is the source of the element for living organisms

Question 7

During wastewater treatment, the secondary treatment requires continual aeration to:

Accepted Answer

A)  augment the bacterial density 
B)  select for planktonic heterotrophs 
C)  stimulate chemical degradation 
D)  increase microaerophilic filamentous bacteria 
E)  maximize breakdown of molecules to CO2 and nitrates 
A)  augment the bacterial density 
B)  select for planktonic heterotrophs 
C)  stimulate chemical degradation 
D)  increase microaerophilic filamentous bacteria 
E)  maximize breakdown of molecules to CO2 and nitrates

Question 8

What evidence suggests that the biochemistry of life elsewhere would resemble that on Earth?

Accepted Answer

In early-Earth simulation experiments, a

Question 9

Dinitrogen gas constitutes __________ of the atmosphere.

Accepted Answer

A)  10% 
B)  79% 
C)  69% 
D)  21% 
E)  0.03% 
A)  10% 
B)  79% 
C)  69% 
D)  21% 
E)  0.03%

Question 10

On which of the following planets does humankind expect to find life because of the similarity of its geology with that of Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  Jupiter 
B)  Venus 
C)  Mars 
D)  Jupiter's moon Europa 
E)  Pluto 
A)  Jupiter 
B)  Venus 
C)  Mars 
D)  Jupiter's moon Europa 
E)  Pluto

Question 11

Discuss the ecological benefits of wetlands.

Accepted Answer

As a result of the alternate flooding an

Question 12

Could human-induced global warming cause mass extinctions of a majority of Earth's species as did the rise of ancient cyanobacteria?

Accepted Answer

Global warming is caused by increases in

Question 13

Which of the following is a micronutrient?

Accepted Answer

A)  carbon 
B)  hydrogen 
C)  zinc 
D)  phosphorus 
E)  nitrogen 
A)  carbon 
B)  hydrogen 
C)  zinc 
D)  phosphorus 
E)  nitrogen

Question 14

Human burning of petroleum in effect releases CO2 from the product of ancient bacteria. Discuss.

Accepted Answer

Petroleum and other fossil fuels are pro

Question 15

How much of fixed nitrogen comes from the Haber process of chemical fertilizer production?

Accepted Answer

A)  more than 80% 
B)  at least 30% 
C)  amount is unknown 
D)  65% 
E)  nearly 20% 
A)  more than 80% 
B)  at least 30% 
C)  amount is unknown 
D)  65% 
E)  nearly 20%

Question 16

The wetlands of the Florida Everglades are more efficient in the removal of organic pollutants than treatment plants because:

Accepted Answer

A)  microbial conversions fix the pollutants into valuable biomass 
B)  the alligators consume most of the predators/consumers 
C)  the soil is porous and filters wastes rapidly 
D)  of microbial conversions and the physical filtration by soil 
E)  the vast Everglades physically dilutes the pollutants 
A)  microbial conversions fix the pollutants into valuable biomass 
B)  the alligators consume most of the predators/consumers 
C)  the soil is porous and filters wastes rapidly 
D)  of microbial conversions and the physical filtration by soil 
E)  the vast Everglades physically dilutes the pollutants

Question 17

Which of the following would be more problematic in Kansas than Florida?

Accepted Answer

A)  mercury-contaminated fish 
B)  nitrite-induced blue baby syndrome 
C)  uranium-contaminated soil 
D)  iron-corroded pipes 
E)  sulfur-contaminated coal 
A)  mercury-contaminated fish 
B)  nitrite-induced blue baby syndrome 
C)  uranium-contaminated soil 
D)  iron-corroded pipes 
E)  sulfur-contaminated coal

Question 18

Which of the following major elements has the highest number of oxidation states?

Accepted Answer

A)  nitrogen 
B)  carbon 
C)  hydrogen 
D)  sulfur 
E)  oxygen 
A)  nitrogen 
B)  carbon 
C)  hydrogen 
D)  sulfur 
E)  oxygen

Question 19

Which of the following can assimilate Fe3+?

Accepted Answer

A)  archaea 
B)  bacteria 
C)  haloarchaea 
D)  fungi 
E)  all of the above 
A)  archaea 
B)  bacteria 
C)  haloarchaea 
D)  fungi 
E)  all of the above

Question 20

Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is inhibited by oxygen. Which of the following statements is NOT correct?

Accepted Answer

A)  Nitrogen fixation is ubiquitous in soil and water. 
B)  Cyanobacteria are among the significant prokaryotic nitrogen fixers. 
C)  BNF was the major source of fixed N before the Industrial Revolution. 
D)  Only anaerobes fix dinitrogen on land. 
E)  A wide diversity of prokaryotes use same enzyme-nitrogenase for nitrogen fixation. 
A)  Nitrogen fixation is ubiquitous in soil and water. 
B)  Cyanobacteria are among the significant prokaryotic nitrogen fixers. 
C)  BNF was the major source of fixed N before the Industrial Revolution. 
D)  Only anaerobes fix dinitrogen on land. 
E)  A wide diversity of prokaryotes use same enzyme-nitrogenase for nitrogen fixation.

Exam 22: Microbes and the Global Environment

Which of the following is a major concern regarding biogeochemical and industrial sources of atmospheric sulfur?

Discuss how human activities have perturbed the nitrogen cycle.

What types of bacteria will carry out nitrification (conversion of ammonia to nitrite or nitrate)?

What would happen if household wastewater was emptied into local receiving rivers without prior treatment?

Desulfovibrio desulfuricans plays a role in the corrosion of sewer pipes but is also used in a beneficial way for uranium decontamination. Describe its role in the latter.

The sink of an element in the ecosystem:

During wastewater treatment, the secondary treatment requires continual aeration to:

What evidence suggests that the biochemistry of life elsewhere would resemble that on Earth?

Dinitrogen gas constitutes __________ of the atmosphere.

On which of the following planets does humankind expect to find life because of the similarity of its geology with that of Earth?

Discuss the ecological benefits of wetlands.

Could human-induced global warming cause mass extinctions of a majority of Earth's species as did the rise of ancient cyanobacteria?

Which of the following is a micronutrient?

Human burning of petroleum in effect releases CO2 from the product of ancient bacteria. Discuss.

How much of fixed nitrogen comes from the Haber process of chemical fertilizer production?

The wetlands of the Florida Everglades are more efficient in the removal of organic pollutants than treatment plants because:

Which of the following would be more problematic in Kansas than Florida?

Which of the following major elements has the highest number of oxidation states?

Which of the following can assimilate Fe3+?

Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is inhibited by oxygen. Which of the following statements is NOT correct?

Microbial Life: Origin and Discovery

Observing the Microbial Cell

Cell Structure and Function

Bacterial Culture, Growth, and Development

Environmental Influences and Control of Microbial Growth

Virus Structure and Function

Genomes and Chromosomes

Transcription, Translation, and Bioinformatics

Gene Transfer, Mutations, and Genome Evolution

Molecular Regulation

Viral Molecular Biology

Molecular Techniques and Biotechnology

Energetics and Catabolism

Respiration, Lithotrophy, and Photolysis

Biosynthesis

Food and Industrial Microbiology

Origins and Evolution

Bacterial Diversity

Archaeal Diversity

Eukaryotic Diversity

Microbial Ecology

Human Microbiota and Nonspecific Host Defenses

The Adaptive Immune Response

Microbial Pathogenesis

Microbial Diseases

Antimicrobial Chemotherapy

Clinical Microbiology and Epidemiology

Filters

Human burning of petroleum in effect releases CO₂ from the product of ancient bacteria. Discuss.

Which of the following can assimilate Fe³⁺?