Deck 6: Terrestrial and Aquatic Biomes

Question 1

How much additional precipitation is required to meet water needs for every 10°C increase in temperature?

A) 2 cm
B) 5 cm
C) 6 cm
D) 10 cm
E) 20 cm

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Where could you NOT find an example of a temperate seasonal forest biome?

A) United States and southeastern Canada
B) Europe
C) South America
D) eastern Asia

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Overgrazing has caused significant changes in vegetation in

A) boreal forest.
B) temperate grasslands.
C) tropical seasonal forest/savannah.
D) woodlands/shrublands.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Why are animals NOT used as the distinguishing features for biomes?

Question 5

Which of the following species does NOT easily fit with the expectations of biome classification?

A) organ pipe cactus
B) eucalyptus trees
C) feral dogs
D) cattails

Question 6

On a climate diagram the growing season of a biome occurs when the

A) temperature line is above the precipitation line.
B) precipitation line is above the temperature line.
C) temperature is above 0°C.
D) temperature is above 5°C

Question 7

Which biome occurs at the highest elevation?

A) boreal forest
B) temperate rainforest
C) woodland/shrubland
D) tundra

Question 8

The Mediterranean woodland/shrubland biome is characterized by thick evergreen shrubby vegetation. The small, drought-resistant leaves of these plants are said to be

A) sclerophyllous.
B) epiphytic.
C) limnetic.
D) emergent.

Question 9

Biomes are geographic regions

A) with the same key species.
B) with species that have not evolved convergently.
C) with the same range of temperatures.
D) whose plant communities have similar adaptations.

Question 10

Warmer and drier parts of the temperate seasonal forest biome are dominated by

A) rain forests.
B) deciduous forests.
C) needle-leaved forests.
D) grasslands.
E) woodlands.

Question 11

Few biomes have cold temperature combined with high precipitation. Why is this?

Question 12

In climate diagrams the location of the temperature and precipitation lines are used to determine which of the two limits plant growth in the biome. Explain why higher temperatures also require increased precipitation.

Question 13

Which biome is home to the coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)?

A) temperate seasonal forest
B) temperate rainforest
C) boreal forest
D) tropical rainforest
E) tropical seasonal forest

Question 14

Which of the following is used to distinguish aquatic biomes?
I) salinity
II) depth
III) flow

A) I and II
B) I and III
C) II and III
D) I, II, and III

Question 15

Which of the following does NOT have an influence on plant communities in biomes?

A) topography
B) soils
C) herbivory
D) fire
E) genetic makeup

Question 16

Which biome has the highest biodiversity?

A) temperate rainforest
B) temperate seasonal forest
C) tropical rainforest
D) tropical seasonal forest

Question 17

At what average temperatures do we see the greatest variation in precipitation among biomes?

A) warm temperatures (approximately 20°C to 30°C)
B) moderate temperatures (approximately 5°C to 20°C)
C) cold temperatures (approximately -5°C to 5°C)
D) very cold temperatures (less than -5°C)

Question 18

Which biome has distinct wet and dry seasons?

A) tropical seasonal forest/savannah
B) boreal forest
C) temperate grasslands
D) tropical rainforest
E) tundra

Question 19

Which of the following pairs is an example of convergent evolution?

A) dogs and cats
B) wolves and deer
C) birds and bats
D) giraffes and trees

Question 20

Why is the biome concept difficult to apply to aquatic systems?

A) Temperature is similar over the majority of aquatic biomes, unlike terrestrial systems.
B) Aquatic communities vary little from place to place because of the ability of fish to travel between oceans.
C) Nutrients from terrestrial biomes limit most aquatic systems, so terrestrial systems must be considered when determining the aquatic biomes.
D) Producers in many aquatic systems are algae, which have little characteristic large-scale structure.

Question 21

Which of the following helps to prevent tree growth in tallgrass prairies?

A) low precipitation
B) high temperatures
C) frequent fires
D) human land use
E) acidic soils

Question 22

As a river flows downstream, it generally

A) moves faster.
B) has more nutrients.
C) is more shaded.
D) narrows.

Question 23

Compare and contrast arctic and alpine tundra.

Question 24

Biomes occupying the extremes of the precipitation spectrum (very moist or very dry) burn infrequently, while biomes with moderate precipitation and seasonal drought burn readily and regularly. Explain this phenomenon.

Question 25

An important characteristic of streams is

A) high allochthonous inputs.
B) high autochthonous inputs.
C) lack of interaction with the riparian zone.
D) many photosynthetic organisms.

Question 26

The ocean zone with the highest productivity is the

A) neritic zone.
B) photic zone.
C) aphotic zone.
D) benthic zone.

Question 27

The open ocean is most similar to

A) subtropical desert.
B) temperate seasonal forest.
C) tropical rainforest.
D) woodland/scrubland.

Question 28

Which of the following is NOT an effect of dams on streams and rivers?

A) increased water temperature upstream of the dam
B) increased sediment settling
C) increased levels of dissolved oxygen downstream of the dam
D) habitat fragmentation

Question 29

Which of the following is another name for boreal forest?

A) matorral
B) pampas
C) steppes
D) taiga

Question 30

In which biome is plant growth primarily constrained by precipitation in the summer?

A) boreal forest
B) temperate seasonal forest
C) temperate grassland
D) tundra

Question 31

Succulent plants are a defining feature of a

A) temperate seasonal forest.
B) temperate rainforest.
C) subtropical desert.
D) woodland/shrubland.

Question 32

Which is a characteristic agricultural use of the woodland/shrubland biome?

A) grapes
B) wheat
C) cattle
D) coffee

Question 33

Which biome has soil that degrades quickly once cut for logging purposes and/or converted to agricultural use?

A) temperate seasonal forest
B) tropical rainforest
C) tropical seasonal forest/savannah
D) woodland/shrubland

Question 34

Savannah gradually changes to tropical seasonal forest as

A) temperature increases.
B) temperature decreases.
C) precipitation increases.
D) precipitation decreases.

Question 35

An important characteristic of freshwater wetlands is

A) basic soils.
B) anoxic soil conditions.
C) sections of open water.
D) acidic water.

Question 36

A symbiotic relationship with algae is central to

A) mangrove swamps.
B) intertidal zones.
C) coral reefs.
D) ponds and lakes.

Question 37

Coral reefs are most similar to

A) subtropical deserts.
B) woodlands/shrublands.
C) temperate seasonal forests.
D) tropical rainforests.

Question 38

Which of the following global factors accounts for the difference between temperate seasonal forests and temperate rainforests?

A) decreased precipitation in the seasonal forests due to the edge of Hadley cells
B) increased temperatures in the rainforest due to ocean currents
C) decreased precipitation in the seasonal forests due to rain shadows
D) increased temperatures in the rainforest due to lower latitudes

Question 39

Which combination of factors causes the fastest nutrient cycling in a biome?

A) high precipitation and high temperatures
B) high precipitation and low temperatures
C) low precipitation and high temperatures
D) low precipitation and low temperatures

Question 40

Although precipitation is fairly low in boreal forests, soils are often saturated because of

A) groundwater recharge.
B) frequent flooding.
C) prevalence of succulent plants.
D) reduced evaporation rates.

Question 41

In which aquatic environment are organisms most likely to produce bioluminescence?

A) aphotic zones
B) coral colonies
C) intertidal zones
D) mangrove swamps

Question 42

Which is a unique characteristic of estuaries?

A) the prevalence of aquatic woody vegetation
B) the seasonal overturn of water stratification
C) the mixing of fresh and salt water
D) the large variety of benthic organisms

Question 43

In which lake zone would photosynthesis not occur?

A) profundal zones
B) littoral colonies
C) pelagic zones
D) limnetic swamps

Question 44

Biological activity is severely limited in a thermally stratified temperate lake in midsummer. Explain this phenomenon with reference to both surface and deeper waters.

Question 45

Explain why the communities in intertidal zones must be adapted to survive a wide range of conditions.

Question 46

What is the difference between the mean and the median?

Question 47

The shortest growing season is found in which biome?

A) taiga
B) tundra
C) boreal forest
D) temperate rainforest

Question 48

Explain how the riparian zone might affect an adjacent terrestrial biome.

Question 49

Which of the following is NOT a barrier to shifting biomes?

A) mountains
B) rivers
C) large highways
D) oceans

Question 50

How might global climate change affect current agricultural regions?

Question 51

Explain the differences between autochthonous and allochthonous inputs in a stream or river.

Question 52

During which seasons does overturn occur in a lake?

A) winter and spring
B) winter and summer
C) fall and spring
D) fall and summer
E) winter and fall

Question 53

Which is the surface water of thermally stratified lake?

A) the epilimnion
B) the hypolimnion
C) the littoral zone
D) the thermocline

Question 54

What important role do mangrove swamps play in maintaining their environment?

A) They transfer sediment from terrestrial to aquatic biomes.
B) They filter water, which refreshes groundwater reservoirs.
C) They prevent coastal erosion.
D) They increase the sedimentation of coral reefs.

Question 55

Why is water at the bottom of a temperate lake likely to be close to 4°C year-round?

A) Cooling water below 4°C requires enormous amounts of energy.
B) Soil temperatures are close to 4°C for most of the year in temperate regions.
C) Air temperatures in the temperate zone rarely fall below 4°C.
D) Water is densest at 4°C.

Question 56

In general terms what is the difference between a stream and a river?

Question 57

Lakes are generally divided into zones, each of which has unique physical and biological attributes. In which zone would you expect to find rooted vegetation?

A) littoral
B) limnetic
C) pelagic
D) benthic
E) neritic

Question 58

Describe some of the similarities and differences between tropical rainforests and tropical seasonal forests.

Question 59

The aphotic zone is a feature in

A) coral reefs.
B) freshwater wetlands.
C) mangrove swamps.
D) open ocean.
E) intertidal zones.

Question 60

Explain the similarities and differences among bogs, marshes, and swamps.

Question 61

What are the epilimnion and hypolimnion labels used to identify layers of a lake based on?

A) proximity to the shore
B) presence of rooted vegetation
C) temperature differences
D) amount of light penetration

Question 62

Manure from a farming operation that enters into a stream would be considered?

A) allochthonous
B) autochthonous
C) both allochthonous and autochthonous
D) neither allochthonous nor autochthonous as the input is not natural

Question 63

A major driver of the spring and fall turnover in lakes is what?

A) the formation of ice
B) the receding/melting of ice
C) the water dropping to 4°C
D) the wind

Question 64

Which areas have the fewest number of biomes present?

A) North America and South America
B) Africa and Australia
C) Africa and South America
D) Australia and Asia